A comparison of ultrasonograph and cytological examination results in evaluating the state of endometrium in mares

The aim of the present study was to compare the usefulness of USG and cytol ogical examinations in evaluating endometrium in mares having reproduction problems. The study was carried out on 104 mares of different breeds, aged 2-23 years, from various stud farms in Poland. Fertilising the selected mar es had not been successful during the previous reproductive season - severa l of them had miscarried or re-absorbed the embryos. Gynaecological examina tion in 25 animals revealed leakiness of the vulva and/or softening of the uterus. Ultrasonograph examinations revealed various abnormalities includin g uterine hypertrophy, exudate in the uterus lumen, enlargement of particul ar parts of this organ,: thickening of the endometrium as well as the exist ence of intramural cysts and embryos in the re-absorption phase. Cytologica l examinations showed that most mares (55) had a moderate inflammatory stat e (II degrees). Ultrasonograph examinations in 17 of the mares did not reve al pathological changes in their uteri, however, cytological examinations i ndicated that 12 of the animals had various degrees of inflammation (II deg rees -IV degrees). No clear regularities were observed which could aid in d etermining whether particular pathological changes in the uteri were accomp anied by a substantial intensification of the inflammatory state. Thus, the use of ultrasonography seems to be insufficient to correctly diagnose endo metriosis in mares. The most common conditions of the uteri found through u sing ultrasonography are hypertrophy of this organ and the large exudateare , and mares with this condition usually have a medium endometrium inflammat ion.