Posted 2008-02-29 6:49 AM (#78292) Subject: Depo-provera or Regumate?
Member
Posts: 44 Location: Virginia
Has anyone tried the Depo shot on their mare? I am told it will keep the mare out of estrus for 3 months. Also have been looking into Regumate-although that is a daily thing and more of a pain for me due to need for careful handling. Our mare is spooky, flighty and in love with all the boys when she is in season-not good for my eleven year old daughter who is going to be showing her this year. We went thru last year without any help (other than "Mare Magic" which does help a little)-and it was very nerve-wracking at times. Hoping to avoid a repeat of those episodes. When the mare is not in season she is much more focused and calm.
Posted 2008-02-29 12:55 PM (#78335 - in reply to #78292) Subject: RE: Depo-provera or Regumate?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
A safe ...easy way to deal with moody mares are marbles. Talk to your vet about putting a marble in your mare in this. It tricks the body into thinking she is PG. In the fall...the marble is remove. Easy to do, safe and cheap.
Posted 2008-02-29 11:23 PM (#78403 - in reply to #78292) Subject: RE: Depo-provera or Regumate?
Location: Central Arkansas
I have used the hormone chip implant on my molly mules with great success. Since the mollies are sterile anyway, I don't have to worry about the quality and timing of their cycle. If the chip is put in too late in the season, it can really mess with a quality estrus early in the breeding season, even when the mare is kept under the proper lighting. On my mares, I prefer Regumate so I can regulate them better.
Posted 2008-03-01 6:34 PM (#78431 - in reply to #78292) Subject: RE: Depo-provera or Regumate?
Member
Posts: 44 Location: Virginia
Do you use Regumate daily for as long as you don't want the mare to cycle? Can you give the mare a break-say one week a month-or would this cause more problems? I have heard about the marble thing, but I am concerned that A) It would be difficult to remove and B) It might be expelled just before an event like the state 4H show, which is the biggest show we plan to take part in this year. What is a hormone "chip"? Is it something that is implanted and then removed? I am not planning to breed this mare anytime soon. Thanks for the info!
Posted 2008-03-02 7:41 AM (#78462 - in reply to #78292) Subject: RE: Depo-provera or Regumate?
Location: Central Arkansas
yes, you can stop the regumate in between shows but you need to really rely on your repro vet for the guidelines. You can stop the Regumate anytime. You just need to try to keep some rhythm to her cycle especially going into the fall if you may want to breed early spring.
The marble in the uterus isn't a good idea since the idea is for it to cause irritation to the uterine wall to prevent normal Estrus. Plus most times, the marble needs to be extracted by procedure.
The implant is the best, IMO, since you pop it in high in the neck near the crest usually but have heard of some vets placing it in the perineum area. Downside, it can migrate since it is the same approx. size as the ID chips. Each animal is different. My older molly mule takes a chip usually in Apr than again in late July. If we didn't put the 2nd chip in, she would have to be on Regumate several weeks prior to and the whole time she was at QH Congress stalled between the stallions. She is great, BUT she is a ho when in heat.... screams, drools, gets dead sided, gets super attached to other equine, but gets evil and down right intimidating to human strangers. The cost of the chip (about $50) is minimal compared to the cost and the problems of handling Regumate daily. I have known people on the circuit with mares that were chipped and still needed Regumate at the shows. So you need to be aware that each mare is different and it will take a little while tweak.
You should discuss your options with a REPRO vet prior to making your chioce. If you don't have a good Repro vet available to you, then call one of the vet schools. We highly recommend TAMU ( TX A&M).
Depo-provera or Regumate?
