WeeFoal Test Results~Ghostline or Negative?

[nnadams]

Just did a pregnancy test on one of my mares and could not tell at first whether there was a second line or I was seeing things. I looked at the test in several lights and took some pictures of it. There is definitely some pink there, but not very distinct. Is this a ghost line or is the result negative? Please look at the pictures and tell me what you think. Thanks!

 

[weerunner]

Looks like a negative to me. I've had them be that faint and they were negative. Maybe you are too close to the 120days. If not then I'd say it is definitely negative in my opinion.

 

[kaykay]

Looks like a negative to me also sorry. As said though if the mare is just barely 120 days you might want to retest in a couple weeks

*this can also be caused by filling the resevoir too fast with urine

 

[garyo]

This may be the obvious "stupid question" but... How do you all usually gather your mare's urine for testing? I have thought about trying to tape a catch resovoir (sp?) there like you do for baby humans but figured they would knock it off. Do you just guard them in their stall and rush in where they start to urinate. I know most of them do so right around feeding time but... Also is this confusing result typical? How does the cost compare with a blood test (our vet charges $50 each for them plus the farm call for whatever you have done)?

 

[Carolyn R]

Duck tape and a maxi pad. Works great if you place a wide pad across the vulva, the take about 3 or 4 feet of wide tape and run it across one flank, over the pad and acros the other flank. You can check it every half hour. To collect the urine, I wear surgical gloves, not to keep from getting dirty, but so I don't contaminate the urine. Anyhow, if you slice open the pad, you can pull out the absorbant fill and squeeze it into a dixie cup. From there, follow the test directions.

 

[kaykay]

The easiest way I have found is to put down fresh shavings and bring the mare into the stall. They almost always urinate immediately when they smell fresh shavings. I just slip a cup under the tail and get a bit and Im done

You only need a little bit. Be sure urine is room temp though before you test

 

[nnadams]

I sent the pictures and inquiry on to the weefoal.com website who forwarded it on to the inventer of the test and this is his response:

"Hi Susan,

I would interpret that result as ‘pregnant’, but the estrogen levels at the low end of the range of values associated with pregnancy. If the mare was not pregnant, I would have expected the ‘T’ line to be much more intense and similar in intensity to the ‘C’ line. This would certainly be a good example of a ‘low’ pregnant result. Hope this helps."

So, I guess someone who gets this kind of result could assume:

1. still early in the pregnancy

2. in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy when certain hormones decline

3. a pregnancy in which the mare is not producing enough hormones to support the pregancy and therefore will probably

miscarry. (I, myself, did not produce enough progesterone to support my pregnancies and had to take a supplement)

Also, I forgot to let the urine come to room temperature like kaykay said. Hmmm, wonder if that makes that much of a difference?

 

[Fantasia]

I had a maiden mare do this to me. She is in foal. The first test I did was bang on 110 days.I got basically exactly what you got on your test. By day 130 I had a clear result.

As for the question re cost, we pay $30NZ per test (but then they made here) and that's it. For a blood test you are looking at around $130 per test all up including travel.

No question, these are cheaper and quick to do if you suspect a mare has slipped!

We are doing tests this year on manure and saliva to see what else Keith can come up with for non invasive tests - especially before the 110 day mark.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

My first mini that I had on lease was in foal and thats just what my test looked like. How far along is your mare supposed to be?

 

[nnadams]

This was a mare that we bought over a couple of years ago that was supposed to be in foal (just a couple of months). She either aborted right away or never was pregnant. She came into the only heat I ever noticed her have in November after we got her. After that, for the next 2 breeding seasons, I never could recognize her come into heat again. The stallion I tried to breed her to this past spring would not touch her. She recently started looking very pregnant to me and has developed a pretty good bag I can express some mostly clear milk from. I was thinking it was much too early for her to have a bag already for next spring. I was wondering if she could be having a false pregnancy. I did the weefoal test on her and got the result above. I had left her in with a stallion in the fall last year so now I am wondering if she is about to foal in the next few weeks. Maybe she got in foal very late. Maybe she does not cycle in the spring and summer like the other mares when I am paying very close attention, but in the fall when I am not watching for cycles or normally have a mare in with a stallion. .....I am just wondering now if this is possible???

 

[Fantasia]

It very possible she could have cycled with the stallion last fall. I've had a stallion get in with the herd in early Autumn for less than three hours and we got a foal the following year from a mare who showed absolutely no sign of being in season.

This year I've got a mare who won't be served by the stallion during day light hours. (She in with stallion). So they can be sneaky lil things like that. (Come to think of it, this is the same mare as above.....hmmmmm

)

If your girl far along in foal, it can reduce the accuracy of the test. Latest I've done a test was on a mare about 320 days and did get a very faint line.

From false pregnancies I've seen they don't get the pointed look on one side of the body when viewed from behind. Is she showing any other signs of foaling?

 

[nnadams]

She is getting a pretty good bag, but I could not easily express the milk when I tried today.

You don't happen to have a picture of this, do you: "the pointed look on one side of the body when viewed from behind"

 

[weerunner]

Here is one of my mares at day 270 (9 months pregnant), her sides are out pretty far on both sides, but more on one than the other.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/319270..._b3ec55b974.jpg

 

[Fantasia]

Thanks Weerunner, that'a a great pic!

My false mare got a fore udder, but no baby lean. All my written observations read "no discernable side bump" - meaning there was no clear side that the baby was lying on. She never fully filled the bag and vuvla never fully relaxed. Some muscle relaxation but she was in good nick so may have just been plain fat wobble! I didn't record any signs of the "A framing" that they do before foaling.

Same with lady around the corner although her's never made a bag (suspect she was just fat!)

TB mare I saw last year had fore udder and no "baby lean". Told owner about my experience, he tested mare and hello, no baby.

I wouldn't be too worried of you can't express milk. Have had some that don't cough it up until they within 24 hours of foaling. Is the bag full from the front or the back? Full, full or flabby? Has her vulva elongated? Walking around with heavy steps????? Any other signs? And is she a maiden?

 

[nnadams]

[size="5]SHE FOALED SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A BEAUTIFUL BAY PINTO FILLY!!!!!!!

Will post pics as soon as I can. It's my daughter's 4th birthday today![/size]

 

[Matt73]

This may be the obvious "stupid question" but... How do you all usually gather your mare's urine for testing? I have thought about trying to tape a catch resovoir (sp?) there like you do for baby humans but figured they would knock it off. Do you just guard them in their stall and rush in where they start to urinate. I know most of them do so right around feeding time but... Also is this confusing result typical? How does the cost compare with a blood test (our vet charges $50 each for them plus the farm call for whatever you have done)?

All of my girls (and boys) pee right when they get in their stalls. When I was competing in Hunter/Jumper with big horses, when officials came by for drug testing, it was pretty quick from the time they went in the stall until they got that sample (max. 5 mins.). Just a cup on the end of a stick kind of thing. My guys would all allow me to just get under there with a styro foam cup

 

[loveminis]

[SIZE=14pt]Congratulations !!! [/SIZE]

 

[shelly]

:yeah

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Can't wait for pics!!!

 

[nnadams]

Here are pictures from day one ~ I have not had a chance to take better pictures yet....actually, I did take better pictures and then realized I did not have my flash card in my camera!

We just love her. I always wanted a bay pinto.

She has a small black spot just above one of her front hooves and a couple black spots on her knees.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

What a great surprise!! She is beautiful!!! Congratulations!!!