C-Section of a Mare

A Cesarean section, or C-section, performed by a skilled veterinary team can save pregnant mares and their unborn foals from a difficult or even fatal vaginal delivery.

  1. Reasons

    • Mares receive C-sections when the mare's health or the position of the unborn foal would endanger either horse during a natural delivery, according to the Equine Medical Center of Ocala.

    Preparations

    • Preparing a mare for a C-section involves anesthetizing the animal and then mechanically hoisting her hind legs upward to position her for the procedure.

    Procedure

    • To perform a C-section, the veterinarian first cuts into the abdomen to expose the uterus, then makes a second cut in the uterus to remove the foal.

    Recovery

    • A Florida study found that 89 percent of mares and 32 percent of foals survived C-sections. Half the recovered mares, when bred, produced another foal within a year's time.

    Alternatives

    • In many cases a veterinarian can perform a controlled vaginal delivery instead of resorting to a C-section, carefully manipulating the foal's position inside the uterus to facilitate a normal birth.