Caslick question for a 11 year old tb mare

[Samotis]

My mare is getting checked today to make sure she is in foal. She is 11 and foaled once in 2008.

The vet did a caslick on her for the last pregnancy and mentioned it for this time around.

Is is necessary? She is a petite tb mare and was caslicked for racing years ago as a 2 and 3 year old.

I am not sure she needs it, as her conformation doesn’t look to be that way. The vet said sometimes mares on the thin side need it. She isn’t thin, but I guess next to a huge wb mare, they may think she is?

I just don’t want to put her through it and pay the extra money if it isn’t needed.

[amastrike]

Does the vet think she needs it? Personally, I had my mare done just in case. She was caslicked for her previous pregnancy. My vet said she would probably be fine without it, but I didn’t want to take the chance. Easier just to get it done and not worry about it, and cheaper than ordering more doses of semen if she doesn’t take or loses it. Since I’m not breeding again, I didn’t have it put back post foaling.

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

No one here can tell you if the mare needs a Caslick or not; we can’t see her, so…
If you trust your vet, and they are reccomending the procedure, then I would do it. It is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of trying to get a foal on the ground.

[Samotis]

it was done before with no issues, so it should be fine.

I just wasn’t sure how common it is and if it was neccessary.

[lolita1]

I don’t believe a caslick is necessary unless the mare’s “back end” structure is not normal or would allow infection to occur.

[Laurierace]

I caslick them all. Makes me feel better.

[ahf]

If your vet recommends it - then I would do it. Mares that can get on the thin side can for sure have a less-than-optimal vulvar seal.

I have one mare like this - her perineal conformation is just fine - but she has worn a caslicks ever since she was three.

A caslicks is seriously cheap insurance.

[Twinkletozzz]

I haven’t had to caslick my mares, but if my vet were to recommend it I would not hesitate to have it done. I think it’s good insurance and its small cost certainly outweighs the cost of a uterine infection or an interrupted pregnancy.

[bloomingtonfarm]

A caslick might be simple and cheap (around 70$ here) but a lot of vet does it just as a routine procedure, just in case she needs it, which I do not agree.

If the mare abort at 300 days or so and the caslick has not been opened, there will be damage to the vulva. And then when you open it you have to keep it open with a cream etc…Anyway, I don’t like it and have it done only if needed.

TB mare are caslicked very often not for breeding purpose but for temperament.

If the conformation is good, she had no previous problems to conceive, I would not do a caslick. But if your mare needs it because… (now show me why THIS mare needs it ) than I would do it.

I have one mare this year that had to be caslicked for the first time. She had a perfect conformation until last year. After her last foaling I could see that there was a big change as her anus had sunk in. Now this had to be addressed.

[EquusMagnificus]

[QUOTE=bloomingtonfarm;5604192]

If the conformation is good, she had no previous problems to conceive, I would not do a caslick. But if your mare needs it because… (now show me why THIS mare needs it ) than I would do it. [/QUOTE]

Ditto.

I own a successful ex-race mare and race broodmare who was caslicked all. her. life. I got her as a 12 year-old, bred her AI for the first time in her life, took without any issues and I didn’t re-caslick her. It was always done, I suppose, automatically being from the racing industry.

She is due in 4 weeks now.

[ahf]

I have to say that I have (unfortunately) had two late-term abortions over the years. Both were on caslicked mares. Both split their caslicks to deliver without incident to the mare.

I’m not saying that complications can’t happen, just that it’s not a given.

[bloomingtonfarm]

[QUOTE=ahf;5604232]
I have to say that I have (unfortunately) had two late-term abortions over the years. Both were on caslicked mares. Both split their caslicks to deliver without incident to the mare.

I’m not saying that complications can’t happen, just that it’s not a given.[/QUOTE]

Good, I am glad to hear that sometimes it just goes well. I like that.

The one I witness was pretty bad however.