The Vet Page

Emma's records from the veterinarian along the way.

The Breeding Certificate so far, click to enlarge!

12/29/98--Vet: Dr. Kathy Ott (Equine Medical Center-EMC)

Emma has first breeding examination done. Vet says the Emma seems to be a "virgin" but everything feels normal. Emma has a Caslick's operation, if you want to know what one is click Here. The vet cuts open Emma's vulva.

4/29/99--Vet: Dr. Laura Gerbec (EMC)

Today is Emma's first ultrasound to check and see if she is in heat, or ready to be bred. Because she doesn't show her heat signs to the stallion we have here at Blackshire, we kind of had to guess and see how close we were with the ultrasound. Wh e n the vet palpated her she commented on a "flaccid" uterus, which means that if she is in heat, she hasn't ovulated yet, or she would have edema in her uterus. Next for the ultrasound. She found MMF, or Many Medium Folicles in the left ovary. In the right ovary she found a 3.9 cm folicle. A horse will usually ovulate on a folicle that is around 4 cm, so it looks like we have caught her at a very good time!!

4/30/99

Made the call to Silverwood Farm for the semen shipment. It should arrived before 12:00 on Sat 5/1.

5/1/99--Vet: Dr. Kathy Ott (EMC)

Semen arrives in the morning on Saturday (5-1)

Form sent with the cooled Semen on May 1st--Click To Enlarge for Detail

The vet ultrasounds Emma again, to check if she has ovulated yet. The folicle in her right ovary is now 4.6 cm, it is definitly ready to go anytime now. There is also edema in her uterus, another good sign. The vet inseminates her with 50cc AI. She al so gives her an injection of HCG, which will induce her ovulation. (start doing the fertility dance!!)

5/2/99

No ultrasound today, but the next 50cc dose is given (resume fertility dance :) The vet said that the semen sample that they checked from yesterday was 60% motile about 3 hours after she was inseminated, very good! Now we have to wait about 18 days to check if she has concieved.

5/17/99 Conception?

Its the big day, did she take or not? During the first ultrasound attempt the vet has a hard time getting a good picture, so we have to have Emma sedated so she can get a more stable scan. Second try we hit the jackpot, and got to see Artistic Emp ression's first baby picture! Emma is pregnant, and from the ultrasound picture the vet dates the embryo at about 15 days plus or minus 2. She most likely took on the first day (5/1). The vet has to check carefully to make sure there is n't twins. In the words of Laura Gerbec "nope, nobody else in here". We will have her ultrasounded again on the 31st of May to make sure she has maintained the pregnancy, and to check once again for twins.

First Baby Photo Taken on May 17th!!!

July 12, 1999

Nothing has been done in a long time! Emma is doing good, isn't showing any weight gain yet, but is eating good. We were interuppted on July 3rd, as the barn we were at closed on short notice, and we were forced to relocate to a new facility. The site will be updated and the vet will be coming out soon to do a checkup on Emma to make sure everything is going great.