Advice Column  1/00 - 6/00

Submitted by Kim in the USA on January 6, 2000:

I have a 20yr old Saddlebred mare due between now and the end of February. She lost her filly Feb 11, 1999 and was rebred March 24, 1999. This is my first broodmare experience other than the filly that died. Postmortum exam showed severe selenium deficiency, which of course she has been on since before being rebred. My mare is 10 miles from my home and I have read the book Blessed are the Broodmares and am nervous beyond belief. We made it past her 8 1/2 mth gestation and now the book. The previous baby died 1-2 weeks before delivery. Spring is now at almost 9 1/2 mths and has had all her Rhino shots. I'm getting ready to give her the rest of her vaccinations in the next two weeks and worm her the week after that. She started to finally bag a little tonight, but what else should I look for in the way of signs so I know better if I should stay the night with her or not. I have a stall set up with heat lamps for her which will be turned on in probably 3-4 weeks if she hasn't yet delivered. No one will be attending her probably other than myself and I have children at home and I want to be there for her. She means the world to me and I don't want to have her suffer another loss because she didn't get the care she needed.

Dear Kim,

I'm so sorry you and your mare lost the foal last year, but it sounds like you've done everything possible to bring a healthy foal into the world this time.

Things to look for as delivery nears are: Physical changes--full, warm udder; possibly wax; possibly dripping milk; dropping belly (dip behind breastbone, hollow in front of hip bones, fullness in front of stifles); muscle relaxation over hips and around the base of the tail; relaxation and elongation of the vulva. Behavioral changes--restlessness, more or less friendly, may go off feed, biting and kicking at sides, sweating, yawning, etc. Even a couple of these changes should get your attention and would warrant staying with the mare.

Hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck. Please let us know how it goes!

____________________

Submitted by Pamela in the USA on January 9, 2000:

After sometime researching the internet I came across your web page. It is a very informative page. I have also researched some information on the degenerative disease "Navicular disease". I have a beautiful 6 year old paint mare that was just diagnosed with "Navicular disease". Radiographs, x-rays were taken of her two front hooves and the "Navicular bone" was observed to have small chips in it. The mare's left front heel is underslung which may have been a cause of the disease along with improper corrective shoeing. I would like to breed my 6 year old paint mare but am concerned that the "Navicular disease" will be genetically transferred to the foal? What is your opinion on this matter? Could you give me any advice on the matter? It would be greatly appreciated.

Dear Pamela,

Since it appears that navicular disease occurs most frequently in horses that are conformationally predisposed to it, then yes, your concern that it is hereditary is legitimate. If you want to breed the mare, try to choose a stallion with really good feet and legs. Hopefully, he will override any problems that may have led to your mare's condition. The other thing to consider is your mare's comfort. If she has considerable soreness from the navicular syndrome, then it may not be wise to breed her. The weight of the foal near the end of the pregnancy could cause her significant distress.

Hope this helps.

____________________

Submitted by Pamela in the USA on January 11, 2000:

My AQHA halter mare is due to have her first foal the middle of January. She started to form a milk bag on schedule around 3 weeks ago. After the bag got to be about the size of a hard ball, it dried up and now she has no milk bag. I've been told that since this is her first foal that she may not have a bag until the foal is born . The bag dried up about 2 weeks ago and the mare eats and acts in great health. She is still big in foal and is real fat and healthy. Can a mare go from dry to full of milk in just a couple of days? They tell me that if the foal had died 2 weeks ago, the mare would be sick or aborted. I have foaled out many mares and have never seen this. As long as the mare is OK should I leave things alone?

Dear Pamela,

Yes, it is entirely possible for a mare to go from no udder to a full one in a couple of days, sometimes even in a few hours. My advice would be to just let things ride as long as the mare is looking, eating, and acting okay, until she's at least two weeks past her due date. If nothing has changed by then, it would probably be best to have the vet take a look at her.

Good luck, and please let us know how she does,

____________________

Submitted by Anna in Australia on January 15, 2000:

I have a standardbred mare which is just turned 14. Is she too old to have a first foal ? She is healthy and has great bloodlines. We are sure she would produce a beautiful foal but we don't want to run anymore risks than we have to. We understand that not all foals turn out and I was wandering if it would be safe for her to have a first foal at the age of 14. We would be grateful for any advice you could give us.

Dear Anna,

Fourteen is absolutely not too old to breed a mare, providing, as you said, that she is in good health. The best thing to do for her is have a vet check her both overall and reproductively. If she gets a clean bill of health, then there shouldn't be much of a risk for her to have a foal.

Good luck!

____________________

Submitted by Stephanie in Tennessee on January 19, 2000:

First of all, hello ... you have a wonderful column. I have a question concerning my 11 year old Quarter Horse mare. She will be entering her11 month of pregnancy on Jan. 21st. This will be her third pregnancy, I know that much, but I purchased her (Penny) after those births. Since she is my first horse and means the world to me I am concerned about her udder development... I checked her and there is a difference in appearance but she is very touchy about her udder. Before pregnancy I could wash and touch her udder easily but not anymore. What should this "udder development" look like. I am seeing relaxation at the tail head, and she is moody. About a week ago I went to the pasture to check her and she was lying on her side, all four hoofs came off the ground. I sat down beside her and talked soothingly to her and after a few moments she got up and was fine, but her stool was soft for that day, next day her stool was back to normal. I called the vet and he said it sounded like false labor pains and said to watch her. I am watching now and nothing has happened... I need some advice this is driving me crazy ! Any help would be appreciated !

Hi Stephanie,

As a mare's udder gets full, it will become very tight looking and quite warm to the touch. Don't worry about the mare getting touchy about it. That's normal and she'll be okay when she foals. As she gets closer to foaling, her udder will probably take on a "shiny" look. Also, watch for wax (leakage of colostrum from the nipples). Not all mares wax but if she does, it's a good sign that she's close to delivery. The episode with her lying in the pasture could have been nothing more than the foal causing her discomfort by pushing on her bowels. Since she got up and was okay, I wouldn't worry about it.

Hang in there and let us know all about your new baby!

Follow up by Stephanie on February 8, 2000:

Hello Once Again Theresa! I wrote a few weeks back about my mare who had laid down in the pasture and looked to be in labor, but after speaking with you and the vet the foal was indeed in an uncomfortable position for Penny to bear. My question is this: Penny as of Feb. 08, 2000 is at 352 days, the date she was bred on was Feb 21, 1999. Penny was palpated at 4 months and was definitely pregnant. She is displaying some of the signs You have discussed: dropped behind chest and stifles, definite relaxation in tail head area, but her bag is not full, filling up but not full, and this is her 3rd birth, just my first with her. Definite movement of the foal when eating is seen. Yesterday she was lifting her lip up alot-what is that about? Anyway Theresa, Penny is in great health eats wonderfully and is on good pasture...When is this horse gonna foal??? Any guesses weeks, days, hours. Also there is some type of substance on her vulva, its kind of brownish red no smell really. Any advice would be wonderful !!!!

Dear Stephanie,

The mare raising her lip is a sign of discomfort, and the brownish-red discharge is most likely part of expelling her mucous plug. I can't predict when she will foal, but it sure sounds like she's getting close! Probably within a few days. (That isn't a prediction--just a guess from your description! :-))

Hang in there! And let us know all about your new baby !

Follow up by Stephanie on February 15, 2000:

Hello Once Again Theresa! This is about the quarter horse mare in holding pattern (Penny). Well last night during feeding time I was checking Penny's udder I noticed little white yellowish beads on her nipples. I checked her off and on during the night. Nothing happened, got up this morning and fed her breakfast, my gosh Theresa you would not believe the bag this mare had !! I mean she was gradually changing but in the space of a few hours during the night this mare dropped milk like crazy, which I am very relieved about. Anyway, I checked her vulva-long and relaxed I think would describe it, it was puffy and I could see the pink of the inside cause she was so puffy. Please, please tell me she's close, we're holding at 359 days. She looks soooo miserable. What do you think? Is that baby on the way ?

Hi Stephanie,

Sounds good to me! I wouldn't leave her for longer than it takes to run to the bathroom!

Can't wait to hear about your new baby!

Follow up by Stephanie on February 18, 2000:

How are you doing? Well I hope. I hope you remember who I am, the crazy woman who owns Penny the mare whose udder has dropped dramatically and will have carried a year by Feb. 21st if she doesn't have this foal soon. Theresa she's eating great, her tail and rump feel like jello for nothing better to describe it, and she is very moody and seems tired. I looked at her udder this morning seems hard is that normal, of course she is not very cooperative where her udder is concerned! Her vulva looks puffy, but then again this is my first horse and I don't know if I would know any different. Theresa should I call a vet to look at her, there is movement when she eats but not as much as a week or two ago. This horse is my heart, any advice.

Hi Stephanie,

I never thought you were a crazy woman! At least no more crazy than the rest of us who work with foaling mares! :-)

Sounds to me like she's very close to foaling. The hard udder is normal and is generally a sign that they're getting very close. As long as she's eating and acting okay (other than normal big-pregnant miserable), I think I'd give her another few days before calling the vet.

Hang in there !

Follow up by Stephanie February 20, 2000:

Hello! This is from Steph in TN, Penny finally had that foal. It is a beautiful brown and white paint colt named MoJo! I am soooo glad it is finally over I did not think Penny was ever going to have that foal. She was text book, waxed then leaked a little, next thing I know whamo a foal!!! Thank you so much for all of your understanding and support. We have already imprinted the foal and it was such a gratifying experience, Penny was really tolerant and understanding of us touching her baby all over. Again, thank you for offering an invaluable service.

Dear Steph,

Hooray! I'm so glad everything went so easily. Now you can just enjoy! Thanks for letting us know!

____________________

Submitted by Jeni in Australia on January 22, 2000:

I have a 3 month old foal(small horse) who has always had foal scours. He is very healthy, well-covered and active, is 8H. He is still with his dam who has heaps of milk. They are stabled overnight and in a clean paddock during the day. He is on hard feed morning and night - lucerne and oaten chaffs, steam-rolled barley, salt, dolomite and hay. I have just started to administer acidophilus morning and night but the scours persist. They don't seem to intensify when the mare is in heat. He also has a lot of flatulence and frequently eats the mares droppings. Any suggestions would be appreciated. He is a superb little colt and has a bright future as long as we can stop the scours.

Hi Jeni,

If you haven't had a vet take a look at the colt, that would be a good thing to do. Also, we've had good luck with giving foals like this Probios. It introduces good things into the gut to help aid with digestion.

Best of luck!

____________________

Submitted by Judy in the USA on January 23, 2000:

Hi! Any help would be appreciated. We had a mare palpated about two months ago (bred at beginning of August) and the vet thought she was pregnant - enlarged uterus sinking down which made palpation somewhat difficult, good tone, tightly closed cervix, no sign of heat. However, two labs stated that her blood tests did not indicate that she was pregnant. Soooo... we didn't give her rhino, etc. - Then Friday when she came in from the pasture, she had blood splattered all over her legs, etc. (I was out of town.) My husband said she appeared to be urinating blood. So the vet was immediately called and reexamined her. He said her uterus was extremely large, firm, her cervix was tight as a drum and firm, and he still believes she is pregnant. She was not bleeding from the cervix, but he thinks she broke a blood vessel in her vagina. He does not believe it is in the bladder or kidney. He flushed the vagina and got some blood clots, but nothing foul smelling or indicating infection. He had us stall her and feed her only hay and water. He gave her shots of something, including antibiotics, my husband said. She never appeared ill or lethargic and is eating every bite of hay and drinking well. The bleeding stopped quickly. The vet thinks a gelding we have might have... err... "raped" her in the pasture. He has never shown any interest in mares - even during heat -, other than to be their herd boss, so that would be out of character. Have any of you experienced this? Is it possible to have very low levels of hormones and still maintain a normal pregnancy? What do you think? Regards, Judy P.S. When is your book on vet stories coming out ??? I ordered it, but it hasn't come yet. - Oh and the EPA is currently reviewing the use of feed thru fly control in pregnant mares and equines in general. Perhaps they will issue a warning. If you know of any instances of problems while taking or just after getting off the product, the EPA would be interested. Apparently, little, if any, long-term testing was done in equines.

Hi Judy,

Good to hear from you!

Yes, I have heard of ruptured vaginal blood vessels in pregnant mares. I have not dealt with it personally, but know a vet who has. According to him, a rupture like this can occur spontaneously, so I doubt that your gentlemanly gelding had anything to do with it. I truly don't know what to make of the hormone tests. You didn't say which hormones were looked at, but if the progesterone was very low, then I'd wonder if the mare should possibly be on Regumate. Also, has the vet tried to do an ultrasound? I realize that it might be difficult to visualize the fetus at this stage, but perhaps he could rule out other problems that might mimic pregnancy. It's good to know that the EPA is looking into feed-through fly control. That's something that should have been done long ago.

Please let us know what you find out with your mare.

____________________

Submitted by Amanda in Australia on February 2, 2000:

My friend's Mare has a pink mucus like discharge coming from the vulva. The date the foal is due is unknown but we believe it is very soon. She is also dripping milk. Is this discharge normal and what is your estimate of how long until the foal is born ?

Dear Amanda,

Yes, this discharge sounds normal, especially if she's dripping milk, too. She's probably expelling the mucous plug from her cervix, which means that she should be close to delivery--usually within four days, although some will go longer.

Good luck, and enjoy the new foal !

____________________

Submitted by Liza in Australia on February 3, 2000:

My Mare has been dripping milk(late evenings) for the last 2 weeks. She also has some kind of discharge that covers from her anus to the end of her vulva that drips onto her legs, colour varies from a pale pink to a bright red and sometimes brown. She has had this discharge for 4 to 5 days. The foal is presently sitting in her flanks. She has also dropped away in her hind quarters. Can you please tell me is this normal and what signs should I look for, for a mare that is overdue.

Dear Liza,

It sounds like she should foal soon, but in any case, I think I'd have the vet out to take a look at her if at all possible. A discharge of the type you described for four straight days seems like an awful lot. Also, since she has dripped milk for two weeks, her colostrum has likely been depleted. You need to have saved colostrum or a colostrum replacement on hand for the foal. The only signs left that she could show you are behavioral ones--restlessness, biting and kicking at sides, rubbing rear end, yawning, etc.--to tell you that she is going into labor.

I hope everything goes well. Please let us know.

____________________

Submitted by Joanne in the USA on February 9, 2000:

Hi! I have two "situations" at the moment that I would appreciate your opinion on. First, I have a mare that was bred April 11 and 13, 1999. She became large very quickly, and on several occasions, I had commented that it looked as if she was carrying twins. On January 23, I noticed that she was developing an udder. I called my vet and he was not alarmed. On January 24, she had a large bag and was dripping milk. The last time this happened to me, the mare aborted twins, so of course I became very concerned. I called the vet and he referred me to a vet in New Jersey that is a specialist in this field. I had the option of transporting my mare to her clinic, but considering the clinic was 150 miles away, we opted to attempt a "telephone intervention"! It sounded like two possibilities, placentitis or twins. The doctor told me to check the mares cervix and if it wasn't dilated, we could treat her. My vet came, and her cervix was tight. It was remotely possible that this was normal for this mare, but we were not willing to take the chance. ( Did you ever see a mare leak milk 8 weeks before her due date and have a normal foaling?) The mare was put on Regumate to control the labor, SMZ's to protect her from or treat any existing infection and 4 days of banamine to relax her. Although every few days she leaks milk, she is still hanging in there!!! We are trying to hold her off til at least day 320, today is day 306. Do you agree with taking her off the Regumate at day 320? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ALL THIS??? Situation number two: I have another mare that was bred on March 31 and April 2, 1999. She had a small umbilical hernia that my veterinarian was not concerned about. She is about 3 weeks from foaling, she is starting to bag and I notice the hernia has grown from a walnut to a baseball. I have a friend that has a mare that had a hernia and she went out one morning and found the mares intestines hanging out of her abdomen. Should I be freaking out ?!?! This is a valuable mare and also a member of the family. I called my vet tonight, told him what was going on, and he is coming out tomorrow. I have moved Barbie (hernia) to the monitor stall now, as Dutch (Regumate mare) has now become the lesser of the two evils. I hate to leave the monitor because I am so nervous. I sit and look at the screen like I'm watching a horror movie waiting for the gory scene... I just lost my nine year old paint stallion that was born and raised here to colic. This doesn't look like my month! Whatever information or advice you have would be very much appreciated. Thank You. P.S. This is my first visit to your site and it is a wonderful service.

Hi Joanne,

You really have been going through it, haven't you?!

About situation #1--No, I, personally, have not seen a mare drip milk eight weeks before her due date and have everything be normal. There was always something--placentitis or twins usually. I would keep her on the Regumate until day 320 and would continue the SMZs (if your vet agrees) as long as the mare is showing milk. We've had mares on SMZs for as long as four months.

Situation #2--I'm with you. This sounds scary to me. It will probably be fine, but should definitely get your attention. I've never dealt with a problem like this, but would think that I would want to restrict this mare's movement for the rest of her pregnancy at the very least. I don't know if things like supportive "belly bands" are ever done for pregnant mares, but maybe that would be a consideration.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your paint stallion and surely hope these two turn out okay. I'll be thinking about you, and please, keep us updated.

Follow up by Joanne on March 13, 2000:

Hi Theresa, I'm here with a foal season update!!! Barbie, my paint mare with the hernia had a filly on March 6 without incident. However, Dutch, the palomino pony mare that started bagging and leaking milk on January 21, has not foaled yet. She was bred on April 11, so she is due now. We had her on Regumate and SMZ's, as the vet suspected placentitis or twins. I took her off the medication on February 25, and expected an early delivery because of the drop in her progesterone levels. Guess I was wrong because it's been almost 3 weeks, and nothing. I have to wonder if this mare really had a problem or if her milk leaking was normal for her. Last night she was streaming milk again. I'll keep you posted. Also, one of the girls that bred her quarter mare to my Black and White paint stud for her first foal is very nervous. But...she called last night and informed me that she has been spending a large amount of time in the bathroom, as she bought this great book called The Complete Foaling Manual!!!! I told her she made a wise choice!!! Have a great day, and I'll talk to you soon.

Hi Joanne,

Thanks for the update! I'm so glad Barbie foaled without problems. I hope Dutch does the same! That's too funny about your friend! I hope the book gives her confidence and makes the experience more enjoyable for her.

Thanks again for the update, and please do let us know about Dutch.

____________________

Submitted by Michele in the USA on February 10, 2000:

Hi! I am hoping you can help me with a question I can't seem to find an answer to. My mare is 10 years old and in her 48th week of pregnancy with her 4th foal. All has been very normal and uneventful for all pregnancies and deliveries. Yesterday, I went to express some milk to see if I could (last year I couldn't...making the Predict-a-foal kit useless) so I could test her milk for calcium levels. What came out was blood. It was not bright bright red, it was darker but not like real old blood either. I expressed some more onto a white paper towel and it changed to a serum looking fluid and then to a drop of sticky yellow colostrum. Her temp is normal, going between 99.5 and 99.9 and her appetite is good. She is not listless. Her udder is not hot to the touch. All seems normal. Is this blood/serum something I have just never seen before, but something that is normal ? I have searched my books and the net and can't find an answer. I plan on calling the vet tomorrow if I check her and find blood again. Thanks for any help you can be. This is a GREAT site for ALL !

Hi Michele,

Okay, I don't usually do this, but I have to tease you a little bit. You said in your post that you had searched all of your books and the internet for the answer to your question, but had been unsuccessful. So, my question is...do you have my book? Because the answer to your question is there. :-)  And, it is good news. Sometimes, there will be a small amount of blood before the first show of milk. The correlation I have drawn is that the canals leading from the mammary glands to the outside are stretching and that causes a little bleeding. I have actually seen the first "wax" be bloody. The bleeding isn't much and doesn't last longer than the initial waxing. If it does, it's definitely worth looking at more carefully. From your description, though, it sounds like you have witnessed that first "stretching."

Best of luck, and I hope all continues to go well!

____________________

Submitted by Karla in Germany on February 13, 2000:

I have a 13yo, 16.1h Warmblood mare that is in the 8th month (due end of May). Should I be feeding her anything special?? She gets crushed barley (2qts. 2xday) and a handfull of vitamins carrots and lots of hay. My vet said that for pre-term shots...it is now too late to give anything...and she should only get a de-worming 2wks before the foaling date. Would you recommend anything different? He said that it is very important to call within 12hrs after the birth to give the foal an anti-foal laming shot...I am not sure if that translates correctly or not...do you know about that?? Are there other shots that I should recommend to my vet? I feel like if I don't recommend that my horse/foal should have something..then it won't be recommended or given. I am sure you know how wonderful and informative your web page help forum is...but I will remind you of it once again ! Keep it up.

Dear Karla,

Thank you for your kind words about the column. I'm glad you've enjoyed it.

Your mare's diet sounds fine. And perhaps things are done differently in Germany, but here it is routine to give the mare her final vaccinations at about 4-6 weeks before her due date. That way, the antibodies she produces will be passed along to the foal in her colostrum, providing it with immunity to the diseases she was vaccinated for. I would definitely recommend doing this. I would prefer to see the mare dewormed about a month before her due date. I don't know what the vet meant by an anti-foal laming shot. Maybe there is a problem with the translation! The only thing I can think of is maybe tetanus antitoxin, or maybe selenium. At any rate, it is good to have the vet out at about 12 hours to check the foal's blood for IgG levels to see if it has properly absorbed the mare's colostrum and will be adequately protected from the bacteria that are normal in its environment. Without this protection, a foal cannot survive. Other than that and the tetanus antitoxin (which isn't absolutely necessary if the mare has been vaccinated at 4-6 weeks) there isn't anything that the vet needs to do for the foal. The rest is just making sure the foal is nursing well and urinating and passing stool normally. The foal can be dewormed at one month and started on its "big horse" vaccinations when it is 3-5 months old.

Best of luck, and be sure to let us know all about your new foal!

____________________

Submitted by Alison in the USA on February 18, 2000:

What are the symptoms of a prepubic tendon rip and is there anything that can be done to safely deliver the foal and save the mare? Thanks!

Dear Alison,

With a prepubic tendon rupture, a mare may show colic signs, have a painful, soft swelling under her belly, prefer to lie down, and be reluctant to move. With a complete rupture, the belly will drop and the udder will seem to "disappear" into the abdomen, no longer being a distinct structure. When a prepubic tendon rupture occurs, the mare will need help during the delivery because she won't be able to push to deliver the foal on her own. Veterinary help is absolutely necessary. There is surgery that can be done, but the prognosis for each mare is very individual.

Hope this helps,

____________________

Submitted by Shelli in the USA on February 19, 2000:

I have a paint mare that is due to foal around May 27. We are moving from Idaho to Texas in April or early May, and want to take her with us. How close to her foaling is it safe to move her that far ? We have places to stop along the way and let her out of the trailer overnight. If she foals early, how old does the foal need to be to make the trip safely ? I may try to take her to my parents ranch in N.M. in March if she shouldn't travel after that, and leave her for a while. Of course, I'd rather have her with me so I can imprint the baby, but her and the baby's safety is my main concern. What do you recommend ?

Dear Shelli,

I've seen many mares make long trips safely when they were only a month from their due dates. So, if you can move her a month ahead, and take the proper precautions on the trip, everything should be fine. For a trip that long, it would probably be best to wait until a foal is a month old to transport it.

Good luck !

Follow up by Shelli on July 12, 2000:

I wrote you a few months ago and asked about moving my pregnant mare from Idaho to Texas. My mare made the trip without any problems, though we had to leave her at my uncle's in New Mexico because our house in Texas had not closed yet. She had a stud colt on June 10th, he's a beautiful overo paint. I wasn't present for the birth, but my uncle had called me to tell me she was about to foal, so I drove to NM and got there when he was about 2 hours old. My question is, what is the safest way to transport a foal this young for an 8 hour drive? How long should we wait to make the trip? Should we tie him to the trailer like we do the other horses, or put him in the stud stall untied with straw to lay down in? We are anxious to get him home and start working with him, but don't want to risk his safety. We can't seem to find anyone who has moved a young foal that far.

Dear Shelli,

I'm very glad that the first part of the move and the foaling went okay. Great news!

Since the foal is more than a month old, I think it would be okay to move him any time. The best way to haul him is to have the trailer open, bedded with straw, and leave him loose. Don't tie him! Since it's summer and hot, it would also be best if you could make the majority of the trip at night.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes,

____________________

Submitted by Lori in the USA on February 19, 2000:

Hi Theresa, so glad I found this site. I wish I had your book. I am going to order it this week ! Anyway, I have a maiden mare that is due anytime. This will be my third delivery. I haven't yet experienced any problems, but for some reason I'm concerned about this time. Just call it a woman's intuition. I would like to know more about repositioning a foal. I have heard that you can cause serious complications by putting your hands in, if you don't know what you're doing. My vet doesn't like to answer his phone at night, so I would probably be on my own. I would also like to know what to do if a mare doesn't lie down. I have owned this mare since she was a yearling, and have only seen her laying down 2 times !!! I'm sure she probably will, but would just like to know. Thanks in advance.

Hi Lori,

I never doubt woman's intuition. I always pay attention when I get those feelings! They aren't always right, but are enough that I've learned not to brush them aside. I'll keep my fingers crossed that yours are wrong this time !

If the mare wants to foal while standing, that's okay. Just help deliver the foal because it'll be difficult for the mare since she'll be pushing against gravity. And try to break the foal's fall to the ground. If you have to deal with a malpositioned foal and your vet is unavailable (I can't imagine an equine vet not answering his phone at night!!), don't worry about causing damage. If you think about what you're doing, use no more force than is absolutely necessary, and always be mindful of where your hands are going and don't force them through anything you can't see, you'll be okay. The biggest thing is to try to visualize what you feel and act accordingly. There are some illustrations in my book of the most common malpresentations, so they should help you "see" what's going on.

Best of luck, and I'm sure it'll all go smoothly. Let us know !

____________________

Submitted by Toma in the USA on February 26, 2000:

Is ventral edema in a mare at 330 days an significant health risk for the mare or foal? The mare has minimal swelling in the hind legs and none in the front legs. She seems fine otherwise.

Dear Toma,

This is very common in late-term mares and shouldn't be a health risk at all. Some exercise may help with the edema, but it may not. As long as the mare seems okay otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it. Most of the time, the edema disappears within a day after foaling (sometimes within hours).

Enjoy the "big event!"

____________________

Submitted by Ann in the USA on February 28, 2000:

I have a 13 yr. old Arab mare. This is not her first foal, or mine, so normally I wouldn't even be bothering you with these questions. But, she is exhibiting signs I have never seen in her before. Her first foal was classic text book. Right on her due date. Second foal she didn't wax, but was again on her due date. This foal was due Feb. 26, 2000. No big deal yet. She started bagging exactly 4 weeks before and has been fully bagged for the last week, maybe a little more. Still clear secretion. Her vulva is totally open and stretched, and her croup is so relaxed she wobbles. She has showed signs of labor off and on, the latest being yesterday. I had the vet out last week, who also said she is sooo ready to foal. All she has to do is dilate. I called him out because she developed this nasty "growth" between her front legs. Looked like a second bag. He said it was just edema, fluid stocking up from her large size. Nothing to be concerned over except it usually doesn't extend between the front legs. Have you seen this? She also has had trace amounts of blood on the lips of and inside her vulva. Not a lot, just enough to know it's there. I attributed it to her losing her plug, but it's been going on for 2 weeks now. What do you think of that? Should I call my vet again? She has never before showed all the signs of being in labor (pawing, yawning, trying to lie down, kicking at her belly, circling, pawing some more) without actually being in labor. Now the blood and swelling are concerning me. You provide a great service to us impatient breeders!

Dear Ann,

Yes, I have seen edema so bad between the front legs that you're right, it did look like another udder. Actually, I've seen this on several mares, and the good news is that all were fine and the edema went down shortly after the mares foaled. The small amount of blood at the vulva is also likely okay. I have seen blood occur like this and had everything turn out okay. I've never talked to a vet about this, and don't know if it's ever been researched, but I've wondered if this couldn't be a result of the placenta pulling away ever so slightly at the cervix in very late term mares. The mare showing signs of labor and not going through with it could be that she's just more uncomfortable this time, and not necessarily a sign that there's a problem. Has the mare been eating okay and acting okay other than the "false starts?" Have you seen foal movement before and are you still seeing it? If these things seem okay, then I would think there isn't a problem. All that said, I want to stress that you are the one who knows this mare and you are the one watching her. If you think a vet should see her, then by all means, have the vet out. My feeling is that everything is okay, but you are there and I'm not. Go with your gut.

Please keep me updated!

Follow up by Ann on March 1, 2000:

Hi again. Just wanted to let you know that later last night after I wrote to you I checked my mare and her bag secretion was cloudy. Knew we were finally getting somewhere. This morning (Feb 29) she foaled a big golden dun/possible palomino filly. Both mare and foal vet checked in clean health, though my mare is still showing signs of discomfort by pawing. The edema between her front legs is already going down. I want to thank you for responding so quickly and for being so helpful!

Dear Ann,

Great news! Thanks so much for letting us know!

Enjoy your new foal!

__________________