Giving Regumate While I'm Pregnant?

[BackHomeFarm]

I bought a 5 year old mare off the track this winter. I really like her, she’s very sweet and sensible - when she’s not in season. For the last month, I’ve had a totally different horse than I’ve had all spring. She’s reactive and occasionally explosive - which makes me nervous because I’m pregnant and don’t want to risk a fall at this point. I have been treating for ulcers, she gets a flake of alfalfa at feed time, she’s eating TC Senior, 24/7 turn out, and she’s on raspberry leaves.

The beginning of this week, she came out of season, and was back to the quiet, good natured mare I had earlier in the year. I took her to trail ride yesterday, she shipped great and everything was fine - until she saw my Mom’s mare. She instantly came back into season and spent the rest of the ride winking and acting like a bit of a fool.

I really want to get as much riding in (safely) as possible before I’m too pregnant to ride, but her being in season 24/7 is making that difficult! I called my vet about Depo, because I’ve used that with previous mares, but he’s no longer prescribing it due to horse fatalities. He suggested Regumate, but I’ve never used this and I’m nervous about it because I’m pregnant. Has anyone used this while pregnant? Would it be safe if my husband added it to her feed? Would I be at risk just touching her feed bucket? Other ideas? Advice?

[rememberthenight]

You can’t be anywhere near it. She can’t rub it on you, you can’t touch anything that it “could” be on.

I would really be cautious about having a horse on it. Perhaps the long lasting altrenogest injection? So there isn’t a possibility for you to be in contact with it.

honestly, I would just give her the time off because she is being sensitive and silly. Not worth a fall. Maybe ride a friend’s quiet horse?

[joiedevie99]

The recommendation is chemical resistant gloves, face shield, and apron for anyone administering the drug. If pregnant, I wouldn’t risk being anywhere near it. Ditto asking the vet about injection options.

[Equibrit]

The full skinny; http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/info_regu.htm

[BackHomeFarm]

Thank you for the advice! From what I read, I was thinking I was better off finding another option, too, but I wasn’t sure just how serious the precautions are.

Has anyone used the injectable version with success? Is there still a risk of cross-contamination with me?

[Dutchmare433]

I use the injectable from BET, once every 28 days. I’ve had great success and I feel like the extra cost associated is worth not having to deal with the oral stuff, which is really oily and it gets and stays on everything. There’s more risk of a reaction at the injection site, but I follow the directions carefully and on advice of my vet, switch to a new needle after drawing it up, before injecting.

I don’t know specifically about the risk, although n=1, I have gotten droplets of it on my skin a few times and noticed no side effects, whereas with the oral stuff, I can tell every time it gets on my skin, even if I don’t notice it at the time. Personally, I would not use the oral stuff if I were pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

[BackHomeFarm]

@Dutchmare433

I don’t know specifically about the risk, although n=1, I have gotten droplets of it on my skin a few times and noticed no side effects, whereas with the oral stuff, I can tell every time it gets on my skin, even if I don’t notice it at the time. Personally, I would not use the oral stuff if I were pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

If I went this route, I’d have someone else inject her, just in case.

I’ve ordered chaste berry powder to try as I’ve read this can also help - it can’t hurt, right? I also reached out to my vet about the injectable option. Hopefully we’ll figure something effective and safe, she’ll settle down as the summer progresses, or she’ll have time off until after baby is born. I really appreciate everyone’s non-judgemental advice!

[EquestrianRunner]

Not sure how comfortable you are with your vet, but might be worth talking to your vet to see if they have any other suggestions? Explain the pregnancy thing? I would imagine they have had other horse parents in this situation?

I worked at a barn in college and the farm owners (it was their personal farm) had a horse on Regumate and they wouldnt let me or their middle school (at the time) daughter near it. That horse only got it at night and had separate “regumate” buckets. And the farm owner is a (human) doctor.

[TheHunterKid90]

What about implants? They normally last 7-8 months.

[CCook]

No suggestions on how to proceed with your mare, but the thought of using any type of Regumate while pregnant scares me! I worked at a farm where we gave the oral kind. Two young women working there got small amounts on their skin at different times (even while wearing gloves - a mare threw head or spit on forearm, etc) and both didn’t get their periods for 4 to 6 months afterwards. :eek: It was enough to make me very, very careful with the stuff. Anyway, good luck with your mare and your kiddo on the way!

[carman_liz]

Take this with a grain of salt, especially if this is your first pregnancy, or you have had problems getting pregnant, but I worked at a barn while pregnant and we had 2 mares on the oral regumate. We had a tip on the cap for the bottle that the injector went on to draw it up, we used a 10cc kid medicine dropper/injector.

It looks like a tiny injector syringe w no needle on it, I hope you know what I am talking about lol, the kind you pull back and it has rubber on the inside of the draw part and shoots down their throat. After you have the baby you will get one with every bottle of meds you ever get from the pharmacy. Keep them!! They are great later for oral meds of course, but also thrush concoctions, cleaning out a wound, puncture wounds that you have to keep open as they heal from inside out, flushing out an abcess, and so on! 😁

I wore gloves, had the mare right next to me to go straight from the bottle to her mouth, rinsed the thing out with gloves still on, and then scrubbed my hands with Betadine shampoo/wash since it is drying and the regumate is oily. The 2 women at the barn who also owned and work there did this while pregnant also I believe, and none of us had any issues.

That being said, if your dh will administor it for you, do that. If your doctor says no, too many risks, do not do it. If nothing else will work well for your mare, yes it sucks big time, but don’t ride and risk a fall! I walked on my mare and she was mid to late 20s and it was while she would graze and that was it.

Work on groundwork, lunging, teach her tricks to keep her mind busy, long line her in full tack and work on her flexion, bending, giving to the bit, voice commands and transistions. The exercise will be great for you and your hips, trust me you want them strong and yet flexible for delivery lol. And it will be good for your mare to have all that groundwork and even more manners instilled in her for when you get back in the saddle.

Also side note, please wear a helmet at least while long lining, I have seen them freak out, back up from a scare of something completely random or stupid, and buck/kickout. If you go to get close to them for the normal “hey…whoa!! Whats wrong silly…yada yada…” and they are still in fight or flight mode, you don’t want a kick or head toss from them into your noggin either!!

Jingles for a solution for your mare and an easy and smooth pregnancy and delivery. And of course that baby is happy and healthy as well, do you know what you are having yet?

[BackHomeFarm]

@CCook

No suggestions on how to proceed with your mare, but the thought of using any type of Regumate while pregnant scares me! I worked at a farm where we gave the oral kind. Two young women working there got small amounts on their skin at different times (even while wearing gloves - a mare threw head or spit on forearm, etc) and both didn’t get their periods for 4 to 6 months afterwards. :eek: It was enough to make me very, very careful with the stuff. Anyway, good luck with your mare and your kiddo on the way!

Wow! That’s why I wanted to ask. I have no experience with the stuff so I didn’t know if it was one of those “pregnant women shouldn’t do this” things that is just out of an abundance of caution and not seriously dangerous. I’m definitely not going to go with the oral Regumate. Waiting to hear back from the vet on the price of the injectable. If it’s cost prohibitive, maresy will get lots of down time, which really isn’t the worst thing in the world!

[BackHomeFarm]

@carman_liz

Work on groundwork, lunging, teach her tricks to keep her mind busy, long line her in full tack and work on her flexion, bending, giving to the bit, voice commands and transistions. The exercise will be great for you and your hips, trust me you want them strong and yet flexible for delivery lol. And it will be good for your mare to have all that groundwork and even more manners instilled in her for when you get back in the saddle.

…

Jingles for a solution for your mare and an easy and smooth pregnancy and delivery. And of course that baby is happy and healthy as well, do you know what you are having yet?

That’s what I’m doing now - ground work and some walking under saddle, just keeping everything as quiet as possible. Ground work has been good for her, spending more time on this wouldn’t be a bad thing for another few months, but selfishly, I want to ride! :lol:

I don’t know what I’m having yet. It’s still early, just 13 weeks! I can’t wait to find out, though.

[Dutchmare433]

@BackHomeFarm

Wow! That’s why I wanted to ask. I have no experience with the stuff so I didn’t know if it was one of those “pregnant women shouldn’t do this” things that is just out of an abundance of caution and not seriously dangerous. I’m definitely not going to go with the oral Regumate. Waiting to hear back from the vet on the price of the injectable. If it’s cost prohibitive, maresy will get lots of down time, which really isn’t the worst thing in the world!

The injectable from BET is $156.25 per dose and it needs to be shipped Fedex priority overnight which is an additional $40. I buy 2 doses at a time to save on shipping.