Fetal maceration.
Keywords: fetus, maceration, bones, equine, prolonged gestation
Image size: 769 x647 px
An old but unique image of equine fetal maceration. The fetus was discovered during a rectal examination after a complaint of prolonged gestation. The size of its bones suggest that the fetus was in late gestation when it died. As occurs in cases of pyometra, this mare showed no systemic signs of disease.
Treatment included tranquillization, followed by manual dilation of the cervix, over a period of approximately 20 minutes. When the cervix had been sufficiently dilated to admit a hand, the bones and debris were extracted and the uterus was flushed with saline and antibiotics. Oxytocin treatment followed flushing.
It is not known if this mare maintained her fertility.
