Ovarian Cysts (Granulosa Cell Syndrome)

jael

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Hi to all. Has anyone any experience of having a mare with ovarian issues? My 10 yo Irish cob maiden mare whilst mainly sweet natured has always been difficult with her seasons, squirting and straddling around mares and geldings. She is naturally a dominant mare, but in the last 2 weeks her behaviour has become aggressive towards other horses, kicking the stable walls and striking out with her front legs. It is only testatment to our strong bond that she has not hurt me yet, but at times I can see her thinking about it...

Whilst talking to my vet about marbling/Regumate he mentioned stallion like behaviour and I suddenly realised that her neck has become arched and cresty, though she is not overweight. I feel rather stupid that I may have been missing the obvious and will now get her scanned asap. My question is, has anyone here experience of the operation to remove the granulosa cells and does it work long term? She is fully insured. Many thanks.
 

Scoutie

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My friends mare suffered from this when she was about 16-18. She presented with a change in behaviour, loss of top line and condition. She subsquently had a 21lb tumour removed, at the time it was the largest the surgeon had seen. She looked dreadful post op, she was so thin you could see where her ribs joined her spine, so bad that someone threatened to report to the RSPCA and said that she should have been destroyed on the table.

I am please to report she survived and hunted again living to the ripe old age of 28. Said person retracted her words, apologised and was very happy to do so when she saw her on the hunting field!
 

scots

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Yes mine had her ovary removed. Was done via a standing operation and via keyhole. 6 weeks off work and was fine.
 

LynH

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One of my mares had a granulosa cell tumour and her behaviour gradually changed over a period of a year. She stopped coming into season, became more difficult to handle and had to be led in a chifney, her neck became much crestier but no weight gain and eventually she started showing stallion behaviour and then mounted my other mare. At this point I had her scanned and then had the tumour removed. It was done under standing sedation and she recovered really well. It took almost two years for her to come back into season and she has since been AI'd 5 times but didn't take. Each time the follicles she produced were normal and of a good size and she's been thoroughly tested and no reason found why she didn't take and as far as two vets and the stud are concerned the previous tumour and ovary removal had nothing to so with her inability to get in foal.
Behaviour wise she returned to normal within a few months but the cresty stallion neck has remained which I'm pleased about as it gives her a bit of presence.
 

JanetGeorge

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She is naturally a dominant mare, but in the last 2 weeks her behaviour has become aggressive towards other horses, kicking the stable walls and striking out with her front legs. It is only testatment to our strong bond that she has not hurt me yet, but at times I can see her thinking about it...

Whilst talking to my vet about marbling/Regumate he mentioned stallion like behaviour and I suddenly realised that her neck has become arched and cresty, though she is not overweight. I feel rather stupid that I may have been missing the obvious and will now get her scanned asap. My question is, has anyone here experience of the operation to remove the granulosa cells and does it work long term? She is fully insured. Many thanks.

Is this the first time she has been in season since last autumn. If so, I would think it probably indicates a transitional season which is often more 'difficult' than regular seasons. IF she has a Granulosa Theca Cell Tumour on one ovary, then you would get stallion-like behaviour (agressiveness, mounting other mares etc.) but once a GTC tumour gets to a decent size, the mare usually doesn't come into season. On scanning, the one ovary would appear very enlarged (due to the tumour) and the other would be smaller than normal - and inactive (no follicles coming up) due to the testosterone excreted by the tumour. When a GTC tumour is present, it is removed along with the ovary and - over time - the other ovary will return to normal and she will come into season again.
 

cambrica

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My mare had an ovarian tumour removed some years ago.
I first become concerned when I realised I couldn't remember how long it had been since her last season. She never really showed much but I was toying with the idea of putting her in foal so tried monitering her seasons.
The vet then examined her and asked what her temperament was like. Not realising the seriousness of what he was asking I said that tbh she was quite stallion-like at which point his faced dropped. He had found a very large tumour (larger than a grapefruit) and the change in temperament was due to the release of testosterone.
Luckily I have a vet in a million, competant and up for a challenge, so he agreed to remove the tumour as the Royal vet college would have been out of the question.
Maddie never showed any interest in mounting the other mares but did try and herd them about and stressed when seperated. She was always so well behaved for me but started showing other people her unpleasant side (head shaking, showing the whites of her eyes etc) Within six months her seasons were back to normal. That was in 2004.
Sadly I lost her last year to colic which I think was unrelated.
 

Serenity087

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We put mine in foal. Took some time because of the problems but she responded so well to Regumate and I was at uni at the time!

She was absolutely fine after her first year at stud even though she spent another 2.

Never entirely sure whether the foaling helped or if just being a horse helped. Either way, no surgery required!
 

jael

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Thanks to all of you - your replies have really helped and made me think. Looking back on her history I have remembered that she was scanned by her breeder after she would not accept a stallion and they said her ovaries were smaller than usual. She does cycle through winter although not as intensely and I had wondered about that first difficult spring season. The cresty neck and aggression are new and made me question, but it looks quite good so can stay! Something is obviously going on ovary wise methinks, so I will arrange a scan and will post on here what the end results are.
 

cambrica

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I would definatley scan as you say. Blood tests will also reveal if there is testosterone present which help to determine as to whether its cysts or a tumour.
 

TallulahBright

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I had mine scanned last year following a big ditching (me!) incident, also rearing and striking and generally stressed and unhappy. Scans showed extremely enlarged and sore ovaries, she was on regumate all last summer and was back to her normal self quite quickly. So far this year apart from squirting etc she has been fine. Fingers crossed it lasts and fingers crossed your girl is ok.
 

iconique

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My husbands mare had an ovary removed about 5 years ago, she was awful and afterwards became much better. Op was done at Rossdales whilst standing, no real scar to show for it. She's also since had a foal.
 

jael

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Update! Went to get her scanned and mare refused to load, broke her headcollar and ran back into her stable, despite normally loading perfectly. After some loss of temper (mine!) I got the vet to come to us today. She has scanned perfectly normally and vet does not think Regumate will make much difference! Maybe it was just a transition season (huge follicles) and there are 2 uncut colts on the yard. Now I have to accept that she is just a dominant, general baggage but then so often a sweet mare! Discipline and work will now be upped - and a Racesafe body protector procured. My thanks to all of you for your input - I have owned for 24 years but am still learning - there is so much knowledge on this site which makes you feel less alone with a problem. :) x
 

jael

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I thought I would update this just to share experiences. Shortly after the ovary scan, I moved my mare to a yard that was very disciplined and experienced and have a kind but no nonsense approach. Her work was upped and after some initial arguments about this (!) she settled really well and showed some real talent schooling and jumping. Then came the spooking - hedgerows, shadows, a certain part of the school, fresh air, etc. I read somewhere that you need to get someone to look at their tail in mid spook - if it's up they are titting about, if it's clamped down they are genuinely worried. This mare is sound and unblemished with a full known history since 8 months old, so I have long since ruled out any health issues, except the one where as she has a right blue eye this may be more light sensitive - she does spook more on that side. Anyway, I decided enough was enough and have a trial of Regumate equine to start for 10 days. Will be back with the results...
 

jael

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So, as promised I am back to update. I tried the Regumate for 8 days at 10 cc a day and just dropped it in her feed (getting it all over my hands in the process but no matter as I am 50 so way past having babies!) She knew instantly it was in there and began to throw her feed around, but I had a cunning plan and disguised it with garlic which she loves, so that sorted that one out! Within 2 days she was calm and biddable but still had her personality. The aggressive, nervous behaviour and gigantic spooks were gone and she seemed content. Today, 2 days after the trial ended she was bucking, rearing, flighty, spooking at anything and snapping her teeth at me in the stable. I think this says it all. I now prepare to be even more broke as Regumate will have to be a permanent thing through Spring/Summer. Regumate was my last resort to keep my mare - it seems to have done the trick.
 

LilMissy

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I had one who needed Regumate, I experimented and managed her on 5mls per day. I also got a prescription from the vet and bought Pig regumate. Same stuff and much cheaper!
 

jael

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Yes, I had thought about the porcine, although apparently the prices are more level now than they were years ago. I was told 12 mls (not cc as I previously typed!) but as she is 14:2 I started at 10 mls. I would think that after it had been used a while it could be reduced and will certainly keep that in mind.
 

loopylucifer

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hiya
your sounds a little like mine was last year. she was scanned and all okay and blood tested and scoped for ulcers all fine. She was really bad coming into season. had short trial of regumate but not really long enough to make a huge difference. ended up having Peanut oil inseminated which delays coming into season for about 100 days. works out much cheaper than regumate and was very effective. just waiting on her to come into season so re inseminate for this year.
 

jael

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Wow! Now that's a new one on me and sounds a much better idea as with the best will in the world, Regumate being oil based, always landed on me as well as her feed! I will check this out - thanks.
 
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