No Foal Yet :(

[Strawberrygirl]

Foal in August??? Still no foal *Update* For everyone following Bell's pregnancy thread . . . there's the link.

Well Horsetopia Friends, I have no clue what's going on with my mare! She was supposedly due "late summer to fall". She still has large teats, jiggly hiney, and a huge belly--but nothing else progressed or changed. My thoughts are:

1. She absorbed the foal.

2. She isn't due this year at all . . . maybe in the middle of Winter, or '10

3. Or she's been having a false pregnancy.

We're going to get the vet out here asap because I can still "re-break" her if she isn't pregnant.

Any other ideas out there? I know, my thoughts are mostly negative, but I've been waiting so long already, and was really looking forward to this I can still post recent pics of her if anyone is interested.

[livinthedream]

Do you have pictures you could put side by side one from old thread and now..seems , dates are off, Yes, Im the expert on false pregnancy's....lol

Are her teets full at all, have you had her palpitated, Feel foal? You say you see it kick she would not have reabsorbed that late, she would have aborted..

When was the last time vet was out?....

Pictures....

[cook1745]

I hate to say it but if she was due in aug but still hasn't foal she may have lost it.

[algae]

From what I've read, absorbing foals doesn't happen, ever.

I hope that if she is pregnant she'll foal soon!

[lbequ4002]

if she lost it you would have noticed. Usually it comes out. If it's dead inside her she needs a vet asap or could become septic. I hope the breeding dates are just off and she's going to deliver a healthy foal.

[Terry]

I noticed that in your earlier thread it was mentioned a few times that maybe she's not due until sometime in October. Fingers crossed that that is what's going on, and she'll deliver a healthy foal for you very soon.

[muttduck]

One thing I've learned this year... If you don't know the date bred, you can't know the date due - even if your vet is pretty sure when they palpate the mare.

You can only go by the earliest she could have been bred, to the last day she was with the stallion, to give you a period of potential foaling dates.

Look at us with Lonely.
We went 3 months 'past' the 'due date' the vet gave. Our baby came out normal, at a normal size, and without issues (or warning, since the midnight check showed nothing going on, and at 1:50 am he was there and nursing.)

[dodib]

Has the vet checked her recently? she probably lost it or is due later
My mare was bred last spring-- would have been "due" in March and it came and went no foal--she looked bred, would start to get an udder then it would go back down... when I had her checked she was open so had lost it at some time--- I hadn't seen anything and I checked and feed my horses twice a day

This same mare was bred when i bought her --took her to the vet and he said with ultrasound and palp she would be "due" Jan or Feb.......... was June 6th she had the foal-- over 150 at birth but very healthy
So if you don't know when she was bred just may not be time yet

[Horselady44]

We need some updated pictures!
Im sure she is in foal still just dont know when she was bred so she probably was bred later so she wont foal til later(gotta think positive)
Pictures please Have you had a vet out recently?

[Strawberrygirl]

This was taken the beginning of July~ Right Profile



Taken today ~ Right Profile *sorry about the goat in there!*



July ~ Left Profile



Just today ~ Left Profile



July ~ Front



Just Today ~ Front



And then July's Udder pic and Today's udder pic





This post will probably take forever to load -- I hope you all have high-speed! I'm positive I would have seen the remains if she aborted. Bell is in a very small pasture that you can see everything in a glance.

Her teats appear full. In July I did see pre-milk squirt out when she was rolling. But she has definitely never bagged up tight.

Muttduck . . . I agree with what you said. She was pastured with the stallion so she may not even foal until February '10 (going by the date she left the stallion and assuming she's bred). I'm pretty sure I did see something kick, but then again, I've never had a pregnant mare before. It's a hassle right now getting the vet out here, I'm very busy and the vet already made her rounds in my area. Plus that vet is the only equine one I know of . . . . that knows what she's doing and doesn't charge outrageous prices!

Where exactly do you feel for the foal? I was just pressing my hand on her flank area.

[AnaBellesMoM]

Her bag is definetly bigger it looks like you don't have much longer! Can't wait to see her baby!

[livinthedream]

Sorry, but her teets look no where near being fully bagged, and she really to me hasnt changed much...Did the vet come out? her teets are still pointing inward...they may a slight bigger, but not enough to be ready to foal...maybe the dates are really off, I would guess, she is not ready, or has lost it...really need a vet....I know you are busy, and probably rural....but to be for sure.....Hope all goes well...

[Horselady44]

Originally Posted by livinthedream

Sorry, but her teets look no where near being fully bagged, and she really to me hasnt changed much...Did the vet come out? her teets are still pointing inward...they may a slight bigger, but not enough to be ready to foal...maybe the dates are really off, I would guess, she is not ready, or has lost it...really need a vet....I know you are busy, and probably rural....but to be for sure.....Hope all goes well...

I agree...I bet the dates were wrong She has a preggers belly but def not looking anywhere near to foaling by the looks of her bag. Shes a pretty girl though! I hope you get a vet out soon to make sure

[Strawberrygirl]

I just made an appointment with the vet for next week. I'm really hoping she can come sooner though. I'll keep you guys updated . . . it stinks because I think Bell has COPD or pneumonia and/or an eye infection on top of everything else.

[qtrhorse1993]

sorry, but she does not look bred to me...i really see no changes in her belly and her teets arent that large..let us know what the vet says.

[muttduck]

I DO see a belly change - bigger, and a little lower and back more.
I don't see a whole lot of a teat change, but I see some filling above the nipples.


Truly - I'm far more concerned with her from a Body Condition Score standpoint. She has packed on quite a bit of fat all over, and that can create issues with foaling as well as hormonal imbalances. In the initial photos, she was a BCS of a 6ish (nice healthy broodmare weight)... Now, she's pushing an 8 - maybe even a 9 - bordering on obese.

When your vet comes out, I'd discuss her weight with him, and see if she needs to go on a diet, or possibly if she needs her thyroid checked.



Details of what I'm seeing:

Her neck crest is much thicker and tighter. She's has so much additional fat in the neck that she's gained a few divets/dents, and when she turns her head, there's odd fat rolls and wrinkles. The skin over her neck is very taught, as well.

Behind the shoulder/elbow has a big bulge of fat that she didn't have before - very little indenting behind the elbow because of the big fat pocket. She also has a large amount of fat behind the withers. The neck isn't blending into her shoulder as well as it used to either.

She's gained a flappy area in front of the stifle, and her rump is lumpy with fat. I can't see it from these angles, but I'm willing to bet that she's got fatty thighs rubbing together under her rear.



How this relates to helping determine if she's closer to foaling:

The fatty rear end isn't allowing us to see if she's hollowing in the tail head. And as much fat as she has, you'll have a hard time feeling for looseness in the tail head, since the fat will start to feel hard.

[Horselady44]

Originally Posted by muttduck

I DO see a belly change - bigger, and a little lower and back more.
I don't see a whole lot of a teat change, but I see some filling above the nipples.


Truly - I'm far more concerned with her from a Body Condition Score standpoint. She has packed on quite a bit of fat all over, and that can create issues with foaling as well as hormonal imbalances. In the initial photos, she was a BCS of a 6ish (nice healthy broodmare weight)... Now, she's pushing an 8 - maybe even a 9 - bordering on obese.

When your vet comes out, I'd discuss her weight with him, and see if she needs to go on a diet, or possibly if she needs her thyroid checked.



Details of what I'm seeing:

Her neck crest is much thicker and tighter. She's has so much additional fat in the neck that she's gained a few divets/dents, and when she turns her head, there's odd fat rolls and wrinkles. The skin over her neck is very taught, as well.

Behind the shoulder/elbow has a big bulge of fat that she didn't have before - very little indenting behind the elbow because of the big fat pocket. She also has a large amount of fat behind the withers. The neck isn't blending into her shoulder as well as it used to either.

She's gained a flappy area in front of the stifle, and her rump is lumpy with fat. I can't see it from these angles, but I'm willing to bet that she's got fatty thighs rubbing together under her rear.



How this relates to helping determine if she's closer to foaling:

The fatty rear end isn't allowing us to see if she's hollowing in the tail head. And as much fat as she has, you'll have a hard time feeling for looseness in the tail head, since the fat will start to feel hard.

She def looks preggers...but Muttduck made a good point...She needs to join Equine Weight Watchers For her sake and the babys But, discuss with your vet...like said before. Shes a beautiful girl!

[chery]

belly definently looks bigger and teets look fuller, hope to see baby soon!

[Strawberrygirl]

Thanks Muttduck and Horselady Her weight is definitely something that has been worrying (and embarrassing) me! I've never had a fat horse before! The amount of hay and grain has stayed exactly the same since this past summer (actually, a decrease in grain), so I have no clue what is going on. She really seemed to pork out the end of September to now . . . the only things that did change are: fresh load of hay (same kind, same farmer), and switched from Nutrena Mare and Foal, to Dumor Mare and Foal. I was reading "The Complete Book of Foaling" and they stressed having correct body condition so I am concerned as well. I'll make sure to ask my vet . . .

I did see something positive today! I finally got over my fear of getting kicked and felt Bell's udder. There is definitely fluid in there and when I squeezed a little out, it looked like the pre-milk/colostrum that my goat had 2-3 weeks before she kidded out!!!! I also found some gunk in between teats that I have to clean out tonight ~ ickies. Heehee, through it all, my mare stood perfectly

Any tips on cleaning udders in very cold weather? Baby wipes and baby shampoo maybe?

[stardust]

Originally Posted by Strawberrygirl

Thanks Muttduck and Horselady Her weight is definitely something that has been worrying (and embarrassing) me! I've never had a fat horse before! The amount of hay and grain has stayed exactly the same since this past summer (actually, a decrease in grain), so I have no clue what is going on. She really seemed to pork out the end of September to now . . . the only things that did change are: fresh load of hay (same kind, same farmer), and switched from Nutrena Mare and Foal, to Dumor Mare and Foal. I was reading "The Complete Book of Foaling" and they stressed having correct body condition so I am concerned as well. I'll make sure to ask my vet . . .

I did see something positive today! I finally got over my fear of getting kicked and felt Bell's udder. There is definitely fluid in there and when I squeezed a little out, it looked like the pre-milk/colostrum that my goat had 2-3 weeks before she kidded out!!!! I also found some gunk in between teats that I have to clean out tonight ~ ickies. Heehee, through it all, my mare stood perfectly

Any tips on cleaning udders in very cold weather? Baby wipes and baby shampoo maybe?

My husband has this job (while I hold her) and he just uses his hand and wipes in between and wipes it all away. I too was wondering if you could use baby wipes maybe for sensitive skin? could always buy a wipe warmer for the winter months to keep them warm.