Posted 2008-07-15 12:45 AM (#87456) Subject: rough heat cycles
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
I know there are drugs out there to help mares who have heat problems. Has anyone used any?
My mare has been acting off the last few days and last night she didn't want to eat and had the runs. After our March colic fiasco I ran her to the vet and as soon as we got there she started flipping her tail and talking with his stud. She wasn't colicing again, she was in heat and spent all day (at home) laying around ocassionally looking at her belly. She is doing better tonight and wanted to eat. Hopefully her cramps are over with this go round. She has always been a pissy mare while she is in heat but never this bad.
Any suggestions/ideas? Aside from keeping her bred, which I don't want to do.......
Posted 2008-07-15 7:15 AM (#87457 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Veteran
Posts: 187
Location: KS
Four years ago my mare was 10 when she started having seasonal cramps, at the time I didn't know such a thing even existed. For 3 months every time she cycled, she would go off her feed and act like she was having colic, and we would end up at the vets for IV fluids because she would get dehydrated. After about 3 days she would be OK. I ended up getting her bred, and she has never had any more problems. And I ended up with a very nice qt. horse filly.
Posted 2008-07-15 8:20 AM (#87460 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350
Location: Newton, NJ
There is a drug called Regumate that can be given to control excessive symptoms of a mare's heat cycle, however the drug is rather costly and should not be adminstered/handled by females of child bearing age. I believe it may have to be administered via syringe, but it's been a while since I last saw it used, and can't quite remember.
In any event, you would have to get a vet to prescribe it.
Posted 2008-07-15 11:28 AM (#87470 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
The vet mentioned the regumate, but this mare really, really, REALLY doesn't like being stuck. When she coliced it took 2 tranqualizers and four people holding her head to get the IV in.
I was hoping someone would know of something that doesn't require needles for her. I've already got 2 nice fillies out of her, she is 100% for fillies and color. I don't want to breed her, I don't need anymore horses.
Posted 2008-07-15 11:29 AM (#87471 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Veteran
Posts: 294
Location: Fort Worth, Tx
have used Regumate and it is effective, although also expensive and has to be handled VERY carefully. Try Wendell's "moody mare" supplement, although I'm not sure who carries it, it has been several years since I had to deal with a mare!
Posted 2008-07-15 1:12 PM (#87481 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781
Location: La Cygne, KS
My friend had a mare that exhibited moody mare behaviors and always squirted near geldings.
After several months of awful behavior - she had blood tests to look at hormone levels and then she had a sonogram. The mare had a cyst on her ovary. She had two options - to spay her or remove the cyst which could come back at a later date. She choose removing the cyst. But a year later the same cyst problem occured.
Has your vet mentioned bloodwork to look at hormone levels? Might be best to just spay her and have a sane, happy horse.
Posted 2008-07-15 1:45 PM (#87486 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Kansas
Might give Mare Magic a try. It's a topressing for feed, very cheap and available at Valley Vet. I had good luck with it for my mare. Has never heard of it but vet recommended it to me.
Posted 2008-07-15 3:24 PM (#87492 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Regular
Posts: 72
Location: New Mexico
I used Regumate several different times on bred miniature mares (who may need it to help maintain a pregnancy THROUGHOUT the pregnancy, nevermind common veterinary thinking)...the dosage is by body weight, and was administered orally--just syringed it onto the back of the tongue daily( was always told to do it at the SAME TIME daily, because an even time span between doses was IMPORTANT!
Of course, the amount given would be @ 4 times higher for a 'fullsized' mare, but don't see why you couldn't administer that orally too?? A 'catheter tip' syringe, or dose syringe, would work, I'd think....
It is up to around $240 for a liter, by Rx, through several catalogs. Dosage is approx.(relying on memory!) 1 cc(= 1 ml) per 100 lbs. body weight, I think--orally.So, it IS expensive to give to a 'fullsized' mare--but is very effective.
Correct about the care in handling; it contains progesterone and should NOT come in skin or other direct contact w/ a woman of childbearing age! A box of latex gloves would help....
Good luck in dealing with this issue w/ your mare!
Posted 2008-07-15 3:47 PM (#87493 - in reply to #87456) Subject: RE: rough heat cycles
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
My last vet told me that spaying a mare can give her a permantely "in heat" disposition. He has one that was spayed that he used as a teaser for his stud. She was a big B****.
I think I'll try the Mare Magic first. Then if that doesn't help maybe the marble thing.