Are you breaking the law?

Scanning mares in the breeding season is a process that should only be done by vets.

Ultrasound scanning has revolutionised the management of fertility and pregnancy diagnosis in mares and is the most common and reliable method for detecting complications.

However, the rectal palpation of the reproductive tract of mares, and in particular rectal ultrasound scanning for pregnancy diagnosis, is an extremely delicate procedure.

VCI past president and council member, Vivienne Duggan, associate professor in equine veterinary medicine in UCD, says, “Any tear in the sensitive and fragile tissue in the rectum of the mare, which can occur unbeknownst to the person performing the scan, can have dire and fatal consequences for the mare.”

Ultrasound probe

By law, only vets can perform this procedure.

The legal position is that the examination of the reproductive organs of a mare via the rectum, either by hand or with an ultrasound probe, constitutes the practice of veterinary medicine.

It is therefore illegal for anyone who is not a veterinary practitioner to perform a rectal examination of the reproductive tract or to diagnose pregnancy by ultrasound scanning in a mare, regardless of whether they own the mare in question.

Having a qualified person perform the scan not only gives a horse owner or keeper assurance of their skill and training, it is all important for insurance purposes, should anything happen to the mare.

If, as a customer or as a member of staff, you see scanning being done by someone who is not a registered vet, it is not ethical, or even legal, and should be reported forthwith to the Veterinary Council.