Foetus question

[Molly Malone]

Not sure how to word this.

Does/can any foal change/influence the environment of the womb?

Does a colt secrete testosterone in the womb, for example?

[Equine Reproduction]

Not sure how to word this.

Does/can any foal change/influence the environment of the womb?

Does a colt secrete testosterone in the womb, for example?

I'm not sure what you mean by change or influence the environment of the womb, but the fetal gonads are an extremely important part about the entire pregnancy maintenance process. So yes, hormones are definitely released. If you're asking the question because your mare has suddenly become studdish, there is no correlation between that and the chances of her carrying a colt (male) foal. There is a slightly higher incidence of a mare that teases and displays estrus during her pregnancy and carrying a filly. There is a whole cascade of hormones and events that are directly related to the fetus and some that are indirectly related. For example, a mare that develops placentitis, the fetus undergoes an acceleration of growth in order to hopefully be mature enough in the event the mare "aborts"....

Hopefully that answered your question, but if not, please clarify!

[Molly Malone]

Thanks Kathy.

I have a mare that has had two fillies, both times she was 'all sweetness and light'. Her last foal was a colt and she was a monster in comparison. This time round she has been all S & L up until this last week, when she's been moody and uncomfortable and this sounds ludicrous, but she seems to not look as pregnant as she did. She carried the colt a little differently too. Higher. Now I'm wondering if is she's going to abort (if, as you say, the foal sex doesn't have any effect on mare behavior so it can't be that). She's due 10th May. I would expect to find something if she had aborted as she is in a pen at night. There was a trace, just a thread of blood on the lips of her vulva this evening. Really the faintest trace and it is closed for want of a better word. And now I'm vaguely worried that something isn't quite right. She had a Rhino on 15th December and I wormed with Equimax today.

[mlranchtx]

When you say you expect to find some thing if she aborts, I can say you will at this stage if a predator doesn't get it.

My mare aborted about a month ago and she was due mid April so the fetus was about the same age as your mares.

My mare's fetus was about the size of a beagle. :(

Jingles for your mare and I hope she's just fine!

[Equine Reproduction]

Thanks Kathy.
I have a mare that has had two fillies, both times she was 'all sweetness and light'. Her last foal was a colt and she was a monster in comparison. This time round she has been all S & L up until this last week, when she's been moody and uncomfortable and this sounds ludicrous, but she seems to not look as pregnant as she did. She carried the colt a little differently too. Higher. Now I'm wondering if is she's going to abort (if, as you say, the foal sex doesn't have any effect on mare behavior so it can't be that). She's due 10th May. I would expect to find something if she had aborted as she is in a pen at night. There was a trace, just a thread of blood on the lips of her vulva this evening. Really the faintest trace and it is closed for want of a better word. And now I'm vaguely worried that something isn't quite right. She had a Rhino on 15th December and I wormed with Equimax today.

FWIW, usually blood isn't a sign of impending abortion. It's not uncommon for traces of blood to be seen on the vulva later in pregnancy as the weight of the uterus and fetus can cause varicose veins in the vagina to rupture.

I've never heard or seen any research that shows that fetal sex has anything to do with where the foal lies inutero. Have her palpated or ultrasounded for peace of mind

Hope that helps!

[Molly Malone]

I've never heard or seen any research that shows that fetal sex has anything to do with where the foal lies inutero. Have her palpated or ultrasounded for peace of mind


I knew that would make me sound like a nutter.:lol:

[TrueColours]

A lady on our Canadian EMG board recently saw darkish orange / reddish urine and felt her mare was aborting as well.

Until the vet came up to check her out, I emailed her and explained as well how the urine can be any colour in the rainbow from clear to almost red, and bright orange and dark yellow and it doesnt mean her mare is aborting - just in the snow, at times when you see the colour of it coming out, you can freak out a bit! :)

Her mare was fine and sounds like your girl is as well ...

And many times what I thought was blood on the lips of my mare's vulva through her pregnancy, was simply residual urine of this reddish orange tinge and it looked very much like blood but wasnt

Let us know how she/you make out! :)

[Equine Reproduction]

I knew that would make me sound like a nutter.:lol:

Honey, that statement didn't come anywhere NEAR "nutter" level, believe me! <ROTFL>.... You're just gonna have to try harder to attain the level of wingnut!...:D