Placental abruption in mare - can anyone give advice from experience?

[Spyda]

Hello,

It's been a while since I last posted! Gosh doesn't time fly?! I apologise in advance for the length of this posting - seems I'm making up for all those the months that I didn't posted in one go!

It was last year that I was posting about my 7 year old TB mare (in foal for the first time then) but sadly she lost it somewhere between 4th and 5th month.

This year I had my mare blood tested and various swabs (clitoral, vaginal and cervical) taken early in the year (January) - just incase anything needed treating before she returned to the stud for another try. Everything came back 'normal' and off to stud she went at the end of February with a clean bill of health.

She took a long time coming into season (despite jabs from the stud vet, teasing, Regumate, etc) but since all the mares were late foaling and slow to return into season this spring (due to the uncommonly cold weather at the time, we think) neither the stud or I worried unduly.

In May my mare was finally scanned in foal. At 35 days she was still in foal and was started on a daily dose of Regumate to help hold the pregnancy.

All progressed well until yesterday. As it's now between the 4th and 5th month again, same time we lost last years foal, I arranged another scan just to make sure all was well 'in there'.

I am not sure what the vet should see at this stage? Foal is due 24th April 2007 so would it be normal to see a heart beat on this scan? He didn't. Stud guy thought this a bit odd, but vet seemed unworried saying some times that was the case at this stage of development. Should I worry though????

What was DEFINIELY of concern, was that the upper 1/4 of the placenta was unattached from the uterine wall and could be seen floating a little bit away from it. The lower 3/4 was still attached but obviously this is really worrying. The vet remarked that since my mare had lost her first foal (last years' one) at this same stage, perhaps that was how she was; she'd carry to this stage of development and then the placenta would abrupt leading her to abort. :-(

The vet summed up saying, "Your mare is STILL in foal, but it is at risk". He went on to say that there wasn't anything to be done to help her problem, apart from keeping her on the daily doses of Regumate and for her to have a monthly, 6 day, course of antibiotics right up until she foaled. He gave me 12 days worth of antibiotic powders, said to turn her out, keep my fingers crossed and that he'd be back in a couple of months to rescan her.

Does anyone have any experience of this happening and is there ever a happy ending?

Since the stud vet didn't write off the pregnancy altogether, I'm assuming the amount of placenta that has come away already isn't hopless to the continued development of the foal but since he didn't locate a heart beat either, I'm already concerned this might be due to the foetus being under developed because of the placental abruption that's already occured. After all, less attached placenta must = less nutrient transfer to the developing foal. Much as I want a baby out of my mare by this stallion, I'd rather not have a runty one.

I've been trying to find information online but there doesn't appear to be much detailed about this problem. I don't know whether to simply follow the stud vets advice or if there's anything or any one else that could help further.

 

[AmyMay]

No idea - sorry, but most definately have everything crossed for you. I can't imagine what you must be going through.

 

[_jetset_]

I can't imagine what you must be going through right now, or what you will be going through for the next couple of months until the next scan. It's bad enough having a mare in foal without added problems!

I don't know anything about this, but could you speak to your own vet to ask for some more information or whether they could point you in the right direction at least?

 

[AmyMay]

Just a thought but it may be worth trying to contact SallyF - she has a stud down in Devon and may be able to give you some advise.

 

[dunc_n_toby]

How awful for you, you must be so worried. I know nothing about your mare's condition sorry but I'm sure I've read somewhere that the further into the pregnancy a mare is the more difficult to pick up the heart beat as the foalie grows. Might be worth asking your own vet as others suggest.

Best of luck

 

[Halfpass]

Oh you poor thing you must be so worried. I'll try to answer as best I can from a midwives view I'm sure it can't be too different. I would say its a little strange that a heart beat was not seen. She may still be in foal but if a heart beat wasn't seen maybe she has lost it. In people when they have a placental abruption it means getting the baby out ASAP if it is of viable age even if only part of the placenta has come away. Normaly when a placenta abrupts there would be a significant amount of blood. However there are such things as a silent abruption where the placena comes away but there is no sign of blood loss. I personally would not be happy not seeing a heart beat. She is nearly half way through her pregnancy so the foal should resemble a foal only smaller and they should be able to see all limbs organs and a heart beat. If some of the placenta has come away it is because a haematoma has formed which then seperates the placenta from the maternal vascular system and the amount of oxygen going to the foal and the function of the placenta will be reduced so therefore I would say that the foal is being compromised by this. Previous history of this happening will, in humans, increase the risk of it happening again. I'm so sorry that I can't say anything with more hope and like I said I delivery baby humans not horses so don't take what I say as gospel. My fingers are crossed for you, please keep us updated.

 

[chipsnham]

I would prepare yourself for her to abort, placental abruption in a horse is just as serious as for a woman and unfortunately there is nothing you can do. Maybe luck will come in on your side but I am not hopeful and I suspect that the condition was the reason she aborted last time. So sorry for you and fingers crossed for a happy ending.

 

[maestro]

From our experience when a mare is scanned at that stage you can't always see the foal as it has disappeared (so to speak) over the pelvis. All you can usually see is the black fluid which indicates the pregnancy is still there so its not that a heartbeat can't be seen the whole foal can't either. Sometimes you can see part of the foal, we've seen a head before.

 

[sallyf]

Agree with Maestro on this one,
We never scan at this stage just have a manual done as nothing can really be seen on the scan , unlikely you would see a heartbeat at this point.
Had an old mare that used to get a slight abruption everytime.
You can tell when mare foals from the condition of the placenta.
This mare used to run milk for 6 weeks prior to foaling which is a tell tale sign.
Two out of three of her foals were small at birth but grew on later.
I know of another mare that we used to cover that always used to show slight abruption and always had big foals.
There is nothing you can do at this point , just keep your fingers crossed.
If she does lose foal, it would be worth having a uturine biopsy done to see what is going on.
It may or may not be hormone related.
Keep an eye closely as mares will often spring an udder when a foal dies and look for any sign of discharge.
And mostly keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Spyda]

Hi,

Many thanks to everyone who replied to my post and gave their advice.

Thought I'd post an update....

When the partial abruption was discovered last month, the stud vet recommended a 6 day course of antibiotics and keeping her on the daily dose of Regumate. Thankfully, a repeat scan done yesterday showed the foal was still there, the placental abruption was no worse and the foal was well grown for its date.

Of course, still a very long way to go (we're only at day 156!) but baby is still hanging on in there.

We're going to repeat a 6 day course of antibiotics once a month until T foals (to keep any potential infection under control) and maintain the Regumate too. Some say this might help, whilst others say it doesn't. But guess I can't afford not to do what I can, just in case....