Labor, Delivery & Caring for Baby

Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Part III:  Labor, delivery & caring for your newborn foal.

Please keep in mind the following times references & signs are general & can vary greatly from mare to mare.
It will outline text book signs & time tables the problem is the mares have never read the book so they tend to do as they please!

It is a very good idea, especially if you plan on breeding your mare more than once, to keep detailed records of all signs & time frames leading up to the onset of labor, of actual labor, & of the delivery. Then in future breedings you can reference them & may have a clearer idea of exactly when you foal will arrive or if you may have a problem presenting itself.

About a month before your mares due date you can give her a tetanus booster.  By doing this you will not have to give one to the foal at birth.

At this time, if she is to foal inside you may also want to move her to the foaling stall so she can become accustomed to it  In warmer climates or later months its perfectly fine for mares to foal outside in grassy paddocks.

The foaling stall should be bedded with straw rather than shavings.

Signs of approaching delivery are not always reliable but the general indications are as follows:

1.     2-6 weeks before foaling the udder begins to fill, finally it becomes distended. This is referred to as making a bag or bagging up.

2.     7-10 days there is a shrinkage in the croup area.  As the day nears, the area around the tail gets very squishy & soft, like jello.

3.     4-6 days the teats fill out.

4.     4 days to less than 1 day what looks like wax forms on the end of the teats.

5.     immediately before foaling, a # of hours, the wax may fall off & milk begins dripping.

6.     We wrap the tail at this point, that keeps it out of the way & a little cleaner than if it’s loose.

 

Stage I labor:

     Contractions begin dilating the cervix & shifting the foal into the delivery position. (last 2-4 hours) At this point she paces & appears nervous, but keep in mind some mares pass thru this stage with little indication. The end of stage I is marked with the appearance of a bubble protruding the vulva. Within 5 minutes this should break- the breaking of the water.

 

Stage II delivery:

     This stage should take 10-20 minutes. After the water breaks the front legs should appear within 15 minutes. She may have her foal with just a couple of pushes or may get up & down a few times before the foal is delivered.

     The foal should present both front legs & nose one front legs will be slightly ahead of the other this helps the shoulders clear. The mare & foal may lay & rest for 10-20 minutes, be sure the sac is removed from the foals face.

     We are always in attendance at our foalings in case assistance is needed. We dry the face, make sure the foal is breathing & clear any obstructions if necessary.

CAUTION! Be certain you know your mare they can be very nasty even dangerous at this time.

 

     The cord should break on its own when the mare gets up. If it does not after 30 minutes break it by hand 2-3 inches from the navel DO NOT cut it.

 

Stage III: Delivery of the placenta.

     This should occur 30 minutes to within 3 hours after foaling.

 

     While the mare & foal are still down we begin our *imprinting*, drying rubbing, touching the foal all over so they have no fear of us. Iodine the navel once the cord breaks.

When the mare gets up we back off & let her lick & bond with the foal.

It may up to an hour before the foal can stand, but if its not up by 2 hours assistance should be given.

 

CALL THE VET NOW IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY:

1.     mare is in labor more than 4 hours with out rupture of water bag.

2.     water breaks but feet are not visible within 15 minutes.

3.     water breaks & foal is not delivered within 40 minutes.

4.     Presentation is anything other than 2 front legs & nose.

5.     a red thick membrane appears instead of a shinny white one.

6.     placenta is not delivered within 3 hours, appears unhealthy or shows missing pieces.

 

     Be sure that the foal nurses & that all the plumbing works. If excessive straining produces no poo the enema should be given.

 

     We handle our foals daily, halter them within a few days & begin leading. Its much easier & less stressful for everyone to teach them to lead at 100# than at 500#.

 

Once you are sure the foal can get up/down, find the food, is having no problem with elimination, the mare has passed the placenta, is taking care of her new foal & is not experiencing any post delivery problems give that mare some hay, plenty of fresh water & go get some rest!

 

BUT  DON’T FORGET LOTS OF PICTURES!