Uterine tear without a corresponding placental lesion in a mare.

The study discusses the case of a Thoroughbred mare who developed a uterine tear after delivery, despite having no placental injuries. It is suggested that pressure from the foal’s stifle or blunt forces from its foot may have caused the tear.

Case Details and Symptoms

• The case involved a 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare who had just given birth with the help of a vet.
• Two days after delivery, the mare developed symptoms such as muscle tremors, anorexia, and signs of depression indicating distress and poor health.
• The physical examination of the mare revealed several anomalies such as fever (pyrexia), extended capillary refill time indicating poor blood flow, muscle spasms (fasciculations), and fewer-than-normal borborygmi, hinting at disrupted gut activity.

Diagnosis and Findings

• Despite the symptoms, abnormalities in the uterus or vagina of the mare were not detected through palpitation either per rectum or per vagina.
• During surgical examination, it was discovered that the mare had a full-thickness tear measuring 3 cm located near the tip of the previously pregnant uterine horn.
• It was noted that the chorioallantois, a part of the placental membrane that lies under the uterus, was completely intact and had no damage.

Possible Causes

• The researchers suggest that the uterine tear could have occurred due to the pressure created by the foal’s stifle (part of the hind leg) against the maternal pelvis during birth.
• Another possibility proposed is that blunt forces exerted by the foal’s foot during delivery could have caused sufficient pressure and trauma to tear the uterus while leaving the chorioallantois membrane untouched.