Ask the Doctor

Please feel free to direct any questions to info@reproductiverevolutions.com and they will be
answered in a timely fashion.  If they seem to be of interest to the general public, they may be
included in this section (no names will be included).


Question: My 9 month old bitch was accidentally mated with another dog in my
kennel. We intend to use her for breeding after she completes all her health
certifications and finishes her championships.  Is there a way to safely terminate
this pregnancy now?

Answer: The first thing that must be done is determine if the bitch is pregnant or not. If the
mismating just occurred we recommend getting her into a veterinarian ASAP to determine if she is
close to her fertile window or not. This can be determined by ovulation timing techniques (vaginal
cytology, speculum exam, and progesterone concentrations).  Often a mating was not witnessed
but is suspected to have occurred when an intact male and a female in season are found in close
proximity to each other. This will depend on the bitch's receptivity and the male's interest in her.  In
other cases, the mating will have been witnessed.  Based on either ovulation timing or breeding
dates, a time for pregnancy examination by ultrasound can be determined.

If the bitch is indeed pregnant, then there are a number of options available. The old 'morning
after shot' of estrogen is no longer used due to the high number of complications associated with
it.  Other options include protocols using one or more drug combinations including
dexamethasone, prostaglandins with or without a dopamine agonist (bromocriptine or cabergoline),
or progesterone receptor binding agents (mifepristone [RU486] or aglipristone [Alizine]).  

The choice of drug protocols will depend on the stage of pregnancy, the breed, proximity to the
veterinarian, availability for multiple office visits, and economics.  There are several choices
available for each bitch and a treatment protocol will be determined based on individual
circumstances.









Question: My 19 year old mare was due to foal 30 days ago. She is showing no
signs of impending delivery.  Is this normal and if not what should I do about it?

Answer: Due dates for mares are approximations only.  Depending on uterine health and placental
function, mares may foal from 2 weeks prior to their due dates to up to 60 days or more beyond
their due dates, delivering normal foals. In older mares, prolonged gestation is typically due to
placental insufficiency.   Mares receiving poor nutrition tend to be overdue.  Some medications
may delay onset of labor.  Maiden mares often either foal slightly early or slightly later than
anticipated depending on fetal size.  Mares with placental infections tend to foal earlier than
expected.  Once a mare establishes a pattern for herself, she will typically foal at the same
gestational length until she becomes an aged mare, at which time her pregnancy length may
become longer.  Rarely, a mare will be overdue as a result of an abnormality of development in the
fetal brain.  This may result in a lack of hormone being secreted by the mature fetus which is what
triggers labor.  In these cases, the fetuses may become extremely large which will result in
difficulties during labor.

If your mare is overdue by more than 3 weeks and this is not typical for her or you have no foaling
history, an examination by a veterinarian is recommended to ensure that the fetus is normal and
the mare does not have any physical problems which may cause delays in delivery.  If the exam is
normal, there is nothing to do but wait.  It is always best to allow the fetus to mature completely and
let labor commence naturally. Induction of labor may result in delivery of a premature or dysmature
fetus if it has not had adequate time to complete development.  In the vast majority of cases,
induction of labor is not indicated and is not in the best interest of the fetus.  

Monitoring milk electroytes, behavior, and physical changes in your mare provides the most
accurate information regarding when the mare will foal.  While none of these is perfect, they do
help narrow the window.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ask the Doctor