EQUINE FOALING
How
long does a pregnancy last?
The length of pregnancy for most mares is approximately eleven months
with a range of 315-350 days. This has individual and breed variances.
As a mare approaches
foaling, care and observation are critical. It is important to start
preparing the mare for foaling six weeks prior to the due date.
The mare should get her final pre-foaling vaccinations, and her
final deworming.
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Before
foaling…
- Prepare
a foaling stall at least 12 foot by 12 foot. It should be bedded
deeply in dry, clean straw. The area should be free of sharp edges
and should not have gaps under the bottom boards that the foal
or mare can get their legs under.
Approximately two to four weeks prior to foaling the mares’
udder will start to fill with milk (bagging up)
- Approximately
24 to 48 hours prior to foaling beads of honey colored colostrum
forms at the ends of the teats (waxing)
- Approximately
12 to 24 hours prior to foaling milk may drip or run from the
udder. This may be accompanied by a soft swelling of the vulva
and a relaxation of the pelvic muscles
- Wrap mare’s
tail (not too tight)
- Clean mare’s
vulva, and teats
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Foaling
Kit – What you’ll need…
- Apple
Grove Veterinary Care’s phone number 543-6101
- Flashlight
(with new batteries)
-
Several large towels - used to dry and clean the newborn
foals
-
Few hand towels - used to grasp the foal’s legs
during foaling if you need to assist the mare by pulling
- Tail
wrapping material - for mare’s tail prior to foaling
- Latex
exam gloves
- Betadine
or Nolvasan solution - used to cleanse the mare before
foaling, and to dip the foal’s umbilicus after birth
- Enemas
(2) - used if the foal has difficulty passing stool after
birth
- Clean,
sharp scissors - used to pierce the thick placental sac
around the foal, cutting the umbilical cord, or cutting suture
material used to tie the cord
- Clamps/
hemostats - used to control bleeding if the umbilical
cord breaks prematurely
- Large,
thick garbage bag - used to keep the placenta, so the
veterinarian can examine it
- A
clean bucket - used to wash hands, arms, foal, or mare
- Sterile
lubricant - used to lubricate enema end or thermometer
end
- Suture
thread - used to tie off broken blood vessels or the
umbilical cord
-
Roll cotton - used to cleanse the mare’s vulva,
and teats prior to foaling (thoroughly rinse, since the soap taste
can discourage the foal from nursing)
-
Watch or clock - used to keep track of the foaling time
- Small
bulb syringe - used to help aspirate the foal if the
fluids don’t drain by themselves
- Digital
thermometer (with flexible end) - used to take mare or
foal’s temperature
- Probiotics
- used for the foal post foaling
-
Rubber nipple (that fits onto a clean pop bottle) - used
in case the mare need’s to be milked out to bottle feed
the foal
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Signs
of Labor…
- Mare may
act nervous and restless
- Sweating
- Increased
urination and defecation
- Water sac
breaking (usually 2-5 gallons of fluid are passed)
If any
of these signs are observed call for veterinary attention immediately…
- Non-productive
straining for over 10 minutes
- Only the
head is present
- Only one
foot is present
- Two feet
present, but no head is present
- Foal is depressed,
does not want to stand or nurse
- There is
milk coming out of the foal’s nose
- Foal’s
gums are yellow
- The foal’s
eyes are sunken or tearing or runny
- The foal
has diarrhea or is colicky, straining to defecate or urinate
- The foal
is lame or has swollen limbs or joints
- The umbilicus
is swollen or has discharge
- The foal
develops a cough and/or nasal discharge
- The foal
has a temperature of greater than 102 F
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After
foaling…
Congratulations on your new foal! Whether this is your first foal
or your fiftieth, here is a summary of some helpful information
that may answer some of the common questions that arise.
- Follow the
1-2-3 timetable…
- 1
hours post foaling, the foal should stand. (It is important
that the foal nurse both to get nutrition and to get colostrum
from the mare which carries the antibodies to help prevent disease
for the early part of the foal’s life.)
- 2
hours post foaling, the foal should nurse.
- 3
hours post foaling, the mare should pass her placenta.
(If placenta doesn’t pass, don’t pull on it; simply
tie a knot in it to keep it off of the ground. If she does not
she should be treated to help her pass it. If she does not pass
the afterbirth and is not treated she may develop an infection)
- Allow the
umbilical cord to break on its own, either by the mare standing
or the foal struggling to get up.
- Dip foal’s
umbilicus in Betadine/Nolavasan solution to help disinfect.
- Keep foal
dry and warm.
- Clean mare’s
vulva, and remove tail wrap.
- Keep placenta
for veterinarian.
- Have veterinarian
examine mare and examine/vaccinate foal 12- 24 hours post foaling
(during regular office hours).
- Use enema
(if recommended by veterinarian).
- Give probiotics
(if recommended by veterinarian).
Normal
Values for Foals up to 2 months…
Temperature » 99F -102F
Heart Rate » 60-100 beats per minute
Respiratory Rate » 24-60 breaths per minute
Other
Things to do!
4-6 weeks: Deworm the foal for the first time.
Use a product such as Panacur that is safe to use in foals. Deworm
every 1-2 months thereafter, rotating between Panacur, Ivermectin
and Strongid.
6 months:
The foal is ready for its first vaccines (EWT, WNV, Rabies, Flu/Rhino,
Potomac Horse Fever, Strangles). Most initial vaccines require a
30 day booster.
12-16
months: Start to think about castrating colts when both testes are
down.
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