Pregnancy, Late Pregnancy, and Labor 101

muttduck · 10-31-2005, 06:19 PM

Hello all, I wanted to open a sticky regarding information on pregnancy, etc... For those "first time foalers."

<Edited by Divine to add this Disclaimer:>

Disclaimer: The questions and answers posted in these forums are for educational purposes only. The answers given will be general and every case is different. As a result, you should always consult with your own veterinarian or specialist when making decisions about your horse's care.

Horsetopia.com and our members will not be held liable for any information posted in these forums. This information is not to be used to make important decisions about the care of your horse or replace a certified veterinarian's opinion.

Please, experienced breeders/foalers, post any information you have about pregnancy and foaling to help anyone who may need this.

Also, please, use this as an area to describe the changing body of the pregnant mare as she approaches her due date, signs that a mare is pregnant, signs of labor, etc... That way, for mare owners who are not certain if their mare is pregnant, they have some possible signs to look for, if the vet can't make it...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know of a wonderful woman who may be shy about posting this herself... She is fairly new at horse ownership. She has a lovely mare and a yearling colt. The yearling is from the mare, born in Aug '04, weaned and seperated from the mare quite a few months ago. At approx 2 weeks of age (the foal) the mare and foal, while at the previous owner's, broke into a neighboring pasture with a two year old, intact paint. No one is certain how long she was able to visit. The owner was not caring for these animals very well, and had no clue the horses were missing.

She describes the mare as having a lopsided appearance with abnormal abdominal movement near the flanks. About a month ago, she was able to extract clear sticky premilk... She now is extracting thick white milk from the mare's teats. Also, the vaginal opening is described as having little muscle tone, and is elongated. The overall appearance of the mare is that the ribs are visible (even on a large amount of feed) and that near the underside of the rib cage, the mare is 'stretched open in the last few ribs more than she used to be.'

The mare's attitude is of discomfort to the abdominal region, not like colic. She is seen to be standing parked out and stretching quite often, and has a sudden huge increase in appatite.

He veterinarian can't make it to her in a timely fashion, and she is concerned that the mare is pregnant. I agree with her concern. Please, post any advice you may have to this nice woman that may help her until her vet arrives. (She uses my vet, and he is a great guy, just VERY busy.)

(To 'the mare owner', feel free to post more details if needed, or you can call me and I will post it for you.

)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am going to start the information off by placing three links regarding this topic that hold FABULOUS information about this subject:

http://www.yourhorseshealth.com/Main...ctant_mare.cfm

http://www.yourhorseshealth.com/Main...aling_mare.cfm

http://www.yourhorseshealth.com/Main...oal_growth.cfm
I know you guys have a wealth of info to provide...

Please, and thank you, for your posts.

(Edited to provide working links.)

Range · 10-31-2005, 07:13 PM

I just need to ask a couple of questions...the mare was possibly bred in August of 2004? Could she have been exposed to a stallion at a later date? My reasons for asking are this, in my experience, mares come into their "foal heat" right around 9 days after delivery, pretty consistently, so she would have been at the downward turn of her heat cycle. My other reason is this, mares can go to 365 days before delivering, but much longer than that is rare...in MY experience. So, if the mare was bred and it took, she is WAY late!

Yes, she does sound pregnant, but if the breeding took place in August, I would want a vet, any vet, standing by because this is a late foal and there may be something very wrong. Either way, I would keep a close watch on her because the thick milk (is the bag huge?) and the relaxed vulva mean that foaling is iminent. She could also take the mare's temperature. Temp will go up about a degree when foaling is close.

Oh, one other question, is she seeing movement in the mare's sides now? Also, only in my experience, I stop seeing foal movement about 30 days before birth.

These are only my opinions based on my experience. I hope I helped somewhat?!

muttduck · 10-31-2005, 07:26 PM

From my discussion with her today, as I understand it:

The mare was over there for an indefinate period of time no one is sure how long, so while she may have bred on the foal heat... It is more likely that she was there long enough to have bred on the next heat or even the heat after.

The previous owner said he cared for them, but they were in quite a neglected state when she got them. He had no clue that they had even escaped, let alone knew that she went in with this stud for however long.

The neighboring horse owner is the one who let in on the fact that she got in with the stud. My thought is that she was likely there for a month, or she escaped when the foal was a bit older than they thought. Since we don't know how long she was there, it is hard to give a true due date. No one saw them mate, so no one is certain if she could be pregnant, but I sure would think she is. By the description she gave (as I posted above) I was feeling like we are talking imminent foaling as well.

Anyway, for anyone else going through this, would anyone mind sharing their experiences with foaling, what they keep on hand, what your "part" in the process is...

TheUpNorthCowgirl · 10-31-2005, 07:34 PM

Oh that wonderful foaling! She sure sounds like she's getting pretty darn ready to foal. Get a foaling kit ready including: iodine, a bucket, soap, a tail wrap, and a fleet enema.
I would stall this mare and get ready! A mare will get very squishy and jello-ey around her tail head when she's getting ready. Also the vaginal opening also relaxes. A lot of mares will lie down and get up trying to get comfortable before foaling. It's also a pretty quick process. If you don't see a foal 20 minutes after she goes into labor get the vet out right away. What you should see is both front legs first along with the nose. The feet should be pointing down. Bad signs include seeing only one foot, no nose, or a nose with no feet. If no nose is present, the foals head may be stuck behind the mare's pelvis. If the sac does not break, you may want to go in and open it. (we have this problem with minis a lot)

After a horse foals, the mare will get up, and break the umbillical. You will want to dip the navel stump in the iodine to avoid icky bacterias getting to the foal. About 30 minutes later the foal will try to stand to start nursing. You will want to watch the mare to make sure she expells the placenta. If it is partially exposed , but not all you can tie it in a knot so you aviod letting her step on it. You will need to go in the stall and get the placenta and make sure it is whole. A whole placenta looks like a pair of bloomers.
Once baby is up and happy watch for the foal to pass the meconium (that first little hard black poop) If the foal doesn't pass the meconium in a few hours you can administer the enema to help him out. A lot of breeder just give the enema once the foal is standing for good measure.

Thats all I can think of right now, but if I think af anything else I'll deffiently post!

Good luck with foaling ya'll! Babies are GREAT!

Range · 11-01-2005, 07:02 AM

One thing, do NOT break the umbilical cord yourself....

leadmare · 11-01-2005, 09:47 AM

Mares have been doing this on their own forever

True sometimes things can go wrong, but it really is rarer than it seems

In thirty years of foaling, I have lost one foal to a birth defect, and only had to aid one mare, that just got tired of pushing a large foal.

As far as detecting when she will foal.....I have found it to be when you least expect it. I just start watching and waiting. (Lucky me, I have a camera with sound to keep watch.)

I have found that the best things to have on hand are:

The Vets phone number
Iodine or Nolvasan, A small dixie cup
A clean flat type shoe lace
A gallon of tepid water
Fleet enima (sp?)
Clean dry towels
Probiotic
Thermometer
Halter and lead for the mare

For the most part I have only used the Iodine and cup for the belly button, the towels for those chilly night time births to aid in drying the wee babe. The probiotic to give the jump start, and later the vets # for the 8 hour check. Occasionally, the enima (SP?) when a lot of straining for the first poo is going on. (Note: the probiotics help with this too.)

Oh, and most of my visitors like A bottle of wine to toast with, or coffee and/or Hot chocolate

ron · 11-01-2005, 10:18 AM

A couple of little helpful hints

mix a 50/50 solution of iodine/glycerine and fill up a 1 liter plastic coke bottle about half way. when treating the umbilical stump, stick the open end over the stump and squeeze. Much easier than the splash method and the glycerine helps hold iodine on stump.

Haven't heard anyone mention tetnus for mare.

Also, I feel it is imperitive to get an antibodies transfer check at about 10-12 hours old. You only have about 24 hours to get colostrum in orally so if you need additional, you need to get it in fast.

Another thing to help aid in predicting time, when a mare gets close, besides the normal waxing and squishy muscles, the area around croup will get noticable peaked, I call it rafter butt, as the birth canal gets all lined up.

Now this last one is purely optional, but it saved a foal for us. A cheapy closed circuit monitor for the foaling stall. Youcan get these for less than a hundred bucks and wireless connections. Those mares want to be left alone and will foal out more easily if no one is around, but the ability to see whats going on and hear grunts groans, water breaking, etc. can be very helpfull and it keeps you from tromping out to the barn every hour in the cold. Isn't it always cold and muddy when they decide to foal?

divinemisselle · 11-01-2005, 11:42 AM

Foaling is an extremely exciting time! How wonderful it is to see life enter this world!

Personally, I like to be present for every birth if at all possible. My husband is generally the one to sleep in the barn (he pulls in the SUV and sleeps in the back! He's been known to sleep out there for weeks! Poor guy!). We have a baby monitor set up so that he can holler for me when it is time. We tried the whole going out there to check on her every 1/2 hour, and it just didn't work for us, like mentioned, they can spit them out in the length of time it takes to run in the house to freshen up a cup of coffee! True, most mares have no trouble whatsoever, but I like to be there just in case of complications.

We dim the lights in the barn and leave just one on. Ambience, you know. Bedding is another question. Straw is good to use, and shavings are okay, but I would stay away from sawdust or anything light and loose. The baby comes out wet and the stuff clings like crazy.

After the birth, it is imperative to make sure the mare passes the placenta (or afterbirth). DO NOT PULL IT OUT!! It will pass on its own with the contractions she still has after passing the foal. If it hasn't passed in 60 minutes, call the vet immediately. It can cause gram negative endotoxemia which is life threatening.

The mare will typically lick off the birthing fluids from the foal, this is also a time for bonding between mare and foal. But don't forget about imprinting! Get in there (if the mare will let you safely, some mares are protective of their newborns) and rub all over, fingers in ears-mouth-genitals-feet-legs- all over! Rub, pat, scratch. Get him used to human touch and the things that are to come. I also put a foal sized halter on at this time, too.

The foal should stand in the first 30 minutes to suckle and nurse. There will be much stand up-fall down, stand up-fall down before the legs are sturdy enough to stand for any length of time and nurse. Once the foal has stood and nursed on and off for at least an hour, it's time for you to go to bed and get some well deserved rest! If you're uncomfortable, go back out and check on them after about 2 hours to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy. Chances are, the foal will be lying down with a proud mother standing protectively over him!

divinemisselle · 11-01-2005, 11:57 AM

I've added a disclaimer to the original sticky post of muttduck's. Sometimes it's hard to remember that we're all offering advice or things that we've all learned from experience. But this in no way can replace the opinion of a vet. Here it is again, in case it was missed above.

Disclaimer: The questions and answers posted in these forums are for educational purposes only. The answers given will be general and every case is different. As a result, you should always consult with your own veterinarian or specialist when making decisions about your horse's care.

Horsetopia.com and our members will not be held liable for any information posted in these forums. This information is not to be used to make important decisions about the care of your horse or replace a certified veterinarian's opinion.

muttduck · 11-01-2005, 04:17 PM

Thank You, Lisa Marie.... This was never intended to take the place of a vet! I am glad you added that to the post. I also want to thank everyone for their great contributions so far!!

muttduck · 11-01-2005, 04:45 PM

Thank you to Leadmare, who reminded me of Reba4's thread on pregnancy. It offered good advice, so I will link it here as well.

http://forum.horsetopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2970

Range · 11-01-2005, 08:05 PM

Ron mentioned tetanus for the mare, but there should be a tetanus for the foal as well. I vaccinate my mares 4 weeks before birth for antibody transfer. If that hasn't been done, both mare and foal should be vaccinated after birth. She should check with the vet about doing the foal, I've never personally administered the rump shot!

I worm the mare the day after she foals with Ivermectin. Then again at 9 day heat to help with scours.

I have never wrapped my mares' tails to keep them from getting icky, pretty much because my estimates are usually off on when birth will happen! However, many places I've been to, do. I would also make sure she washes the mare's udder pretty frequently and try to right after birth so the foal doesn't suckle anything icky.

I didn't see anyone mention, if she's stalled, make sure the water bucket and feed bucket are removed during birth so no one gets hurt or hung up. A safety concern - mare and baby should be in a predator safe paddock or stall. Predators and often family dogs will attack mares and foals right after delivery, even pulling them under the stall doors!

She should be prepared - the birth is explosive! 20 minutes and if there's no progress, call the vet.

A couple other things. She maybe could take the mare's temperature. I've read, but not experienced, that a mare's temp will increase one degree within several hours of foaling. My mares definitely sweat starting at the neck and shoulders anywhere from an hour to two before birth and they really don't care to have me in the field with them. She should take notes! They are so helpful when you look back from year to year or even in comparing daily the changes that are occurring. Notes can also be supplied to the vet!

She should also be prepared for tears, sometimes sobs, it is so amazing to witness a birth!!!

magicma · 11-02-2005, 07:17 AM

I don't have too much to add, that pretty much sums it up. Waiting for the birthday the stalled mare may "nest" trying to keep the place clean for birthing. I had two mares that would start sweating a few hours ahead, and they all stopped eating.
Also to add to the safe place part, I know someone who had the mare in a stall that had a corral gate for a door. The baby slipped under the gate and froze to death the same night it was born.
I am one that gets up every hour and goes to the barn to check, everyone of them where born in between checks. One had hers in the middle of the day while I was gone (just for spite I'm sure). The only one that had trouble had hers in the day with everyone there, it was still-born. Even the first timers seem to always get it right

Fawn Lane Farm · 11-02-2005, 01:40 PM

Seems like everyone has it covered here but I am going to ad my two cents (some of this stuff may not apply in these case, but...):

1.)A Video camera is definately a life saver! We got a normal dinosaur VHS camera, hung it in the stall a few months prior (we pasture bred) and ran cable 300 yard to my living room. Crude, Yes, but it worked, and was very cheap! I actually saw my last mare from 3 hours before foaling till her water broke, all with out disturbing her.

2.) Keep a light on near the stall so that you can see clearly starting a few months before she is due to foal, nothing worse then mom and baby getting harsh lights flicked on before, after or during foaling.

3.) I tried taking temps before foaling. A mares Tempature will drop about a degree 24 hour os less prior to foaling.

4.) I am lucky my vet is close enough that I call her when a mare starts foaling, and update her when the foal is on the ground. She calls me a bout 2 hours later to be certain all is well, then comes within 24 hours for the antibody test.

5.) Keep a disposable camera handy! For those still wet photos

6.) I wrap all my horses tails in the winter to keep the mud from breaking hairs off. It works great for foaling!

If I think of anything else I'll let post more.... Congrats! It's is the best time ever!

muttduck · 11-10-2005, 08:45 PM

Good Evening all!! I just got a call from RebaGirl, who is the mare's owner... She is seeking some more help. Anyone in the forum who can give a hand??

Her mare is in a neck sweat, and sweating between the front legs. She also is having a mucousy discharge squirting from the birth canal... This was a couple of hours ago. Also, she is having milk actually squirting out on it's own.

I told her to go ahead and call our vet (she uses my vet) and give them a heads up. (RebaGirl I have the the emergency after hours# now, it is 676-0010 in our area code.)

Anyway, if anyone has further advice for her, please post.

TxHorseMom · 03-03-2006, 11:41 PM

Re-reading this thread since it's foaling season again!

Another thing that we do, is the day she is going to foal, (if it's warm enough) we give her a bath, and her vulva get a betadine scrub. If it's too cold, just the betadine scrub. (with a gentle, disposable baby brush). Since we aren't great predictors, the mare will sometimes get 2-3 scrubs. We are especially meticulous because we have a couple of "dirty" mares. But they all get them.

Now I have to go out (tomorrow) and get a couple of enemas! We're all out!

Rocking Horse · 03-04-2006, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TxHorseMom

Now I have to go out (tomorrow) and get a couple of enemas! We're all out!

Thanks TXHorseMom;

Me too.... I always forget something........

I've never been a good predictor either. I just go with the flow, most mares will give some signs that birth is imminent (sp?)....

Chimes · 12-21-2006, 07:16 PM

Well I think it all has been covered,But will say this,keep us posted an pics.

repetesis · 01-05-2007, 02:14 AM

I just want to start this and say I am not a vet and you should talk to your vet about all things concerning your animals. This has just been my experiance and thought you would like to know.

I was reading one of the other posts and there is some information there that should be understood about the tetanus shots.
I give all my foals a pen-long (they changed the name and I can't remember right off had what it is) and a tetanus antitoxin right at birth. I never use antitoxin on horses that have had tetanus toxiod. The tetanus antitoxin is given to horses that have never been vaccinated before or vaccination of the horse is unknown.
The tetanus toxiod is given in yearly shot for protection.

You MUST be careful with these. Some horse that have had tetanus toxid shots and then are given antitoxin shots go in Anaphylactic shock. They can die.

Below is a piece of info I took from the colorado surem site-

Administration of Tetanus Antitoxin is recommended for use whenever a non-immunized animal, or one whose immune status is unknown, suffers a deep penetrating wound that has or may become contaminated with soil. It provides quick but short-term protection. Antitoxin may also be administered to animals following castration, docking, and other operations performed on premises upon which tetanus infection has been a problem.

Vaccination with tetanus toxoid is recommended for healthy domestic animals not infected with tetanus, to establish an active immunity for prevention against disease. Consult with a veterinarian for specific vaccination recommendations.

PRECAUTIONS:
Anaphylactoid reaction may occur following administration of products of this nature. If noted, administer adrenalin or equivalent.

As a side note I always keep Epinephrine on hand when giving shots. Just in case of a bad reaction.

And here hoping everyone has a healthy happy foaling year!!!

ToveroMom · 06-13-2007, 07:13 PM

Yes you should consult your own Vet for info.
As you can see opinions are widely divurgent and this is a forum.
As divine posted in bold red on the last page-we are just discussing-not replacing the phone call to your VET

We have discussed many times before that everyone should have an emergency dose of epinephrine on hand....and should have had discussed with their Vet how to get a dose on board a horse that has gone into shock.
You can give a horse the same shots for 16 years and then have them throw a reaction.
I have been doing my own injections for years and yet I always have it on hand. I have NEVER had to use it [just replace it annually when I refill my first aid kit] BUT darn it-I have it if I need it and I know how to use it.

10-31-2005, 06:19 PM
muttduck Kid Safe Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,959	Pregnancy, Late Pregnancy, and Labor 101 Hello all, I wanted to open a sticky regarding information on pregnancy, etc... For those "first time foalers." <Edited by Divine to add this Disclaimer:> Disclaimer: The questions and answers posted in these forums are for educational purposes only. The answers given will be general and every case is different. As a result, you should always consult with your own veterinarian or specialist when making decisions about your horse's care. Horsetopia.com and our members will not be held liable for any information posted in these forums. This information is not to be used to make important decisions about the care of your horse or replace a certified veterinarian's opinion. Please, experienced breeders/foalers, post any information you have about pregnancy and foaling to help anyone who may need this. Also, please, use this as an area to describe the changing body of the pregnant mare as she approaches her due date, signs that a mare is pregnant, signs of labor, etc... That way, for mare owners who are not certain if their mare is pregnant, they have some possible signs to look for, if the vet can't make it... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I know of a wonderful woman who may be shy about posting this herself... She is fairly new at horse ownership. She has a lovely mare and a yearling colt. The yearling is from the mare, born in Aug '04, weaned and seperated from the mare quite a few months ago. At approx 2 weeks of age (the foal) the mare and foal, while at the previous owner's, broke into a neighboring pasture with a two year old, intact paint. No one is certain how long she was able to visit. The owner was not caring for these animals very well, and had no clue the horses were missing. She describes the mare as having a lopsided appearance with abnormal abdominal movement near the flanks. About a month ago, she was able to extract clear sticky premilk... She now is extracting thick white milk from the mare's teats. Also, the vaginal opening is described as having little muscle tone, and is elongated. The overall appearance of the mare is that the ribs are visible (even on a large amount of feed) and that near the underside of the rib cage, the mare is 'stretched open in the last few ribs more than she used to be.' The mare's attitude is of discomfort to the abdominal region, not like colic. She is seen to be standing parked out and stretching quite often, and has a sudden huge increase in appatite. He veterinarian can't make it to her in a timely fashion, and she is concerned that the mare is pregnant. I agree with her concern. Please, post any advice you may have to this nice woman that may help her until her vet arrives. (She uses my vet, and he is a great guy, just VERY busy.) (To 'the mare owner', feel free to post more details if needed, or you can call me and I will post it for you. ) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am going to start the information off by placing three links regarding this topic that hold FABULOUS information about this subject: http://www.yourhorseshealth.com/Main...ctant_mare.cfm http://www.yourhorseshealth.com/Main...aling_mare.cfm http://www.yourhorseshealth.com/Main...oal_growth.cfm I know you guys have a wealth of info to provide... Please, and thank you, for your posts. (Edited to provide working links.) __________________ Custom stall signs and pet portraits, Wood Burned by hand with your equine's (or pet's) image: www.WoodburnedPetPortraits.com Self Defense Supplies, Stun Guns, Pepper Sprays: https://selfprotectionsupplies.com/

10-31-2005, 07:13 PM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,740	pregnant mares I just need to ask a couple of questions...the mare was possibly bred in August of 2004? Could she have been exposed to a stallion at a later date? My reasons for asking are this, in my experience, mares come into their "foal heat" right around 9 days after delivery, pretty consistently, so she would have been at the downward turn of her heat cycle. My other reason is this, mares can go to 365 days before delivering, but much longer than that is rare...in MY experience. So, if the mare was bred and it took, she is WAY late! Yes, she does sound pregnant, but if the breeding took place in August, I would want a vet, any vet, standing by because this is a late foal and there may be something very wrong. Either way, I would keep a close watch on her because the thick milk (is the bag huge?) and the relaxed vulva mean that foaling is iminent. She could also take the mare's temperature. Temp will go up about a degree when foaling is close. Oh, one other question, is she seeing movement in the mare's sides now? Also, only in my experience, I stop seeing foal movement about 30 days before birth. These are only my opinions based on my experience. I hope I helped somewhat?! __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery

10-31-2005, 07:26 PM
muttduck Kid Safe Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,959	From my discussion with her today, as I understand it: The mare was over there for an indefinate period of time no one is sure how long, so while she may have bred on the foal heat... It is more likely that she was there long enough to have bred on the next heat or even the heat after. The previous owner said he cared for them, but they were in quite a neglected state when she got them. He had no clue that they had even escaped, let alone knew that she went in with this stud for however long. The neighboring horse owner is the one who let in on the fact that she got in with the stud. My thought is that she was likely there for a month, or she escaped when the foal was a bit older than they thought. Since we don't know how long she was there, it is hard to give a true due date. No one saw them mate, so no one is certain if she could be pregnant, but I sure would think she is. By the description she gave (as I posted above) I was feeling like we are talking imminent foaling as well. Anyway, for anyone else going through this, would anyone mind sharing their experiences with foaling, what they keep on hand, what your "part" in the process is... __________________ Custom stall signs and pet portraits, Wood Burned by hand with your equine's (or pet's) image: www.WoodburnedPetPortraits.com Self Defense Supplies, Stun Guns, Pepper Sprays: https://selfprotectionsupplies.com/

10-31-2005, 07:34 PM
TheUpNorthCowgirl Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Upper Michigan Posts: 1,354	Oh that wonderful foaling! She sure sounds like she's getting pretty darn ready to foal. Get a foaling kit ready including: iodine, a bucket, soap, a tail wrap, and a fleet enema. I would stall this mare and get ready! A mare will get very squishy and jello-ey around her tail head when she's getting ready. Also the vaginal opening also relaxes. A lot of mares will lie down and get up trying to get comfortable before foaling. It's also a pretty quick process. If you don't see a foal 20 minutes after she goes into labor get the vet out right away. What you should see is both front legs first along with the nose. The feet should be pointing down. Bad signs include seeing only one foot, no nose, or a nose with no feet. If no nose is present, the foals head may be stuck behind the mare's pelvis. If the sac does not break, you may want to go in and open it. (we have this problem with minis a lot) After a horse foals, the mare will get up, and break the umbillical. You will want to dip the navel stump in the iodine to avoid icky bacterias getting to the foal. About 30 minutes later the foal will try to stand to start nursing. You will want to watch the mare to make sure she expells the placenta. If it is partially exposed , but not all you can tie it in a knot so you aviod letting her step on it. You will need to go in the stall and get the placenta and make sure it is whole. A whole placenta looks like a pair of bloomers. Once baby is up and happy watch for the foal to pass the meconium (that first little hard black poop) If the foal doesn't pass the meconium in a few hours you can administer the enema to help him out. A lot of breeder just give the enema once the foal is standing for good measure. Thats all I can think of right now, but if I think af anything else I'll deffiently post! Good luck with foaling ya'll! Babies are GREAT! __________________ The horse has so docile a nature, that he would rather do right than wrong, if he can only be taught to distinguish one from the other."

11-01-2005, 07:02 AM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,740	foaling One thing, do NOT break the umbilical cord yourself.... __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery

11-01-2005, 09:47 AM
leadmare Long Yearling Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,168	Mares have been doing this on their own forever True sometimes things can go wrong, but it really is rarer than it seems In thirty years of foaling, I have lost one foal to a birth defect, and only had to aid one mare, that just got tired of pushing a large foal. As far as detecting when she will foal.....I have found it to be when you least expect it. I just start watching and waiting. (Lucky me, I have a camera with sound to keep watch.) I have found that the best things to have on hand are: The Vets phone number Iodine or Nolvasan, A small dixie cup A clean flat type shoe lace A gallon of tepid water Fleet enima (sp?) Clean dry towels Probiotic Thermometer Halter and lead for the mare For the most part I have only used the Iodine and cup for the belly button, the towels for those chilly night time births to aid in drying the wee babe. The probiotic to give the jump start, and later the vets # for the 8 hour check. Occasionally, the enima (SP?) when a lot of straining for the first poo is going on. (Note: the probiotics help with this too.) Oh, and most of my visitors like A bottle of wine to toast with, or coffee and/or Hot chocolate __________________ *When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7*

11-01-2005, 10:18 AM
ron Started Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 2,810	A couple of little helpful hints mix a 50/50 solution of iodine/glycerine and fill up a 1 liter plastic coke bottle about half way. when treating the umbilical stump, stick the open end over the stump and squeeze. Much easier than the splash method and the glycerine helps hold iodine on stump. Haven't heard anyone mention tetnus for mare. Also, I feel it is imperitive to get an antibodies transfer check at about 10-12 hours old. You only have about 24 hours to get colostrum in orally so if you need additional, you need to get it in fast. Another thing to help aid in predicting time, when a mare gets close, besides the normal waxing and squishy muscles, the area around croup will get noticable peaked, I call it rafter butt, as the birth canal gets all lined up. Now this last one is purely optional, but it saved a foal for us. A cheapy closed circuit monitor for the foaling stall. Youcan get these for less than a hundred bucks and wireless connections. Those mares want to be left alone and will foal out more easily if no one is around, but the ability to see whats going on and hear grunts groans, water breaking, etc. can be very helpfull and it keeps you from tromping out to the barn every hour in the cold. Isn't it always cold and muddy when they decide to foal?

11-01-2005, 11:42 AM
divinemisselle Bombproof Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: At the bar... Posts: 8,359	Foaling is an extremely exciting time! How wonderful it is to see life enter this world! Personally, I like to be present for every birth if at all possible. My husband is generally the one to sleep in the barn (he pulls in the SUV and sleeps in the back! He's been known to sleep out there for weeks! Poor guy!). We have a baby monitor set up so that he can holler for me when it is time. We tried the whole going out there to check on her every 1/2 hour, and it just didn't work for us, like mentioned, they can spit them out in the length of time it takes to run in the house to freshen up a cup of coffee! True, most mares have no trouble whatsoever, but I like to be there just in case of complications. We dim the lights in the barn and leave just one on. Ambience, you know. Bedding is another question. Straw is good to use, and shavings are okay, but I would stay away from sawdust or anything light and loose. The baby comes out wet and the stuff clings like crazy. After the birth, it is imperative to make sure the mare passes the placenta (or afterbirth). DO NOT PULL IT OUT!! It will pass on its own with the contractions she still has after passing the foal. If it hasn't passed in 60 minutes, call the vet immediately. It can cause gram negative endotoxemia which is life threatening. The mare will typically lick off the birthing fluids from the foal, this is also a time for bonding between mare and foal. But don't forget about imprinting! Get in there (if the mare will let you safely, some mares are protective of their newborns) and rub all over, fingers in ears-mouth-genitals-feet-legs- all over! Rub, pat, scratch. Get him used to human touch and the things that are to come. I also put a foal sized halter on at this time, too. The foal should stand in the first 30 minutes to suckle and nurse. There will be much stand up-fall down, stand up-fall down before the legs are sturdy enough to stand for any length of time and nurse. Once the foal has stood and nursed on and off for at least an hour, it's time for you to go to bed and get some well deserved rest! If you're uncomfortable, go back out and check on them after about 2 hours to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy. Chances are, the foal will be lying down with a proud mother standing protectively over him! __________________ . Lead me not into temptation..... I can find it just fine on my own.....

11-01-2005, 11:57 AM
divinemisselle Bombproof Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: At the bar... Posts: 8,359	I've added a disclaimer to the original sticky post of muttduck's. Sometimes it's hard to remember that we're all offering advice or things that we've all learned from experience. But this in no way can replace the opinion of a vet. Here it is again, in case it was missed above. Disclaimer: The questions and answers posted in these forums are for educational purposes only. The answers given will be general and every case is different. As a result, you should always consult with your own veterinarian or specialist when making decisions about your horse's care. Horsetopia.com and our members will not be held liable for any information posted in these forums. This information is not to be used to make important decisions about the care of your horse or replace a certified veterinarian's opinion. __________________ . Lead me not into temptation..... I can find it just fine on my own.....

11-01-2005, 04:17 PM
muttduck Kid Safe Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,959	Thank You, Lisa Marie.... This was never intended to take the place of a vet! I am glad you added that to the post. I also want to thank everyone for their great contributions so far!! __________________ Custom stall signs and pet portraits, Wood Burned by hand with your equine's (or pet's) image: www.WoodburnedPetPortraits.com Self Defense Supplies, Stun Guns, Pepper Sprays: https://selfprotectionsupplies.com/

12-21-2006, 07:16 PM
Chimes Weanling Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 468	Well I think it all has been covered,But will say this,keep us posted an pics. __________________ In Loving Memory Of (DaddysGirl ) Passed 8-28-06 Red Dun Mare Age5

11-01-2005, 04:45 PM
muttduck Kid Safe Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,959	Thank you to Leadmare, who reminded me of Reba4's thread on pregnancy. It offered good advice, so I will link it here as well. http://forum.horsetopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2970 __________________ Custom stall signs and pet portraits, Wood Burned by hand with your equine's (or pet's) image: www.WoodburnedPetPortraits.com Self Defense Supplies, Stun Guns, Pepper Sprays: https://selfprotectionsupplies.com/

11-01-2005, 08:05 PM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,740	pregnancy Ron mentioned tetanus for the mare, but there should be a tetanus for the foal as well. I vaccinate my mares 4 weeks before birth for antibody transfer. If that hasn't been done, both mare and foal should be vaccinated after birth. She should check with the vet about doing the foal, I've never personally administered the rump shot! I worm the mare the day after she foals with Ivermectin. Then again at 9 day heat to help with scours. I have never wrapped my mares' tails to keep them from getting icky, pretty much because my estimates are usually off on when birth will happen! However, many places I've been to, do. I would also make sure she washes the mare's udder pretty frequently and try to right after birth so the foal doesn't suckle anything icky. I didn't see anyone mention, if she's stalled, make sure the water bucket and feed bucket are removed during birth so no one gets hurt or hung up. A safety concern - mare and baby should be in a predator safe paddock or stall. Predators and often family dogs will attack mares and foals right after delivery, even pulling them under the stall doors! She should be prepared - the birth is explosive! 20 minutes and if there's no progress, call the vet. A couple other things. She maybe could take the mare's temperature. I've read, but not experienced, that a mare's temp will increase one degree within several hours of foaling. My mares definitely sweat starting at the neck and shoulders anywhere from an hour to two before birth and they really don't care to have me in the field with them. She should take notes! They are so helpful when you look back from year to year or even in comparing daily the changes that are occurring. Notes can also be supplied to the vet! She should also be prepared for tears, sometimes sobs, it is so amazing to witness a birth!!! __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery

11-02-2005, 07:17 AM
magicma Weanling Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: tennessee Posts: 315	I don't have too much to add, that pretty much sums it up. Waiting for the birthday the stalled mare may "nest" trying to keep the place clean for birthing. I had two mares that would start sweating a few hours ahead, and they all stopped eating. Also to add to the safe place part, I know someone who had the mare in a stall that had a corral gate for a door. The baby slipped under the gate and froze to death the same night it was born. I am one that gets up every hour and goes to the barn to check, everyone of them where born in between checks. One had hers in the middle of the day while I was gone (just for spite I'm sure). The only one that had trouble had hers in the day with everyone there, it was still-born. Even the first timers seem to always get it right

11-02-2005, 01:40 PM
Fawn Lane Farm Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 781	Seems like everyone has it covered here but I am going to ad my two cents (some of this stuff may not apply in these case, but...): 1.)A Video camera is definately a life saver! We got a normal dinosaur VHS camera, hung it in the stall a few months prior (we pasture bred) and ran cable 300 yard to my living room. Crude, Yes, but it worked, and was very cheap! I actually saw my last mare from 3 hours before foaling till her water broke, all with out disturbing her. 2.) Keep a light on near the stall so that you can see clearly starting a few months before she is due to foal, nothing worse then mom and baby getting harsh lights flicked on before, after or during foaling. 3.) I tried taking temps before foaling. A mares Tempature will drop about a degree 24 hour os less prior to foaling. 4.) I am lucky my vet is close enough that I call her when a mare starts foaling, and update her when the foal is on the ground. She calls me a bout 2 hours later to be certain all is well, then comes within 24 hours for the antibody test. 5.) Keep a disposable camera handy! For those still wet photos 6.) I wrap all my horses tails in the winter to keep the mud from breaking hairs off. It works great for foaling! If I think of anything else I'll let post more.... Congrats! It's is the best time ever!

11-10-2005, 08:45 PM
muttduck Kid Safe Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,959	Good Evening all!! I just got a call from RebaGirl, who is the mare's owner... She is seeking some more help. Anyone in the forum who can give a hand?? Her mare is in a neck sweat, and sweating between the front legs. She also is having a mucousy discharge squirting from the birth canal... This was a couple of hours ago. Also, she is having milk actually squirting out on it's own. I told her to go ahead and call our vet (she uses my vet) and give them a heads up. (RebaGirl I have the the emergency after hours# now, it is 676-0010 in our area code.) Anyway, if anyone has further advice for her, please post. __________________ Custom stall signs and pet portraits, Wood Burned by hand with your equine's (or pet's) image: www.WoodburnedPetPortraits.com Self Defense Supplies, Stun Guns, Pepper Sprays: https://selfprotectionsupplies.com/

03-03-2006, 11:41 PM
TxHorseMom Greenbroke Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 3,029	Re-reading this thread since it's foaling season again! Another thing that we do, is the day she is going to foal, (if it's warm enough) we give her a bath, and her vulva get a betadine scrub. If it's too cold, just the betadine scrub. (with a gentle, disposable baby brush). Since we aren't great predictors, the mare will sometimes get 2-3 scrubs. We are especially meticulous because we have a couple of "dirty" mares. But they all get them. Now I have to go out (tomorrow) and get a couple of enemas! We're all out!

01-05-2007, 02:14 AM
repetesis Yearling Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sicamous, BC Posts: 665	Tetanus antitoxin and tetanus toxiod I just want to start this and say I am not a vet and you should talk to your vet about all things concerning your animals. This has just been my experiance and thought you would like to know. I was reading one of the other posts and there is some information there that should be understood about the tetanus shots. I give all my foals a pen-long (they changed the name and I can't remember right off had what it is) and a tetanus antitoxin right at birth. I never use antitoxin on horses that have had tetanus toxiod. The tetanus antitoxin is given to horses that have never been vaccinated before or vaccination of the horse is unknown. The tetanus toxiod is given in yearly shot for protection. You MUST be careful with these. Some horse that have had tetanus toxid shots and then are given antitoxin shots go in Anaphylactic shock. They can die. Below is a piece of info I took from the colorado surem site- Administration of Tetanus Antitoxin is recommended for use whenever a non-immunized animal, or one whose immune status is unknown, suffers a deep penetrating wound that has or may become contaminated with soil. It provides quick but short-term protection. Antitoxin may also be administered to animals following castration, docking, and other operations performed on premises upon which tetanus infection has been a problem. Vaccination with tetanus toxoid is recommended for healthy domestic animals not infected with tetanus, to establish an active immunity for prevention against disease. Consult with a veterinarian for specific vaccination recommendations. PRECAUTIONS: Anaphylactoid reaction may occur following administration of products of this nature. If noted, administer adrenalin or equivalent. As a side note I always keep Epinephrine on hand when giving shots. Just in case of a bad reaction. And here hoping everyone has a healthy happy foaling year!!!

06-13-2007, 07:13 PM
ToveroMom Pasture Pet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cleveland TX Posts: 17,059	Yes you should consult your own Vet for info. As you can see opinions are widely divurgent and this is a forum. As divine posted in bold red on the last page-we are just discussing-not replacing the phone call to your VET We have discussed many times before that everyone should have an emergency dose of epinephrine on hand....and should have had discussed with their Vet how to get a dose on board a horse that has gone into shock. You can give a horse the same shots for 16 years and then have them throw a reaction. I have been doing my own injections for years and yet I always have it on hand. I have NEVER had to use it [just replace it annually when I refill my first aid kit] BUT darn it-I have it if I need it and I know how to use it.