Modified technique for the repair of third-degree rectovaginal lacerations in mares.

Eight mares with third-degree rectovestibular lacerations were treated by a two-stage surgical technique. The rectovestibular shelf was corrected with three parallel 'circular' continuous suture rows distributed along the longitudinal axis of the vagina, and the perineal body was reconstructed with three divergent simple continuous rows. Primary healing of the first-stage surgery occurred in all the mares. Seven of the mares completed the two-stage surgery and primary healing occurred in all of them. One of them returned to endurance racing competition and one was lost to follow-up. The other five were bred and became pregnant; one foaled four times, two foaled three times, one foaled once and the other was pregnant at the time of writing. The condition did not recur in any of the mares after foaling.