Bladder rupture in late-pregnancy mares: Four cases.

Summary

# Bladder Rupture in Late-Pregnancy Mares: Clinical Recognition and Diagnosis Bladder rupture is a potentially life-threatening condition in broodmares, yet its presentation during late pregnancy—when other complications are expected—may delay diagnosis and compromise outcomes. This case series describes four mares at or past their expected foaling date that developed bladder rupture, presenting initially with abdominal pain (three cases) or dystocia (one case), alongside clinical signs including pollakiuria and haematuria in some individuals. Diagnosis proved challenging because three of the four mares showed no free peritoneal fluid on initial ultrasonic examination, with uroperitoneum taking 2–3 days to become apparent; elevated peritoneal creatinine and a peritoneal:serum creatinine ratio exceeding 4.0 proved diagnostically useful, whilst cystoscopy confirmed rupture in three cases. Two mares survived to discharge, demonstrating that prompt recognition and intervention are feasible when suspicion is high. For equine practitioners managing pregnant mares, the key message is clear: overdue or at-term mares presenting with colic and increased urination warrant immediate investigation for bladder rupture, as this diagnosis can easily be overlooked in favour of other pregnancy-related emergencies.

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Key Findings

• •Four late-pregnancy mares with bladder rupture presented with abdominal discomfort (n=3) or dystocia (n=1), with three showing pollakiuria or hematuria
• •Three of four cases lacked free peritoneal fluid on initial examination, delaying diagnosis by 2-3 days until uroperitoneum developed
• •Peritoneal:serum creatinine ratio mean of 4.1 confirmed uroperitoneum in three mares with increased peritoneal fluid creatinine
• •Cystoscopy identified bladder tears in 3 cases and complete diagnostic evaluation including ultrasonography was necessary to confirm the condition

Conditions Studied

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