To Scan Or Not To Scan

[sammy]

Vet says to scan 14 days after last time served, breeder says don't scan. What does anyone else do, apart from them with stallions at hand of course.

[grace]

We didn't scan ours.

We knew Splendour was in foal but not sure about Misty.

[sammy]

How did you know? What about if it's twins?

[grace]

It's personal choice.
From our point of view having twins is a risk we take. Splendour has a phobia of vets so we decided not to scan.

[anna85]

We always scan ours...and the visiting mares religiously, the vet is in nearly weekly at this time of the year but its worth it hundreds of times over; he can also check the mares that aren't catching to see if there is a reason for it.

To us breeding is risky enough without the risk of twins etc. I'm 100% sure we would scan if we ran in the field too.

Our vet scans from 16 days but we tend to leave it 22 to 30 days.

[dalesvic]

I don't see the problem with scanning- there are risks of course, but it can tell you so much. Not just whether your mares in foal but why she might not be or what state her repro tract is in. It's up to you at the end of the day, but I think if you really want her to be in foal and I was in your position it would be worth checking she is, rather than waiting until it's too late to find out she isn't. I would with Sammy anyway as she never shows any signs of being in season that I've noticed.

Most mares don't mind it- tends to be the stroppy thoroughbreds that have a problem and strain/kick. I would imagine Delight would be OK if she's well handled but then of course they're all different. A pregnancy scan should be pretty quick too if it's in there so not to much 'handling', and of course if it's twins then it will save you losing them both and ending up with nothing.

You can see the pregnancy from 14 days but you might want to wait a bit longer and they will be able to see a bit more. Depends how desperate you are to know and to get her back to stallion if not- oh also if she isn't in foal they should be able to indicate when she might come back into season too.

[Deleted]

I think it is better to scan. As long as you scan before 20 days you can take care of twinning. I would rather take care of a twin pregnancy than to risk my mare possibly having twins and being injured in the process. We scan all of ours, not just to find out about pregnancy, but to see if their are twins and if all looks normal.

I see no reason why not to unless you have a vet that is not well versed. It does not hurt or disturb anything when done properly, it is only a benefit!

[dalesponyrider]

If I ever put D into foal I would scan as I've been told about the risk of twins in her bloodline. I just couldn't ever risk anything happening to her. It would be enough of a risk putting her into foal in the first place!

[Daftmare]

I havent had mine scanned but as Bonny didnt take last year (wish I had had her scanned now LOL) I think I will this time although her cycle has started by itself this year and she had to be jabbed last year. I will take Lorraines advice and go with that! Susie wont be scanned as she will kill the vet and I dont see the point in terrifying her.

[Debbie]

I can certainly understand wanting to scan to rule out possible twinning, but if you've a mare that's got a vet phobia...can't you gather some of her wee and just use an over the counter pregnancy kit like they use for humans? I should think the hormones to be looked for are the same, and then you'd have the results without being invasive....and if she's not pregnant, you'd have the chance to get her back to the stallion...

[grace]

Debbie we were going to do the pregnacy test but could never catch them weeing . I am sure they knew what we were planning lol ;D

[Debbie]

I think it sounds so simple....just get a wee sample.... easier said than done! LOL ;D

[Deleted]

There are other things that can be caught on an ultrasound regarding the uterus, etc. It can help to determine other problems in pregnancy or cyst,etc.

[dollylanedales]

Last year, we had Molly scanned, then two blood tests. Unfortunately, she has a fear of needles, and we had to sedate her to do the scan. I am concerned about twins in her line, but not sure if I want to go through stressing her out.

[kirkcarrion]

I don't scan, even with a stallion running with her a mare doesn't always produce a full term pregnancy but my basic rule is the less stress the better and for me that includes scans and the like.

I have done various things including leave the mare at stud for 7 weeks so the 3 and 6 week cycles are checked out by the stallion before travel rather than scan travel scan again to check the scan and travel didn't cause resorbtion... Staying for 7 weeks means they're calm and settled as possible for the initial few weeks and when they do come home the pregnancy is as likely as possible to go full term.

Also I've done blood testing at 90-120 days which is less intrusive tho the week wait is nailbiting. But I have blood tested even the ones scanned early to check so it isn't additional.

Now most of the mares are running with the stallion throughout, bar one who goes away as she's his dam. But even then and with no sign of cycling you occasionally get a late resorbtion, a slip or an inexplicable lack of foal eg Fiona this spring without any sign of cycling for 9 months and no abortions visible.

Twinning is rare in natives, not impossible but even when it happens they are mostly aborted naturally. I'm not minimising the danger of foal death but to me it's a low enough risk to not want to risk the scanning.

Just my choice, not advice to anyone else that is worried about twinning. I see enough of the vet as it is without weekly visits, much as I love him!