Estrus Suppression For Mares
There are several options for suppressing estrus behavior in mares. None of the options are perfect, and all have pros, cons, and a possibility of failure. We've listed the four most common methods we use below.
Regumate (Altrenogest)
an oral hormone liquid, given every day
Cost: around 200-300 for a 100-day supply ($2 - $3 per day)
Pros: relatively inexpensive, simple, easily availaible
Cons: messy, people need to be careful when handling (due to possibility of hormones being absorbed through human skin), must be given daily, some mares will not respond
Injectable Progesterone or Altrenogest
hormone injections given weekly
Cost: around 350 for a 150 day supply (around 2.33 per day, but cost varies quite a bit- call us for current pricing)
Pros: safer for humans to handle (just don't inject yourself!), only needed weekly, not daily
Cons: horse must be injected every 7 days, injection site reactions/ soreness can be common, more difficult to source and order since the products are compounded, lack of oversight in the compounding process - so safety and efficacy can't be guaranteed
Oxytocin Injections
hormone injections given daily for 7-30 days - keeps mares out of heat for around three months
Cost: 25-35 for 60-90 days of estrus suppression (around 40c per day)
Pros: very inexpensive, easy to source and order, injections can be given with a very small needle, very rare to have injection site reactions or soreness
Cons: injections must be given daily unless you know your mare's ovulation date, mare will still cycle, just much less often and usually with less intensity
IUD (intra-uterine device aka PearlPod or IUPOD) (currently backordered/unavailable)
small, smooth triangular medical device placed inside the the mare's uterus
Cost: around 450 for placement with standing sedation
Pros: "set it and forget it" - nothing to remember until one year after placement, perfectly safe for handlers, no daily meds or injections
Cons: may need to be placed at the clinic (depending on mare), 10-20% uterine infection rate (typically treated with antibiotics and removal of the device), may need to be removed and placed yearly (determined on a case-by-case basis)
Placing an IUD into a mare