Ovarian Cyst ?????

[uglow89]

Hi Everyone,

I wrote a while back saying my mare had turned into a beast! Background on her is she was brought buy me as a project mare wasnt in good shape etc. Got all her ailments sorted and I started bring her back into work but everytime I got on she did a exploded bucking/rearing/jumping on all fours. I had her saddle check, the chiro, the physio all couldn't find a problem. People suggest getting her professional backed again as she could now be feeling very good and full of herself. So I a very experienced behavioural therapist/instructor out to have a look at her. Started work with her in lunge no problem, sitting on slight tension but on the whole no problems, ask her to walk on with a slight squeeze she explodes. Behaviourist said get the vet out to rule out everything before we diagnosis it as a learnt behaviour.

Anyway Vet cam out today checked over externally no problems, scanned her ovaries, her left was fine, her right wasnt enlarged but the tissue looked slightly abnormal. So the vet has taken blood and I am now waiting for results. Two weeks as they have to go to America. I was wondering has anyone else had a mare with possible ovarian cysts, what did their scan show? what where there mares symptons? and treatment etc, or other possibilities.

Any advice etc greatly welcomed

 

[JanetGeorge]

While uterine cysts are common in horses, ovarian cysts are not (some experts discount them altogether.) Sounds like your vet might suspect a Granulosa Theca Cell tumour - though the scan picture (ovary not enlarged) would mean it was very early. A 'normal' GTCT shows as one very enlarged ovary which appears as a honeycomb-type pattern - and the other ovary inactive and small. A GTCT causes behavioural problems - and when advanced, can turn a mare's behaviour into that of a stallion (mounting mares, aggression etc.) The mare is also unpleasant ALL of the time, and not just when coming into season - as in a majority of cases, the tumour produces testosterone. The bloods will be looking for increased levels of α -inhibin, wich is a marker for a GTCT! It IS a benign tumour, although they can grow VERY large, so surgery to remove the tumour and the affected ovary is very successful.

However, unless her behaviour on the ground is also 'bad' I would not be suspecting a GTCT from the 'symptoms' you describe. If you don't know how she was backed - and how she was used/abused after that - then the most likely cause of her behaviour is that she WAS badly backed/and badly ridden, and now she is feeling better, she's not going to settle to ridden work again in a hurry!! Well worth ruling out a veterinary problem, but my guess is she will need re-backing VERY slowly and sympathetically!

 

[uglow89]

Thanks for your response Janet,

Her behaviour on the ground has too changed. She seems to be in season permenantly being very moody and grumpy. She is on a daily basis winking and squirting at the two poor uninterested geldings she has to share a feild with. Getting her to seperate from them is becoming a nightmare itself. Bunnyboiler would be a good way to describe it.

Although I have had only had her march when I got her, granted she was in the best condition, more slightly underweight than anything major, but I watched them ride her and I rode her myself. They rode her in spurs and not once did she rear/buck. I have got on peridocally and not had this very recently behaviour change.

The ovary wasnt enlarged but was a greyish whiteish colour which my vet said wasnt quite right. She did show me on the scan but to be honest I didnt really know what I was looking at and all looked the same to me.

Could there be any other possibilities if the bloods come back negative?

 

[JanetGeorge]

Mmm - the 'permanently in season' would suggest a very persistent anovulatory follicle - but vet woulod have spotted that (I HOPE!) But of course she might not BE in season. Winking and squirting are common signs of a mare in season but they are also signs of submission in some mares.

The fact the mare was ridden in spurs - and behaved - might suggest she had previously had behavioural problems and she had been 'set straight' with dominant riding. Happens a lot with dealers' horses. They get to a new place, behave for a bit, then start testing the water!

 

[Twinkley Lights]

Hope things work out Uglow as a person who has suffered an ovarian cyst I can say that it was really painful so she must be in some discomfort too poor thing.

 

[arabian1xx]

Hi my mare had gct tumor on her right ovary which she has had removed this was April 2011. I have always had marish problems but nothing unusal until the march when she started reacting to the mares on the yard her behaviour soon turned to that of a stallion and a dangerous one to.she became very stressed and would not settle or graze. I took her to be scaned and her ovary was enourmous . Her bloods were taken her hormones were high in testosterone. She had het surgery and all is good now. Her behaviour whilst ridden was not effected really she became more braver and bolder whilst hacking I could only hack with 1 other thou as she became pretective of a horse if more than 1.