Peritoneal fluid analysis in peripartum mares.

This research aimed to understand the changes that occur in the peritoneal fluid of mares within the first week after giving birth. The findings suggest that normal parameters of peritoneal fluid: cell count, protein concentration, and specific gravity, are not typically affected by the birthing process, thus any detected abnormalities may be indicative of other systemic or gastrointestinal issues.

Methods

• The study employed a prospective observational trial methodology, involving 15 mares in the study.
• Abdominocentesis, a procedure to withdraw fluid from the peritoneal cavity, was executed within 10 days prior to foaling and repeated 12 hours, 3 days, and 7 days after each horse gave birth.
• For each collected sample, data recorded included the total nucleated cell count, differential cell count, specific gravity, fibrinogen concentration, and total protein concentration.
• Each sample’s smear was examined by a single clinical pathologist.

Findings

• There were no significant differences over time in specific gravity, total protein concentration, fibrinogen concentration, total nucleated cell count, or the number of small mononuclear cells.
• However, the mean values of neutrophils and large mononuclear cells in samples collected post-foaling were significantly higher than the mean values in samples collected pre-foaling.
• For 11 out of 14 horses, all samples were cytologically characterized as transudates (fluids that pass through a membrane or squeezed out of a tissue) without any cytologic abnormalities.

Conclusion

• The analysis of peritoneal fluid in peripartum mares suggests that typically the nucleated cell count, protein concentration, and specific gravity of peritoneal fluid in mares that have recently given birth should be normal.
• Therefore, any abnormalities detected in the peritoneal fluid of mares within a week after giving birth should usually be attributed not to the foaling process itself but to a systemic or gastrointestinal problem.