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CARING
FOR THE FOALING MARE AND NEWBORN
If
your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy,
you’re almost home free. Labor and delivery,
while momentous, are generally uneventful. In
most cases, you will simply need to be a quiet
observer—if, that is , you are lucky enough
to witness the birth. Mares seem to prefer to
foal at night in privacy, and apparently have
some control over their delivery. Despite your
frequent visits to the barn, your mare may give
birth the minute you step away. While this is
disappointing, don’t worry. She is unlikely
to need your help anyway. However, in case problems
arise, it is advisable to have your veterinarian’s
telephone number nearby.
A
SAFE PLACE TO FOAL
What
your mare will need, however, is a clean, safe,
quiet place to foal. Horses have been giving
birth on the open range for eons, and this is
still an acceptable choice. Allowing the mare
to foal in the pasture even has some advantages.
An open grassy area is likely to be cleaner
than a stall and provides a healthy environment
with adequate room to foal. You won’t
have to worry about the mare crowding into a
corner or foaling to close to a wall. However,
many owners prefer to confine the mare to observe
her progress.
Should
you choose to foal your mare in a stall provide
one that is a minimum of 14 x 14. If possible,
the stall should have a floor that can be readily
cleaned and disinfected. Dirt or clay floors
make sanitation more difficult. Also, provide
adequate clean bedding. Straw (particularly
wheat straw) is preferable to shavings, as it
won’t cling to the wet newborn or mare
the way small wood particles can. Remove manure
and soiled bedding promptly, and disinfect the
stall between deliveries.
THE
COUNTDOWN
Mares
provide clues that they will soon give birth.
However, the timetable is far from absolute.
Some mares may show all the signs like clockwork;
others show practically non. The following is
a general guideline, but be prepared for surprises:
- The
mare’s udder begins filling with milk
2-4 weeks prior to foaling.
- The
muscles of the vulva and croup relax. The
tailhead may become more prominent a few days
prior to foaling.
- The
teats become engorged 4-6 days prior to foaling.
- “Waxing”
of the teats occurs. (A yellowish, honey-like
secretion [colostrum} appears 1-4 days prior
to foaling. The secretion may drip, and the
udder may even drip milk several days prior
to birth.)
- The
mare becomes anxious and restless. She may
appear to be colicky. She may kick at her
belly, pace, lie down and get up, look or
bite at her flanks, and sweat. She may frequently
raise her tail and urinate. Generally, this
is the first stage of labor. (However, be
aware that colic remains a possibility. If
such behavior is prolonged for more than an
hour or two without progress towards foaling,
contact your veterinarian.)
PREPARING
FOR BIRTH
Most
mares foal without difficulty. It usually is
best to allow the mare to foal undisturbed and
unassisted. If a problem becomes apparent, contact
your veterinarian immediately.
What
you can do:
- Write
down your veterinarian’s phone number
well in advance of the birth and keep it by
all phones.
- Keep
a watch or clock on hand so you can time each
stage of labor. When you’re worried
or anxious, your perception of time becomes
distorted. The watch will kelp you keep accurate
track of the mare’s progress during
labor. Take written notes so that you won’t
have to rely on memory alone.
- Wrap
the mare’s tail with a clean wrap when
you observe the first stage of labor. Be sure
that the wrap us not applied to tightly or
left on too long as it can cut off circulation
and permanently damage the tail.
- Wash
the mare’s vulva and hindquarters with
a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.
- Clean
and disinfect the stall as thoroughly as possible.
Provide adequate bedding.
- Test
strips that measure calcium in mammary secretions
are available commercially. These strips aid
the owner in predicting when the mare will
foal because sudden increases in calcium are
associated with imminent foaling.
UNDERSTANDING
LABOR & DELIVERY
Labor
is divided into three stages:
Stage
one begins with the onset of contractions
and generally lasts 1-2 hours. During this phase,
contractions move the foal through the cervix
and into position in the birth canal. The fetal
membranes (allantois) may become visible at
the mare’s vulva. When the sac breaks,
signaled by a rush of fluid, stage one ends.
Stage
two is the actual expulsion of the
foal. This phase moves relatively quickly. If
it takes more than 30 minutes for the mare to
deliver, there could be a problem. Call your
veterinarian immediately. If labor seems to
be progressing, wait and watch. Even in a normal
delivery, the mare may stand up, lie down, and
roll several times in an effort to properly
position the foal for delivery.
Normal
presentation of the foal resembles a diving
position, with front feet first, one slightly
ahead of the other, hooves down, followed closely
by the nose, head, neck, shoulders, and hind
quarters. If you notice hoof soles up, the foal
may be backwards or upside down, and you should
call your veterinarian immediately. If you suspect
any deviation from the normal delivery position,
call your equine practitioner.
Stage
three labor begins after delivery and
is the phase during which the afterbirth (placenta)
is expelled. Most placentas are passed within
1-3 hours after the foal is delivered. If the
placenta has not passed within 3 hours, call
your veterinarian. A retained placenta can cause
serious problems, including massive infection
and laminitis.
POSTPARTUM
CARE FOR MARE AND FOAL
In
the excitement of birth, it is important to
remember some tried and true guidelines:
- Allow
the foal time to break the fetal membranes.
Once the foal breaks through, be sure it is
breathing.
- Generally,
it is not recommended to cut or break the
umbilical cord. If it has not broken during
delivery, it will usually break when the mare
or foal gets up. The cord should break at
a site approximately one inch from the foal’s
abdomen, where the cord’s diameter is
slightly narrower than the remainder of the
cord. If it is necessary to manually separate
the cord, it should be held firmly on either
side of the intended break site, then twisted
and pulled to separate. (never cut the cord!)
Twisting and pulling of the cord stimulate
closure of the umbilical vessels and reduce
the likelihood of hemorrhage from the cord
stump. If bleeding persists following cord
separation, pressure can be applied to the
stump for several minutes by squeezing with
a thumb or finger.
- Encourage
the mare and foal to rest as long as possible.
Five them an opportunity to bond undisturbed.
- Treat
the umbilical cord with an antiseptic solution,
recommended by your veterinarian, soon after
the cord breaks and for several days thereafter
to prevent bacterial infection.
- Observe
the mare and foal closely for the next 24
hours.
IMPORTANCE
OF OBSERVATION
Following
birth of the foal, the mare and foal should
be monitored for the following:
- Foal
is breathing normally.
- Foal
is bright and alert to its new surroundings.
The foal should make attempts to rise within
30 minutes following its birth.
- Mare
is non-aggressive, curious, and accepting
of her newborn. (Occasionally a mare will
reject her foal. In such a case, the foal
should be removed and reintroduced with the
mare under restraint. Foal rejection is more
common in maiden mares.)
- Foal
should stand and nurse within 2 hours of birth.
If the foal has not nursed within 3 hours,
call your veterinarian. The foal may be weak
and in need of assistance or medical attention.
- Foal
should pass meconium (the first sticky, dark
stool) within 12 hours after birth. If not,
an enema may be needed.
- Mare
should be bright and alert. Allow her to eat
as soon as she is ready, and supply plenty
of clean, fresh water.
- Once
the placenta has been expelled, examine it
to make sure it is intact. The afterbirth
will be Y-shaped and should have only the
hole through which the foal emerged.
- If
you suspect the mare has retained part of
the placenta, call your veterinarian.
- You
may wish to check the mare’s temperature
and other vital signs periodically within
the first 24 hours to make sure they are normal.
An elevated temperature may indicate infection
(normal is 100.5OF).
IMPORTANCE
OF COLOSTRUM
It
is essential that the foal receive an adequate
supply of colostrums. Colostrum, the mare’s
first milk, is extremely rich in antibodies.
It provides the foal with passive immunity to
help prevent disease until its own immune system
kicks in.
A foal must receive colostrums within the first
8-12 hours of life in order to absorb the antibodies.
If a foal is too weak to nurse, it may be necessary
to milk the mare and five the colostrums to
the foal via a stomach tube.
If
a mare appears to be leaking an excessive amount
of milk prior to birth, consult your veterinarian.
This pre-foaling milk is not typically colostrum
rich. However, depending on your veterinarian’s
recommendation, the mare may be milked and the
colostrums frozen to five to the foal shortly
after birth. For orphan foals, or mares without
an adequate supply of colostrums, it is important
to locate a back-up supply. Without it, the
foal is at an increased risk of infections.
Your veterinarian can test the colostrum to
determine whether it is rich in antibodies.
Also, the foal’s serum can be tested at
18-24 hours of age to evaluate IgG antibody
levels. If IgG is inadequate, treatment for
Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT) should be
instituted by your veterinarian
OTHER
FOALING CAVEATS
- If
a mare appears to require assistance during
foaling, call your veterinarian.
- If
you suspect a problem during the foaling process
(such as a foal which is not in the normal
birth position), call your veterinarian immediately.
If caught early enough in labor, your veterinarian
may be able to reposition the foal for a normal
delivery. Remember, a prompt delivery is crucial
to the health of the newborn foal.
- Unless
it is a dire emergency, do not try to pull
a foal. An exception to this rule might include
a backwards presentation, because the foal
can suffocate unless delivered promptly. Under
no circumstances should you ever pull with
anything more than your own muscle power,
and pull only during a contraction (when the
mare is straining). Improper pulling risks
damage to the mare’s reproductive tract,
injury to the foal, and premature separation
of the umbilical cord, which will deprive
the foal of oxygen.
- Many
foals begin life with weak legs. Don’t
be overly concerned if the baby is down in
the pasterns and fetlocks for the first day
or two of life. They will generally straighten
up. However, if you see extreme deviations
of limbs or note other physical problems,
or the condition persists, consult your veterinarian.
- It
is always a good idea to have your veterinarian
do a post-partum examination of both the mare
and foal, as well as the placenta.
A
FINAL NOTE
Nature
has provided an efficient system for the mare
to deliver and care for her young. Be a prepared
and informed owner so you can enjoy the miracle
of birth, keep your anxiety in check, and help
the new mother and foal get off to a great start.
This
information was developed by the American Association
of Equine Practitioners through a grant from
Bayer Corporation. |
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