THE Veterinary Council has issued a reminder of the importance of care in rectal examination and ultrasound scanning of mares for fertility work and/or pregnancy diagnosis. Ultrasound scanning has revolutionised the management of fertility and pregnancy diagnosis in mares.

Ultrasound scanning is the most common and reliable method for pregnancy diagnosis and 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.

Given the intricate nature and the level of risk associated with the procedure, only vets may perform these procedures in law.

VCI president Vivienne Duggan, Associate Professor in Equine Veterinary Medicine in UCD notes: “As an equine veterinary practitioner in the veterinary hospital in UCD, the hazards of carrying out rectal examinations and rectal ultrasound scanning of the mare reproductive tract are all too real. 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.”

Who can scan a pregnant mare?

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, no matter whether they own the mare or not.

Any horse owner or keeper must be aware of the importance of this procedure, ensuring only those suitably qualified and competent to perform the rectal examination and scanning of the mare reproductive tract are permitted to do so.

This further carries the assurance for any animal owner, not alone of the level of skill and training, but also the professional insurance held for such services, which can have fatal consequences if not correctly performed.

A matter of law

The Veterinary Practice Act 2005 (the Act), as amended, defines the practice of veterinary medicine and provides, subject to a number of exceptions, that only veterinary practitioners may practice veterinary medicine. This is to ensure that animals are treated only by those people qualified to do so.

The Veterinary Practice Act lists that the practice of veterinary medicine on an animal includes diagnosing disease, injury, pain, deformity, defect or state of health.

Diagnosing is further defined in the Act as examining the reproductive organs of a mare via the rectum.

The Veterinary Council is an enforcement authority under the Veterinary Practice Act and can carry out investigations where it has reasonable cause to suspect that an offence under the Act has occurred or is occurring. There are a number of options open to the Veterinary Council following an investigation, including the prosecution of offences under the Act.

Performing a rectal examination or ultrasound scan of the reproductive tract of a mare when not on the Register of Veterinary Practitioners is a criminal offence and if convicted, carries a severe fine and a possible prison sentence.

The Act also makes it a criminal offence for a veterinary practitioner (or an agent or employee acting on his or her behalf) to employ a person who is not registered with the Veterinary Council of Ireland, to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine on behalf of the veterinary practitioner.

Welfare of the horse must always be the priority

In the interest of animal health and welfare, a person other than a VCI registered veterinary practitioner cannot carry out a rectal examination or ultrasound scan of the reproductive tract in the mare and should not be permitted by any animal owner or keeper, to carry out these procedures to avoid the potential risks such as tears, perforations and potentially fatal infections.

Given the intricate nature and the level of risk associated with the procedure, only vets may perform this procedure in law.