New to forum. U.S Vet student with equine medicine in mind

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mweissbuell

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I take weekly riding lessons when I am home on summer breaks and just happened to notice that the horse I was riding still had some left over Caslick sutures . This horse has had to have had them quite awhile as can' remember when she was breed probably yrs.

I am wanting to take them out . owner is agreeable. there aren't many but they do not need to be there either.. I am just so surprised to see them still left over . Do you see this a lot? I am familiar with the Caslick sutures and am a 2nd yr vet student. I fully appreciate the value in a licensed vet doing the job .. just wondered if some owners have had to pull them out themselves over the yrs?

Appreciations
 
Hi, welcome to the forum. :)

It would be worth posting your question in the 'breeding' and 'vet' sections of the forum. This section is quite quiet, so not a lot of people will read it.
 
In this country Caslicks are done to stop faeces from entering the vagina and causing infection. It was my understanding that they should remain unless foaling and be replaced after foaling if the mare has a confirmation that makes infection a risk.
 
I don't see why they would need to come out? Best left alone as you could get yourself in a lot of trouble if they need redoing etc.
 
I was more curious than anything... without a license I would not do anything unless under the supervision of a veterinarian.. in a horse that has no more plans for breeding it was just something that I noticed and kind of took me back to see left over sutures.
 
There is no problem removing a suture/sutures, they were there to hold both sides together and once the fusion has taken place they can be nipped off with a scissors (I assume you are referring to a few visible pieces of thread!). I have often nipped off a bit of thread that may be hanging and collecting faeces, it is totally different to opening a mare for foaling. Some working mares (Racing, Show jumping, Eventing etc) will have a caslicks done to prevent them sucking air and therefore possibly introducing infection into their vaginas which could cause problems at a later date.
 
Exactly what I am seeing. this is an older lesson horse totally not for breeding anymore. Thanks for the information ...much appreciated.
 
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