Veterinarians interested in reproduction and perinatology (the foal immediately after birth) crowded into the Reproduction/Perinatology Forum at the 2003 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ convention to discuss mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS), terminology for the mare breeding soundness examination, vaccination of broodmares with the West Nile virus vaccine, current trends for applied reproductive techniques, and today’s educational opportunities for students interested in equine reproduction. The forum was facilitated by Stuart Brown, DVM, a practitioner at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee Veterinary Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and Steven Brinsko, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACT, of Texas A&M University.

Update on MRLS
Mare reproductive loss syndrome hit Kentucky and surrounding states hard in 2001, causing abortions of early- and late-term foals, along with cases of pericarditis and uveitis. Brown said that cases were down significantly in 2002, and were reduced even more in 2003. In 2003, there were no cases of uveitis (eye inflammation) and pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart) reported in connection to MRLS, according to Brown