Veterinarian offers tips for fret-free foaling

By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

A successful foaling involves the mare's condition before and during her pregnancy. Horse owners are urged to ready the mare prior to foaling by taking them to the birthing area, once a day, about a month before delivery is expected. When the foaling begins, several steps before, during, and after delivery are necessary. -- Staff photo by Lynn Montgomery

Feb. 3, 2005 - Even for the most experienced horseman, a pregnant mare and foaling season can be a worrisome time.

The confusion can be minimized by taking a simple approach and watching for the appropriate signs and warnings that come during the season.

Dr. John Allen recently spoke at a Texas Cooperative Extension clinic and discussed the pre-foaling mare and offspring. As a mobile veterinarian in Hopkins County, he has seen nearly every type of foaling signs and warnings. He believes the condition of the foal is based strongly on the condition of the mare, even before she's pregnant.

Allen said mares should be healthy with good body condition before breeding.

"The general health of the mare is going to determine whether or not you're going to have a healthy baby," said Allen. Once bred, he advised, every aspect of the mare's health should be attended to; this includes feet and legs, dental care, and wounds.

Early pregnancy diagnosis is important, said Allen, because it allows the veterinarian to detect twins. In the event that twin fertilized eggs are present, the veterinarian will need to "pinch" one of the eggs. According to Allen, only one in 10,000 twin births survive because in the seven month of gestation there is no longer room for both of the unborn foals.

Pre-foaling mares should eat 2 to 2.5 percent of their body weight in dry matter feed per day, according to Allen.

"The mare is going to gain 175 to 225 pounds during pregnancy, we want that," said Allen. If mares are too skinny, the veterinarian warned, they may not be able to convert fat to milk.

He said usually he encounters mares that are too heavy. "One of the last places mares put on fat is at the tailhead. If you have fat pods at the tailhead, that's obesity."

Pregnant mares should have some fat covering shoulders, ribs, stomach, a round rear, and a flat back.

Allen believes exercise is good for the pregnant mare, but during critical times, should be limited. Because the fertilized egg usually does not implant for 45 to 60 days, exercise should be limited during that time in order to allow for implantation.

After implantation, for the remainder of the first two trimesters, Allen said mild to moderate exercise is beneficial. During the last trimester, only light exercise is recommended.

Mares should be checked in the fall or winter if a spring foal is expected. Allen prefers to check the mares at 14, 28, and 60 days also.

"It's really disappointing to come up in the 11th month and you're looking at a big ol' belly and you're sure you've got a baby and you don't," said Allen.

Before a mare foals, she should have all the proper vaccinations. Allen said he vaccinates during the fifth, seventh, and ninth months for equine herpes, and in the 10th month gives the mare a shot for equine tetanus, equine influenza, respiratory equine herpes, rabies and West Nile. Vaccinating the mare protects her against infections and helps produce antibodies in the colostrum to help the foal. In addition, the mare should be wormed every 60 days, and again two to three weeks before foaling. This minimizes the worms in the feces that the foal may later be exposed to.

In the month before giving birth, the mare should be brought in from the pasture at night. This, according to Allen, gets the mare used to a routine.

"Mares like a routine," said Allen, who added that the routine also makes mares easier to catch and monitor as foaling approaches.

Udder development will escalate during the last month of pregnancy. Slight swelling underneath will occur during this time.

"That has been a cause for alarm for a lot of people in the past," said Allen. "It's really nothing more than mammary development. It's not a big problem unless it gets way, way out of hand."

Some horses may need to have a previously-placed caslicks opened. A caslicks is sometimes sewn on a mares vulva to prevent feces and bacteria from entering the womb through the loose skin. It is extremely important, said Allen, to remember to have the caslicks opened, and apply Vaseline to keep the opening from growing together. If the caslick is not removed prior to foaling, extensive tearing will result.

A foaling kit should be assembled two weeks before birth and should include iodine, a bucket, soap, a tail wrap, a fleet enema, foot ropes, scissors, and a clamp for the umbilical cord.

Parturition, or foaling, will usually come around 320 to 340 days. Some mares may go longer.

"It's not uncommon to have a mare go a year. We have a general rule, add a day for every year that the mare is old," said Allen, who added that when approaching 365 days of pregnancy, the situation should be closely monitored.

Two days prior to parturition, the teats should begin to drop a sticky waxy substance. This should not, warned Allen, continue for a weeks time because much of the colostrum will have then been lost.

Allen said tail wraps should not be too tight or left on for an extended period of time. The circulation can be restricted and the tail may fall off.

During stage one of pregnancy, the mare will toss about and appear as though she has colic.

"During this time the foal is rolling and stretching," noted Allen.

During the second stage, the mare will have heavy contractions.

"This is the time to leave her alone and be quiet," said Allen. "But if 15 minutes have gone by with no progress whatsoever, you're probably going to need some help. Definitely by 30 minutes, you're in trouble."

Both front legs should appear 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.

As the foal emerges, Allen said to pull the sac away from the foal's nose and wipe its nose and mouth. He added that this is a critical stage for miniature pony owners and failure to do so is the number one cause of death in miniature babies.

The umbilical cord will pulse in a last attempt to provide blood to the foal. Allen advised against cutting the cord too soon.

"As long as the umbilical cord is pulsing, just leave it alone."

If at any time blood begins leaving the umbilical cord and the foal, Allen recommended crushing the cord and clamping it off, leaving a three-inch stump. Then, the stump should be dipped in iodine.

"We want that naval to dry up as quickly as possible and crinkle," said Allen. Once the stump has crinkled, iodine treatment should cease.

The foal should stand in two to four hours and will seek the colostrum-rich milk periodically during that time. Allen said a problem could be present if the foal has not risen in four hours.

Stage three of the birth is not complete until the membrane has been expelled. This should happen in eight to 10 hours. If partially exposed, the placenta can be wadded up and tied hanging from the mare. It is important, according to Allen, the keep the mare from stepping on the membrane. Failure of the membrane to expel can result in serious problems.

"A retained placenta is a legitimate veterinary emergency," said Allen.

Once the membrane has been expelled, it should be checked to see that all pieces came out. If pieces appear to be missing and two tips are not present, a veterinarian should be consulted.

It is not uncommon for the mare to discharge and bleed for a few days after foaling. Allen noted, however, that blood should not be bright red and there should be no discharged puss.

If the foal has yellow eyes, naval bleeding, or severe diarrhea, consult a veterinarian. The foal should be given a fleet enema as soon as it is standing.

A routine check of the foal should be done for the first three to four days. Allen does not recommend a tetanus shot for a newborn foal.

"The tetanus antitoxic is really no more than serum from another horse," said Allen. The vaccination can cause serum sickness in the foal.

"Vaccinate the mom in the 10th month, and when the baby is competent, vaccinate it."

Allen stressed the importance of pre-foaling mare care, vaccinations, and alertness during the entire gestation and parturition process. The creation of a foal can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Knowing what steps to take and when to seek help should promote a successful birth.