Any positive stories of recovery from prolapsed uterus? ANOTHER HAPPY UPDATE 12/13!! [Archive]

JoZ

Dec. 5, 2009, 05:27 AM

My friend's mare aborted undetected twins today at Day 221. We were monitoring her for retained placenta -- went in the house for a short time to warm up and add more layers. We returned to the barn to find that she had a prolapsed uterus.

The vet cleaned and replaced the uterus -- just finished now at 2:00 a.m. We realize the prognosis is poor due to the likelihood of raging infection (not to mention the fact that she might push it out again). But I'd love to be able to tell my friend even one encouraging story.

Your jingles would also be appreciated. This mare is a darling -- and she is a fighter. She has already had a catastrophic leg injury from which she fully recovered.

mlranchtx

Dec. 5, 2009, 07:52 AM

Big jingles for your friend's mare... I have no stories but I will jingle.

My mare aborted yesterday.... six months along, foal had hydrocephalus and I'm glad she got it out before it was large enough to cause trouble.

It's heartbreaking, isn't it?

hansiska

Dec. 5, 2009, 08:02 AM

I'm so sorry to hear these stories. Jingling for you in CT. Wish I could tell you something encouraging, but I have no experience with prolapses.

jcotton

Dec. 5, 2009, 08:04 AM

I had a mare that had twins, then prolapsed her uterus. Got the uterus back in, lots of antibiotics. Too much damage to the uterus for her to maintain a pregnancy past 90 days. She had a great life as a pasture ornament and babysitter.

Majority of many mares that prolapse their uterus are found too late, usually bled out from the rupture of the uterine artery. Which is there is so little history on uterus prolapses.

TrueColours

Dec. 5, 2009, 09:30 AM

I am so sorry for your friend's mare and also for you as well mlranchtx ... :(

The only prolapse story I have was not a happy outcome for a friend of mine ... mare prolapsed and everything was put back into place and all seemed well - she was eating and drinking and all of her bodily functions seemed to be okay and working, and was also on massive antibiotics, and then she got shocky about 4 days later and was gone. Perhaps the biggest difference with her was that she delivered her foal breech and it took the owners and the vet almost 4 hours to get the filly out, there were many ribs broken in the foal, and I'm sure some pretty massive internal injuries as well, the foal died about 18 hours later, but if that poor mare was pushing for 4 hours trying to deliver that foal, no surprise at all that she prolapsed badly at all ...:(

Good luck to this mare - I assume there are minor and major prolapses and hopefully this mare has sustained a very minor one ...

clint

Dec. 5, 2009, 09:36 AM

I have no stories about prolapsed uteruses, but many jingles for your friend's mare, and for you mlranchtx. I'm so sorry. :(

Laurierace

Dec. 5, 2009, 09:45 AM

Thankfully no experience with that here either so just adding my jingles.

Dressage_Diva333

Dec. 5, 2009, 01:35 PM

Sending jingles, I don't have any experiance with it either.. Please keep us updated :(

karin@dutchbreeders@aol.com

Dec. 5, 2009, 01:52 PM

Hi JoZ! So sorry about your friends mare......

I DO have a story with a happy ending! My husband, who is an Equine Veterinarian had an Amish client whose mare prolapsed her uterus after an unattended foaling. He cleaned everything up, put the uterus back in, put her on antibiotics, and she was fine! The mare actually went on to safely deliver a foal two years later with bo issues!

Hope this helps!

Warmly,
Karin

westonmaestro

Dec. 5, 2009, 03:41 PM

I have been reading the forum for a few months now but felt compelled to actually become a member to give you a good experience. We had a mare prolapse after a herpes storm soon after slipping a foal. We were lucky to see it happen and have experience with sheep. Our vet also managed to arrive within minutes and get the uterus back and stitch her up. after massive IBs and washing her out frequently Im happy to say she survived although we didnt dare breed from her again. The odds against them surviving are high but wwith lots of TLC and hard work it can be done.

Quinn

Dec. 5, 2009, 04:12 PM

JoZ, I'm so sorry. What a heartbreak. Jingles for your friend's lovely mare. I have no personal experience with prolapse but I sure can send wishes, prayers and jingles.

westonmaestro, not only welcome to the board but thank you for sharing a happy experience.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ballyduff

Leigh

Dec. 5, 2009, 04:16 PM

My mare was induced for her first foal at 4yo and prolapsed later that night.
Luckily I found her as I was having to help foal feed every few hours.

My brilliant vet was on the scene within 45 mins and gave her an epidural etc.

She's 23yo in Feb !.... and has had three more foals since with no problems and textbook deliveries :)

Best wishes that your friends mare is a fighter too and has luck on her side!.........Sending jingles from across the pond xxxx

Gindarkh

Dec. 5, 2009, 05:59 PM

Yes, I had a mare who prolapsed, badly; aborted out in the run-in shed in the field, uterus covered in dirt, foal already chewed on by a coyote, it was truly awful. I was sure it was over, if I'd had a gun I would have shot her myself. Vet came ( the small-animal specialist in the practice ! ), got her up, we washed it off, stuffed it carefully back in, and she never looked back- no infection, no colic, no founder, nothing. She went on to have 3 more foals to date without a single problem.

Good luck with yours !

KBEquine

Dec. 5, 2009, 06:07 PM

I also know a mare who prolapsed, was found in time, the uterus reinserted & she's fat & sassy now, a couple years later.

They never bred her again, just because they don't breed.

Best wishes for this mare.

scribbles

Dec. 5, 2009, 06:16 PM

we had a mare prolapse with a retained placenta this past spring, got the uterus back in with no problems, did some serious uterine lavages for a while, and put her on antibiotics and she has had no problems so far!

kookicat

Dec. 5, 2009, 07:09 PM

No experience, just wanted to send more jingles!

wildswan

Dec. 5, 2009, 08:41 PM

I have another happy ending to report. We had same situation as your friend. Mare aborted twins very late in pregnancy and prolapsed uterus. Vet cleaned her up in the field (2:00a.m, pitch black outside). After he got her stiched up, we were able to walk her up to the barn.

The first 24 hours after that were the hardest. She was so enhausted she really wanted to lay down, but the vet wanted her up on her feet so gravity would help keep the uterus in where it belonged - gravity is definitely your friend when they are up and your enemy when they are down. We were able to keep her up, and she survived and went on to live a happy life. We never tried to breed her again after that though.

JoZ

Dec. 6, 2009, 02:52 AM

Thank you all for your stories and support. My condolences to you, mlranchtx, for your sad news -- hope your mare is recovering well. And westonmaestro, particular thanks for coming out of lurkdom to add another ray of hope.

So far she is doing well. According to the vet, the first 24 hours had the highest risk for a repeat prolapse, but the next 3-5 days will be the test of whether she develops an infection that cannot be overcome. The vet will be back on Monday to flush her.

She is eating (including the unappetizing mash of beet pulp, oil and salt that she is getting) and drinking well. No fever, no depression. She had developed laminitis BEFORE the abortion; vet thought perhaps the laminitis was the result of mitritis or placentitis that we didn't even know was happening. So that's a big concern, but on the plus side we were treating it already.

Thanks again -- keep on jingling! Her barn name is Sly and my friend raised her from a weanling -- hence even as an adult mare she is "Baby Sly". Full of personality and sass, and beloved by all who meet her... :sadsmile:

acottongim

Dec. 6, 2009, 08:47 AM

Jingels for you mare. That is so sad - as we have all said many times before, breeding is not for the faint at heart.

I have a friend that had an older mare (in her 20's) that was bred, gave birth in the field (sneaky mare). She prolapsed her uterus fully. When he called the vet he was told the best thing to do would be to shoot her (the vet was more than an hour away and was the only one around) but that if he could get her up and bring her in they might could save her. Long story short, the mare did make it to the vet. Uterus was shoved back in, antibiotics given etc. Mare and foal did make it. The mare had major issues after though with founder/laminitis and eventually died from those issues (she lived more than a year after the birth). This was an older mare that wasn't going to be rebred but I doubt she would have been able to have been bred again after that.

So once you make it through the "danger zone" of the prolapse, make sure you keep an eagle eye out for founder. I'm sure your vet has talked to you about that though already.

JoZ

Dec. 8, 2009, 01:02 AM

Sly is doing well so far. Eating well, normal temp, feet are fine, no discharge. She will be flushed again tomorrow.

We are becoming hopeful... cautiously, guardedly hopeful. I can't tell you how thrilled we are each time we enter the barn and see her peering eagerly at us looking for attention (or dinner)!!
.

TrueColours

Dec. 8, 2009, 07:28 AM

Aw - what a great update! :)

Continued jingles for a full recovery for her ...

clint

Dec. 8, 2009, 09:46 AM

Great news; I'm so glad things are going well. :)

vtwmbld

Dec. 8, 2009, 10:07 AM

Sending as many good vibes as possible. Breeding is so wrought with potential problems, It's very heartening to hear that the mare is doing well. I knew a mare who suffered a severe prolapse and is again a super broodmare, so think positive thoughts, it can all work out ok. Hearing stories of things going awry reminds me to appreciate how lucky we are most of the time.

Jessi P

Dec. 8, 2009, 07:22 PM

Yeay for such a good update - continued jingles that she continues to do well. All the best - hugs for your friend.

JoZ

Dec. 13, 2009, 04:01 PM

Sly is still doing great! Vet was flabbergasted when he came back to flush her. She has not faltered for even a moment (no lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, laminitis, or even swelling from all the nasty penicillin shots!).

Yesterday she got to go out with her buddies for the first time. We were ALL ecstatic! She had a whoppin' case of the buckfarts and the wheelie-spins. Such a happy moment.

Of course we'll continue to watch her, especially as we approach the milestone of ending the penicillin/bute treatment. But the vet describes her chances as really quite good at this point!