Mare with uterine cysts

scotsmare

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I've recently purchased a mare which I had hoped to use for breeding this year, however, it has transpired that she has a few cysts in her uterus. She has had foals previously.

How difficult will it be to get her in foal? Should I even bother trying? I need to use AI.

Any suggestions?
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Unless they're HUGE, they're usually only a problem at scanning (some cysts can look VERY like a 12-14 day pregnancy!) As long as your vet knows how many she has and where they are, that's not TOO much of a problem. I've got a mare with 3 - and she's always got in foal without trouble.
 
Plenty of mares have cysts in the uterus. Older mares tend to suffer more, as they aquire them through their life.
As JG says, they only cause a problem when diagnosing pregnancy as they look similar on the scanner.
 
As above really...

*Have the cysts mapped carefully

*Cysts will generally only cause fertility problems when there are very high numbers, they are located around the papilla (opening to the oviduct) and might prevent descent of the embryo into the uterus, or are near the cervix and effect cervical closure.

Good luck with her, but you shouldn't have any problems from the cysts!
 
My lovely old broodmare ( 23 years ) suffered a multitude of cysts in her uterus after her 2007 foaling - my dutch vet recommended that we flush her several times to try and remove all the cysts. This was successful and in 2008 we got six embryos off her, four of these took and we now await our new babies. I did not put her back into foal primarily because of her age and the fact that she has proved so fertile in terms of producing embryos which we going to do again this summer
 
As people have said as long as they are mapped / noted then they wont be confused with a pregnancy.

As far as prevention of gaining a pregnancy it depends on the situation. I know mare who are plastered with them and take year on year. Others have relatively few and small cysts but have been decided as it being an issue.

You really dont know until you try. If she didnt go in foal and the cysts were blamed then that would be a bold statement (and presumptive) as all the other possibilities of her not going in foal would have to ruled out. That can be a mine field. If there is only a small number and they are relatively small then i see no reason to not breed. Just be aware of them and keep note.
 
As the above have said mares can and do carry to term with cysts but it is sometimes the getting them in foal or the scanning them in foal that is the problem. Best thing to do is to print out the scan and keep a copy of the cysts so you know where they are and can look at it year after year to see if the cysts have got worse or stayed the same. Jabbing with oxytocin after AI or covering can help
 
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