E10
 Abortions

Common Causes:
  1. Equine herpesvirus - 1
  2. Fungal and bacterial placentitis
  3. Fetal developmental defects
  4. Twins

Less Common Causes:
  1. Equine viral arteritis (EVA)
  2. Leptospirosis
  3. Equine infectious anemia (EIA)
  4. Fescue toxicity
  5. Malnutrition
  6. Maternal stress
  7. Drug-induced (steroids, hormones)
  8. Endotoxemia (These are toxins from bacteria in the blood stream.)

Rare Causes:
  1. Contagious equine metritis (Taylorella equigenitalis)
  2. Potomac horse fever (Erlichia risticii)
  3. Mycobacterium
  4. Locoweed
  5. Sudan grass
  6. Brucellosis
  7. Lymphoma

If the exact cause of the abortion is not known, the following should be collected and sent in for necropsy and analysis:

Where to get 
a sample   

What to sample   

How it should be sent

The Foal/Fetus   

The entire body - If not available, the liver, kidneys, spleen, muscle, heart, lymph node, brain and contents of the stomach.   

The body on ice, or one piece of each organ chilled and one piece in formalin.

The Mother   

Blood samples (paired)   

In blood tube (red top)

The Placenta   

The entire placenta - If not available, send the sac itself, some amniotic fluid, and blood from the umbilical cord.   

Chilled 

These samples should be sent in as quickly as possible. With the exception of blood, these samples can be frozen if they are to be shipped a long distance.

* Aborted mares should be checked by a veterinarian for uterine infection or retained membranes. These can be life threatening complications for mares.