Saddle Up The facts of life The George Veterinary Group provides an expert insight into the mysteries of horse birth.
THE MARE IN LABOUR
The mare should be moved to her foaling location at least two weeks prior to her due date, in order to produce antibodies relevant to the local environment that can then be transferred to the foal in the colostrum.
A routine should be established so the mare feels secure in her environment, becuase if she does feel at all worried at foaling time, she has an amazing ability to postpone labour until she feels more settled. Generally, the most common time for foaling to occur is between 11pm and 4am.
The mammary gland will wax up within the final 72 hours prior to birth, although this is variable and some can start to develop up to two weeks before.
As the first stage of labour sets in, the mare may start to look colicky, due to foetal movement and pressure on abdominal organs. She will have a reduced appetite and will tend to seek solitude.
The tail should be bandaged at this point. The perineum should be washed with warm, clean water and dried, and if she has a caslick, this needs to be opened.
The ideal location for foaling to take place is in a six-metre square loosebox, deeply bedded with clean straw. It is possible to foal outside if a safe area is available, provided the weather is clement.
Signs that the mare is entering the first stage of labour include colicky behaviour, inappetance, sweating, frequent urination, restlessness and exhibiting the Flehmen sign (flaring the upper lip).
The second stage of labour lasts, on average, around 20 minutes (range 10-60 minutes).
Intervention is necessary if there is no progression, 15 minutes after the waters break, if the foal appears in an incorrect presentation, if a fleshy red bag appears first at the vulva or if the foal's foot comes out via the anus.
The foal should appear front feet first, with the feet slightly out of line, followed closely by the nose. Presentation is considered incorrect if only one foot appears, only a head appears, two feet and no head, etc. The breech position is when the hind feet come first, and this is a problem because the placenta will separate before the foal's head has emerged, and thus the foal loses an oxygen supply.
When the foot appears at the anus, this is called the head-nape position. The front foot/feet has/have become positioned over the nape of the foal and have been forced through the wall of the reproductive tract and up into the rectum by the uterine contractions.
Possibly the worst presentation is the true breech position, where the tail appears at the vulva, with all four limbs pointing back into the uterus. This position will need Caesarean section to correct.
Once the foal has emerged, it and the mare will rest for 30-45 minutes, during which period the umbilical cord will rupture spontaneously - usually once the foal starts to make voluntary movements and shift into sternal recumbency. This is important as beneficial blood passes from the placental circulation into the foal during this time.
The mare will cleanse' (pass the placenta), up to four hours after birth, and may look slightly colicky. It is helpful to keep this for us to examine when we give the mare and foal a health check.
THE NEWBORN FOAL
Once the second stage of labour begins, the foal should be born within, on average, 20 minutes.
He/she will start to make voluntary movements and rupture the amniotic sac (intervene if necessary with scissors).
Once born, the umbilical cord should rupture spontaneously as the foal's activity increases, at a predetermined site. Try not to break it prematurely as beneficial blood will pass into the foal from the placental circulation during this time.
The mare will generally rest for 10 to 30 minutes after the foal is born.
The foal's navel should be treated with a 0.5 per cent solution of chlorhexidine, two or three times in the 24 hours following birth, to prevent infection.
Within half an hour, the foal will be making attempts to stand, and will generally be standing by 90 minutes.
The foal will, however, tend to remain fairly ataxic (wobbly) for the first 12-24 hours of its life.
He/she should suckle colostrum (first milk) within two to four hours of birth, in order to receive vital antibodies from the mare.
Meconium should be passed within about four hours, and will appear dark and tarry, in contrast with the pasty-coloured milk dung which follows. Retention of this initial dung can be a problem, especially in colts, and you should monitor the foal for colicky signs, loss of appetite and absence of faeces in the box.
We would recommend the mare and foal be examined by a vet within the first 24 hours of life.
Remember that foals should not be thought of as miniature horses. They are very different physiologically and can deteriorate rapidly, so any concerns should be checked out as soon as possible.
The tetanus vaccination status of the mare should be checked, and if there is any doubt, the foal should receive a tetanus antiserum. This is not a vaccination, but provides immediate protection against tetanus.
Antibiotics should not be necessary if birth was straightforward, and we would discourage their use in such situations, to reduce the development of resistance.
In situations where you are uncertain if the foal received colostrum, a test can be done to determine antibody levels. This can be done at 12 hours after birth, but it is best at 18 hours.
2:27pm Thursday 17th April 2008  Print  Email this
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