Hemorrhagic Follicles???

[EquineLVR]

Well my mare has had TWO cycles of Hemorrahgic Follicles - So I am not sure what to do or what resolves this issue.

My vet has only seen this two other times and the mares only had one cycle each and then went on to ovulate normally - she has had two in a row.

Do I just give up this year and try again in late spring or is there something I can do now to help alleviate this?

Any advice would sure be appreicated - I am really concerned that she is unbreedable. :(

[goodmorning]

Have you tried administering a prostaglandin? That may help...

I would go that route, and if didn't work I would try giving P & E and go that route - I think it is getting a little late, and sometimes in this situation the mare will resolve things for herself next spring.

To give you hope, I was at the vets yesterday afternoon, and there was a mare who had been there since MAY :eek: and finally checked in foal this past Saturday...they went the prostaglandin route, but she had some other big-time issue's going (granulosa cell tumor), and the one successful cycle was achieved with P & E....

Is this the pretty grey OTTB? When did she race last? Sometimes they need a year off before they are ready to be bred (was told by someone who has breeding TB's for 35+ years who is a great source). She often doesn't bother spending much money that first year, waiting make sall the difference.

[TrueColours]

Yuck - I hate those things ...

Kathy/Equine Reproduction posted on them last year as well and it seems no matter what you do to them or with them, you wont make them budge any faster from what I can remember ...

Ive had a mare of mine a few years back that sat with one for about 6 weeks before it dropped off and she returned to normal cycles and then got in foal and some client mares that sat with ones for 3-4 weeks before all returned to normal once again

I have not had a mare though that got 2 in a row ... :(

I dont believe that there is anything that you can do - you just wait it out and see if she forms a breedable follicle the next go round ...

Good luck

[TKR]

Kathy/ER and I just emailed about this a week ago on a friend's potential broodie. She advised to use the 2/10ths ml of lutelyse for a week, which worked -- hemorrhagic follicle gone! The mare cycled on the 6th day, biopsy and culture done and awaiting results.
Good luck!
PennyG

[EquineLVR]

Kathy/ER and I just emailed about this a week ago on a friend's potential broodie. She advised to use the 2/10ths ml of lutelyse for a week, which worked -- hemorrhagic follicle gone! The mare cycled on the 6th day, biopsy and culture done and awaiting results.
Good luck!
PennyG

So the 2/10th Lutelyse everday for a week?

[Equine Reproduction]

Most AHF develop luteal tissue and about 85% of them will respond to prostaglandin (Lutalyse, Prostin, etc.). We've had really good success administering the microdose of prostaglandin 5-7 days in a row to help resolve the luteal tissue - which apparently worked for Penny, as well <smile>.

Mares that have one AHF will more than likely repeat it again in that breeding season. Frustrating.

Go here http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/AHF.shtml to read a complete article on AHF's. It's getting towards the end of breeding season so there will be a higher incidence of them occurring, as well.

Good luck!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com

[EquineLVR]

So would you all try again or leave it until next year?

[Faiths CremelloWB]

This happened to one of my mares this year I was breeding with frozen semen. She had one normal cycle and was bred. She did not catch and then never really came back into heat. So I thought the vet missed the pregnancy so I had him out again. Only to find what he called a "cystic follicle" and the darn thing would not go away. After about a month I decided to just start over again in 2009. It was a tough decision as I really did not want to give her the year off.

So an early start in 2009 for me and I may do the P/E once she starts cycling.

If a mare does this once in a season... are they more likely to do it again in following seasons?

If a follicle grows to a 50+ and sits there for 24-48 hours would that be considered one? Or does it have to sit there and not ovulate at all?

[EquineLVR]

If a mare does this once in a season... are they more likely to do it again in following seasons?


Thats what I would like to know too - from what I have read it seems to be more about seasons - like too early in the year or too late in the year - sometimes called an "Autumn Follicle".

I am just worried since she has had two in a row.

[TKR]

Try what Kathy suggests, it's not much trouble or money and it sure worked well for the mare my friend is considering. \\

Thanks Kathy!! Just had an email this AM about it!

PennyG

[EquineLVR]

Well my issue is not that they dont go away - the last one went away in several days. My issue is that they keep coming back. So on July 4th she had one and then again on July 19th after we short cycled her.

It seems awfully early to be having transistional issues - dont most mares cycle normally through August?

Could this just be remnants of racing? Could she have been given any drugs that are still in her system that might be causing this?

[goodmorning]

Could this just be remnants of racing? Could she have been given any drugs that are still in her system that might be causing this?

The breeder that I am familiar with (has stood several racing stallions), thinks this is most likely the reason for the difficulty getting pregnant...she also thinks that mentally they are too stressed (even if they don't appear it, but the change in routine does elicit stress), causing hormonal fluctuations...it's all anectodotal (though you can link stress to many scientific findings), but coming from someone who has been breeding for a long time...I tend to agree ;)

Also, are you finding CL's from the other follicles?

I think you should try administering the prostaglandin, and go from there...I don't think she is transitional right now.

[EquineLVR]

Also, are you finding CL's from the other follicles?

I think you should try administering the prostaglandin, and go from there...I don't think she is transitional right now.


CL's meaning - corpeus Luteums? (SP?)

What does the Prostaglandin do? Sorry first foray into this.

[spacely]

The breeder that I am familiar with (has stood several racing stallions), thinks this is most likely the reason for the difficulty getting pregnant...she also thinks that mentally they are too stressed (even if they don't appear it, but the change in routine does elicit stress), causing hormonal fluctuations...it's all anectodotal (though you can link stress to many scientific findings), but coming from someone who has been breeding for a long time...I tend to agree ;)

I completely agree too. I have 2 mares that are off the track by less than 3 months. Neither one wanted to stay in foal this year. I had one pregnant at 16 days & then not at 30 & did not catch again. The other was likely pregnant wth twins, but is no longer. I just think that sometimes they need a good solid 6 months to a year of down time to "unwind" & detox from the track before they are ready to become mothers. JMHO. I've heard the same from other breeders as well.

[clint]

My Oldenburg mare last year developed an AHF, in June. She had been bred once with frozen, didn't take, so I took her back to be rebred. Her repro. vet told me she had an AHF, and also told me that if they have one in a season, they are likely to do it again, so I brought her home and didn't try again last year. She started cycling regularly very early, was bred in March, and is due to foal Feb. 23.

[allanglos]

I bought an maiden Arabian mare last year, age nine. She has had a steady stream of AHF's last year and this year. We tried P&E this year. Nothing worked. The AHF's were seen on both ovaries.

[EquineLVR]

I have decide to wait until next spring. I am so bummed but my gut is telling me its the best thing to do.

Thanks for all the input.