Review of 115 cases of colic in the pregnant mare

Abstract

Summary The medical records of pregnant mares over a 3‐year period were reviewed. In all cases persistent pain or progressive abdominal distension were the main reason for referral. The overall survival rate for the 115 mares treated for colic was 73.9% (85 cases). The abortion rate was 20.5% in surgical patients (34 cases), 40% (5 cases) for mares with uterine torsions and 10.8% (46 cases) after medical treatment. The total abortion rate was 16.4%. Clinical evidence of endotoxaemia was, except for 1 mare, present in all the aborting mares after colic treatment. Anaesthesia did not appear to be a problem because abortion occurred in 5/46 medically treated cases as well as in 9/39 mares treated surgically. Abortion occurred in 3 mares that suffered intraoperative hypoxia, but fasting for >30 h did not seem to cause prolonged hypoglycaemia and subsequent abortion. Clenbuterol hydrochloride was used as a tocolytic agent in 9 mares with uterine displacement, abortus imminens and post‐operative uterine torsion and 3 mares aborted during treatment.

Factors influencing foaling rate following colic surgery in pregnantThoroughbred mares inCentralKentucky

“…Foaling rates for pregnant mares that survived colic surgery in prior studies were 80% (36/45) , 79.4% (27/34) and 53.8% (28/52) . In these studies, a mare was considered to have foaled if she delivered a live foal at ≥300 days of gestation or if the foal had nursed and been alive for ≥24 h of age . These studies compared abortion/foaling rates following medical and surgical management of colic in the pregnant broodmare.…”

Colic in the pregnant and periparturient mare

“…However, some mares with clinical evidence of endotoxaemia do not abort and subsequently deliver normal foals (Boening and Leendertse 1993). Clinical signs Colic in the pregnant and periparturient mare of endotoxaemia are often present with large colon torsion, anterior enteritis and small intestinal incarceration.…”

Colic in the pregnant and periparturient mare – distribution, survival and abortion rate

“…Der weitere Verlauf einer Gravidität kann nach medizinisch oder chirurgisch behandelter Kolik vor allem auch durch eine maternale Endotoxämie und eine maternale Hypoxie wäh-rend der Bauchhöhlenchirurgie negativ beeinflusst werden (Santschi et al 1990, Boening und Leendertse 1993. Der gravide Uterus kann während der intraoperativen Rückenla-gerung des Pferdes eine aortocavale Kompression mit reduzierter kardialer Reserve und limitiertem uterinen Blutfluss verursachen (Muir et al 1995 (Brock 1990).…”

“…Der wesentliche und lebensbedrohliche Effekt einer maternalen Kolik und der damit häufig verknüpften maternalen Endotoxä-mie auf den Pferdefetus wird durch hohe Abortraten unterstrichen (Santschi et al 1991, Boening und Leendertse 1993.…”