Cesarean Section in 19 Mares Results and Postoperative Fertility

Abstract

The case records of 19 mares undergoing caudal ventral midline celiotomy for cesarean section were reviewed. Surgical exposure to the uterus was good, and the incisions healed by first intention in surviving mares. Seventeen mares (89%) survived to time of hospital discharge. Six foals (32%) were delivered alive, of which three were euthanatized because of severe deformity (1 died on day 6 and 2 survived to time of discharge). The most frequent postoperative complications were abdominal pain (13 mares), anemia (10 mares), and retained placenta (6 mares). Sixteen mares were bred during at least one season after the cesarean section and eight (50%) produced at least one foal. The collective foaling rate for these mares, bred a total of 25 seasons, was 36%. Only one mare bred during the same year as the surgery produced a live foal. The collective foaling rate for mares bred after the year of the surgery was 50%.

Survival rates of mares and foals and postoperative complications and fertility of mares after cesarean section: 95 cases (1986–2000)

“…This percentage was slightly higher than those described in 3 other studies (30% to 31%) 1,4,8 and was substantially higher than those reported by some groups (5% to 10%). Similar to previous reports, 3,8,10 foal survival rate in the present study was significantly higher when the dam underwent C-section as an elective procedure or because of maternal disease (14/24 [58%]) than when the mare had dystocia (14/56 [25%]). Surprisingly, results of 1 study 4 revealed a 31% survival-to-discharge rate of Friesian foals delivered via C-section when mean time from the start of second-stage labor to anesthesia was 164 minutes and controlled vaginal delivery was not attempted.…”

“…[2][3][4] Prolonged dystocia (≥ 90 minutes), especially if a partial fetotomy was performed before C-section, was associated with the highest number of deaths. [2][3][4] Prolonged dystocia (≥ 90 minutes), especially if a partial fetotomy was performed before C-section, was associated with the highest number of deaths.…”

“…Six experiments (butorphanol [n = 3] and saline solution [3]) were conducted with the observer in the iguanas' field of vision, and 11 experiments (butorphanol [5] and saline solution [6]) were conducted with the observer hidden from their view. Animals-6 juvenile green iguanas.…”

The impact of birthweight on mare health and reproductive efficiency, and foal health and subsequent racing performance

“…Early reports indicated that fertility was reduced (Vandeplassche et al . 1974; Juzwiak et al . 1990), whereas there are more recent reports of retrospective good foaling rates following dystocia (Byron et al .…”

Fetotomy technique in the mare

“…If the surface epithelium of the vagina is destroyed, then exposure of the underlying tissue results in adhesions that can adversely affect fertility. Similarly, the reduced fertility that has been reported in mares after a caesarean section may have more to do with the cause and initial management of the dystocia than the actual surgery (Vandeplassche et al 1972;Vandeplassche 1973Vandeplassche , 1989Juzwiak et al 1990;Embertson et al 1995). An irritated equine vagina takes on the texture of sandpaper, and the scar tissue laid down during the healing process results in what can best be described as a 'stovepipe vagina' (Frazer 1997).…”