0.5% chlorhexidine to apply to the end of the umbilical cord. Vet s telephone number to hand ( and inform vet that the foal is due)

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Phoebe Porter
5 years ago
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FOALING Foaling can be a traumatic time for all concerned, not least of all, the owner! But if everything goes smoothly it is one of the most magical experiences that an owner can have.

1 FOALING Foaling can be a traumatic time for all concerned, not least of all, the owner! But if everything goes smoothly it is one of the most magical experiences that an owner can have. It is important to remember that the vast majority of foalings take place uneventfully, but we advise to be prepared and have things in place should a problem arise. A foaling box should be a minimum of 3mx3m and would ideally have rubber matting and deep straw to the door. There should be no draughts and ideally good lighting. The mare should be used to going in this 1 month prior to foaling. We also recommend a booster vaccination ( flu and tetanus) is given to the mare 1 month prior to foaling. Things to have in stock prior to foaling... Baby s bottle with teat on the end and mare milk replacer in case of mare illness. If frozen colostrum is also available on standby that is ideal. 0.5% chlorhexidine to apply to the end of the umbilical cord. Vet s telephone number to hand ( and inform vet that the foal is due) Clean towels Plenty of clean straw Clean tail bandage Enema eg Fleet Signs to look out for of impending labour The gestation period in a horse can vary from 320 days to over 360 days, the average being 340 days. Most people have a rough estimate when their mare is due to foal so have a good idea when to start noting changes in the mare and her behaviour. Signs of impending parturition (birth) include: bagging up of the udder +/- milk production (days-weeks) waxy tip at the end of teats (days usually 48 hours)

Photograph showing waxing up on the teats slackening of pelvic ligaments (days) mild colic signs (hours) frequent urination & defecation (hours) repeated attempts at lying down (hours) water bag

2 Photograph showing waxing up on the teats slackening of pelvic ligaments (days) mild colic signs (hours) frequent urination & defecation (hours) repeated attempts at lying down (hours) water bag showing (minutes) Stages of Labour (Birth) Labour is conveniently divided into three stages, however it is important to remember that it is a continual process with no fixed start or finish to each of the stages. First-stage labour - changes cannot be visualized externally but important changes are occurring including dilation (opening) of the cervix, uterine contractions and positioning of the foal within the uterus. The mare s temperature usually decreases. She will be very restless repeatedly lying down and standing up, perhaps pawing at the ground. The mare s waters will usually break leading on to the next stage. Second-stage labour this is an almost explosive event and completed quickly. The foal is expelled during this phase. It commences with abdominal contractions. The normal position for the foal is head and legs pointing forwards with one limb slightly in front of the other. Owing to the rapidity of parturition, if difficulty is observed, action must be taken immediately to avoid losing the foal. Start of 2nd stage labour, one leg has started to emerge Assisted delivery although this foal was normal presentation

WE ADVISE OBSERVING FROM A DISTANCE TO AVOID WORRYING THE MARE AND ALLOWING A NATURAL BOND TO FORM BETWEEN THE MARE AND FOAL Third-stage labour this involves the passage of the placenta

If the mare has not passed the afterbirth within 3 hours it is important to contact your veterinary surgeon as mares can become very sick if they retain part of or all of the placenta.

3 WE ADVISE OBSERVING FROM A DISTANCE TO AVOID WORRYING THE MARE AND ALLOWING A NATURAL BOND TO FORM BETWEEN THE MARE AND FOAL Third-stage labour this involves the passage of the placenta (afterbirth) and usually occurs within 3 hours in the mare. It can be tied with some bailing twine to avoid the mare standing on it. If the mare has not passed the afterbirth within 3 hours it is important to contact your veterinary surgeon as mares can become very sick if they retain part of or all of the placenta. The mare has stood up and is licking the foal dry When the mare passes the placenta, collect it and put it in a clean bag or bucket then the vet can check it when he/she comes to perform a foal and mare examination. THE NEWBORN FOAL This photo shows the foal only minutes old

Foals should stand within an hour of birth and suckle within two hours of birth. Those that do not should be examined by a veterinary surgeon immediately as they can deteriorate rapidly.

4 Foals should stand within an hour of birth and suckle within two hours of birth. Those that do not should be examined by a veterinary surgeon immediately as they can deteriorate rapidly. In any case it is advisable to get mother and foal checked by a vet and important questions can be answered including Was the mare dripping milk before foaling? Was there any difficulty during birth? Was the foaling observed? Has the mare passed the afterbirth? Has the foal suckled? Has the foal passed the meconium (first poo )? The above questions are a select few that should be asked of every mare and newborn foal. It is vital that the foal drinks plenty of the mare s first milk called COLOSTRUM. This contains antibodies which the foal will need to help fight infection. If the mare has dripped a lot of milk prior to foaling and/or the foal is slow to suckle, this puts the foal at greater risk of SEPTICAEMIA. In cases where this is known or to make sure immunity is adequate, we recommend taking a blood sample off the foal at a minimum of 18 hours old. This blood sample is analysed in a laboratory and the result will show if the antibody levels are sufficient. If levels are low, a plasma transfusion is given to the foal. ROUGH TIME GUIDE 5-10 mins sternal (head up) 10 mins suck reflex 15 mins standing attempts 1-2 hours standing 2-3 hours suckling 6-8 hours urination (fillies usually faster than colts) On the above photograph, the foal is only minutes old but is already making efforts to stand. The mare s placenta can be seen hanging down from her vulva behind her.

5 Even if everything seems ok with the mare and foal, we still recommend examining them to check that everything is as it seems. A veterinary examination would involve checking the mare, foal and placenta.

In the last 24 hours before foaling the mare will often become restless either taking herself off from her group or nest making in her stable.

In the last 24 hours before foaling the mare will often become restless either taking herself off from her group or nest making in her stable. Foaling Waiting for your mare to foal is both an exciting and worrying time. It is best to have some understanding of what to expect, so that you know if something is abnormal and the vet needs to be called.