Foaling and the First Hours
What you need to know for a smooth foaling process
by Alesia Willard
As spring draws near, it is time to prepare for the foals that will soon arrive. Whether this is your first foaling or your tenth, you need to be properly equipped and ready to handle any complications that might arise.
Be Prepared
Here are some things that should be done before the big day:
1: If the mare is foaling in a stall, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned and bedded with straw. Do not use shavings, as they can stick to the mare or foal and cause a variety of problems.
2: Make sure your mare, whether maiden or not, is accustomed to having her milk bag handled so she will allow the foal to nurse.
3: Have a foaling kit prepared. The kit should contain the following...
by Alesia Willard
As spring draws near, it is time to prepare for the foals that will soon arrive. Whether this is your first foaling or your tenth, you need to be properly equipped and ready to handle any complications that might arise.Be Prepared
Here are some things that should be done before the big day:
1: If the mare is foaling in a stall, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned and bedded with straw. Do not use shavings, as they can stick to the mare or foal and cause a variety of problems.
2: Make sure your mare, whether maiden or not, is accustomed to having her milk bag handled so she will allow the foal to nurse.
3: Have a foaling kit prepared. The kit should contain the following...
Labels: Cover Stories, January 2009
posted by NWHS at
8:20 AM
2 Comments:
Letter to the Editor:
I have some concerns over comments and advice provided in the article, “Foaling and the First Hours” which was the cover story from the last issue of NWHS Magazine
1) We no longer recommend using iodine to disinfect navels. Chlorhexidine, 0.5 - 2% solution, is recommended for a number of reasons. First, it is not inactivated by organic debris like iodine is. Second, it is not caustic and does not predispose the skin around the umbilicus to sloughing, which repeated iodine dipping does. Third, it is a more effective antibacterial agent than iodine for the types of organisms that the umbilicus encounters in a barn environment.
2) If the fetal membranes are delivered with the foal instead of breaking when the foal struggles or the mare rises, care should be taken when breaking the cord. The author states the cord should never be just cut, and this is correct; however, using a fingernail to tear the cord would not be recommended. This may result in too sharp a tear and subsequent hemorrhage from the stump. In this situation, there are two options: First, one may either tie or clamp the umbilicus securely with an umbilical clamp, a piece of sterile suture material, or similarly sterilized or clean cord, string, or filament. After the cord is clamped or tied, it is cut below the clamp or tie and dipped in chlorhexidine solution. This is less desirable than the second technique (described below) because if the clamp or suture falls off, bleeding may occur.
The second, and better option, is to physically break the cord similarly to what would naturally occur when the mare stands. To physically break the cord safely and without injuring the foal, one hand should be placed on the foal’s abdomen with the thumb on one side of the umbilical stalk and the index finger and palm on the opposing side. This hand is used to stabilize the abdominal wall. The second hand grasps the cord itself about 6” away from the body wall. As gentle, firm and continuous pressure away from the body wall is applied by the hand grasping the cord, the second hand holds the body wall in place so that it is not pulled outward as the cord is stretched. This upward pressure on the foal’s abdomen with the first hand will prevent a hernia from forming as pressure is applied. The pressure is continued until the cord breaks at its natural break point a few centimeters from the foal’s abdomen. You can see this natural break point as a slight circular narrowing of the cord before you start to apply pressure. Be sure not to pull too firmly or quickly to prevent the cord from breaking too close to the foal’s body. This method allows the vessels in the cord to contract into the abdomen like they are supposed to with a natural break. The stump should be assessed for bleeding and dipped with chlorhexidine solution. If the cord is markedly thickened, it may be difficult to break with this method and the first option of clamping or tying the cord as described above should be used instead.
3) The umbilicus should only be dipped for the first 18 – 24 hours of life unless the foal has an umbilical infection, in which case, your veterinarian will give you specific instructions. The umbilicus dries out quickly in a normal foal, and once it is dry, it should remain that way. Repeatedly dipping an umbilicus will predispose that foal to have entry of bacteria through the moistened stump. It may also make the foal more likely to develop a patent urachus, which is when the communication from the bladder to the umbilicus re-establishes itself, with the foal dripping urine from the umbilicus rather than urinating solely out of the urethra. So, after the first 24 hours, if the umbilicus is clean and dry – leave it alone. If it remains moist after the first 24 hours, call your veterinarian, as this is not normal. The umbilical stump in a normal foal may not fall off for 1 – 2 months, or more, after birth.
4) The author recommends that the owners assess the placenta (better termed fetal membranes) for completeness and only call a veterinarian to assess it if they find more than one hole in it. It is strongly recommended that a veterinarian assess every fetal membrane post-foaling whether it is questionable or not. First of all, it takes considerable experience evaluating fetal membranes to be comfortable that the entire structure has been passed. A piece of the membrane as small as a pea remaining in the uterus can result in life threatening disease for the mare. It is very common for the membranes to have been stepped on or torn during retrieval from the stall resulting in multiple holes being present. The membranes are also often folded in on themselves preventing assessment of a large portion of the membrane if the owner is unaware of what a complete membrane looks like.
Additionally, extremely valuable information on the subsequent health of the foal can be gleaned from fetal membrane examination. Evidence of thickening, presence of abnormal discharge, and excessive fetal membrane weight are all red flags for impending foal illness. If these abnormalities are noted, the veterinarian can take preventative action prior to the foal becoming ill, thereby increasing the likelihood of foal survival.
5) If a mare’s labor is not progressing normally (foal is not delivered within 20 minutes of the water breaking), a veterinarian should be summoned immediately. Unless it is an extreme emergency, owners should not even contemplate assisting the foaling without veterinary assistance. In some cases, while the veterinarian is on the way, they may recommend some assessment of the situation and provide direct advice on what to do (i.e. “red bag delivery” or premature placental separation). However, there are many situations where attempting to extract a foal without proper assessment can result in death or injury of both mare and foal. Holding onto a foal’s ankles to keep it from slipping back into the vagina when the mare is not contracting can have devastating consequences if the foal’s hind limbs are stuck underneath the pelvis, as the foal may kick, bruise or penetrate the mare’s abdomen with a foot. When, and if, a veterinarian directs an owner to extract a foal, the recommendations need to be made for each individual case. General guidelines are dangerous to both mare and foal.
The best thing to do, while waiting for the vet to arrive, is walk the mare. The mare cannot have effective contractions if she is standing and moving, so while you are waiting for the vet to arrive, get the mare up and walk her instead of trying to help pull the foal (unless under strict supervision of the veterinarian to do otherwise).
6) When a foal is struggling to stand, falling down repeatedly does not clear fluid out of its lungs. Fluid is pushed out of the fetal lungs as the fetus comes through the pelvic canal as a direct result of the mare’s contractions and external pressure from the bony pelvis. After birth, remaining fluid is dispelled as a result of the distribution of surfactant over the interior surface of the lung. This substance, which is produced by the lung tissue itself, allows the exchange of air with blood. Any foal that is struggling excessively to rise should be assisted to prevent it from injuring or fatiguing itself. While foals may be able to rise easily when they are born outside on grass, in dry weather, with good footing (which is where they are supposed to foal during the natural breeding season), when we put mares in stalls with rubber mats, and then add 10 - 20 gallons of birth fluids to the floor, it makes for a very slippery surface. With the soft cushions on the bottom of the foal’s feet (called eponechium), wet rubber mats can make it a recipe for a disaster when a foal with relaxed ligaments and long legs is trying to rise for the first time. Foals should always be assisted to rise and helped to stand, whenever necessary, to prevent injury or exhaustion. The most important thing a foal needs after birth is colostrum, and the foal should be assisted in whatever way necessary to get him nursing as quickly as possible after birth.
7) The first of the meconium normally starts to be passed within 2 hours of birth, often after the foal nurses for the first time. Meconium is normally firm, pelleted and dark black-brown in color. Meconium fills the entire intestinal tract, so it is passed for up to 8 – 24 hours after birth, depending on the number of bowel movements a foal has, which is directly related to how aggressively the foal is nursing. It will remain dark black-brown until the first milk stool is passed which is light tan – yellow in color and tubular. If the first feces passed are sloppy, green, or mustard yellow this is serious cause for concern and a veterinarian should be called immediately. The foal may have been infected in-utero and be very ill.
8) If an enema is given, usually a single Fleet’s phosphate enema is recommended (not mineral oil). No more than one enema should be administered. If the foal is straining to defecate after the first enema or it has not passed the first meconium within an hour of an enema, a veterinarian should be called. The first urination may not occur until up to 8 hours after birth.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Lopate, MS, DVM, DACT
Diplomate, American College of Theriogenologists (board certified in reproduction)
Hello,
I am not normally someone who writes to the editor but am writing because I have a concern. Because NW Horse Source has a reputation of putting out accurate information and even more, because it is often a first and frequent source of information for novice horse owners (as well as us crusty, old coots) I was alarmed when I read your feature story this month.
It contained several inaccuracies and less than up to date information as well as used some "slang" or incorrect terms (specifically, calling an udder a "milk bag" and referring to fetlocks as "ankles"- and if you say a novice may not know what fetlocks are then I say a novice who doesn't know enough to know what fetlocks are is not knowledgeable enough to know how to make sound breeding choices to be breeding in this climate of over-breeding of unwanted, jobless, untrained horses. They are also not knowledgeable enough to be foaling out their own mare safely, in my opinion.)
Also, to say a mare may "thrash around" while trying to reposition the foal for delivery lends one to envision a violent type of "thrashing" about that should be a red flag. Many mares will roll and get up and down frequently but "thrashing" should be viewed with alarm and prompt an immediate vet call, not be seen as merely a "typical" happening. It may be semantics, but connotation can mean everything.
The out of date information presented includes the use of iodine as a disinfectant and of Fleet enemas. Iodine is now considered too strong and diluted Nolvasan is recommended. Fleet enemas are also found to irritate tissues and the applicator has been known to cause perforations, especially in the hands of a novice, so a soft "red rubber" catheter and a warm soapy water solution and some KY jelly as a lubricant has been recommended.
Another surprise was the description of what meconium should look like. I have never seen it described as being "green or mustard yellow and very sloppy"...in fact meconium is almost the exact opposite, being black and very sticky and tar-like in appearance, and if I found it any other way it would be cause for concern in my book.
And lastly, the reference that the mare only produces colostrum for 24 hrs is inaccurate. The mare actually produces colostrum for months before giving birth, before even the white "back milk" itself. The time limit is actually on the part of the foal's ability to absorb those important antibodies.
Granted, I am not a "certified" post-natal foal caregiver, and I am not sure how a 17 yr old even gets such a certification, having never heard of such a certification before. But I have been breeding for over 15 years and have been present at far more births than I have been responsible for. I have seen the "typical" births and seen some atypical presentations also and this article was just not informative enough about the things that needed to be covered and was full of the aforementioned issues.
I felt the need to bring this up as I look to your magazine as a sound authority on many issues and was dismayed that this had "slipped through the cracks".
Thanks for your time and the ability to voice my thoughts.
Take care ,
Chris Davis
Black Horse Farms
Arabian Horses & Mini Schnauzers
www.blackhorsefarms.org
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