I had wanted to share my foaling notes with you on the birth of our new filly, born here in the wee hours of the morning on March 31st. I was hoping that it might be of interest and/or help to any of you expecting a foal or foals this season. Figure we can all learn from sharing notes with each other. But yesterday, the story became a little more complicated than we expected. We had a battle for life on our hands. Again. So I will share this story, in hopes that this knowledge will help some of you, perhaps even make more sense to me, and maybe even, give us all hope…We have five mares due to foal this season, all out of our Arabian stud, Fadjurz Ideal, who we call Flying Crow. The first is Tres, an 11-year old Quarter Horse mare who has two fine looking colts already grown up or growing, and who lost her foal last year to Clostridium perfringens, a soil born bacteria that can have a deadly effect on the sterile stomach of the newborn. Apparently, this bacterium can be found everywhere, on every ranch. Why it affects some foals on one ranch year after year, but never another ranch just down the road is still unknown. In any case, Clostridium perfringens was to blame for having killed the first foal born at the ranch last year (Tres’), and infected a second, who fought one heck of a battle, and ultimately won. Our vet said she had only seen one other foal make it through. I hope to change this figure with positive results.
I have never heard of this bacteria before, however as the vet warned us last year, once your ranch has acquired the deadly strain or deadly quantity (this is still unknown), it will remain a constant problem. Taking the life of foals, and following a healthy birth with constant fear, is indeed a problem.
When Tres lost her foal last year, I kept her in a pen for a few days to dry up, and to pass through her foal heat without the stallion getting to her (we run our horses all together whenever possible). On the morning I let her out, I guess my timing was off, because the stallion was so happy to have her back in his herd, he proceeded to mount her. We were watching from the kitchen window, and tried to run out to stop them… but I suppose we were too late. It only takes one time. That’s all he got. She never came back into cycle, so we knew it “worked.”
The timing is not what we would have chosen. End of March and often through April, we still have snow on the ground, temperatures that fall below zero at night, and the road to our ranch is not plowed open (we snowmobile in 6 ½ miles for 5-6 months of the year). I was hoping for all late May and June babies this year. I will have to try harder for next year.
Based upon a 340 day gestation, Tres’ due date was April 4th, give or take 15 days, of course. She bagged up on February 26th. Bagging is when the teats swell and show obvious signs of filling. They also look, funny as this may sound, far more “inviting” and easier for a foal to latch onto. I usually figure on 30 days from bagging. Not exact, but pretty close. I’ve only had one mare birth without showing much signs of bagging, so I rely on this as an indication of “sometime in about a month.”
Tres was waxing heavy on the morning of March 30th. Waxing is when there are little beads of thick and sticky fluid on the tips of the teats. I usually find this to start within 48 of delivery. Again, I’ve only had one mare foal without obvious waxing. And yes, I check under the mares a few times a day to keep track of these things. It’s a great indicator, and a great way for me to get some sort of an idea of what to expect and when.
Tres usually shows a tiny bit of waxing, almost a questionable amount (as in, “Is she really waxing?”) two days before delivery, then very obvious waxing the day before. This time, I was anticipating the waxing, but did not notice the miniscule signs the first day (maybe this was affected by the cold, as it’s been unseasonably snowy and cold – temperatures around zero at night and only up to 20 during the day). But that morning, there was most obvious waxing, and so I figured she’d be ready to foal that night or first thing the following morning.
We put her in a separate yard that day, just across the fence from the herd in case she did drop early, but close enough that she’d have comfort from her family. I brushed her down and washed her bag and entire back side with warm, soapy water. That afternoon, around 5 pm, she started getting up and lying down, acting very labor like. The timing was odd, I’ve never had a mare foal in the late afternoon (always seems to be middle of the night, after 1 pm, up until mid morning). But just in case, we wrapped her tail, cleaned her off again really well, and led her to the foaling shed – a new shed we just built, located close enough that she could see her herd, but far enough removed that we were hoping the worst of the infected soil would not reach. (It was worth a try, but it did not work.)
Any restlessness and discomfort that she had been showing earlier was no longer visible, so we figured she’d wait a few hours. At the 2:30 am checking, there was a foot. I have heard folks say that a mare will hide her labor and birth if a person comes near, but I find it’s just the opposite. I joke that my mares keep their legs crossed until we show up. I’ve had two mares drop right in front of the herd, too, so I think there may be something natural in taking comfort from having someone comfortable nearby. Perhaps the stories I have heard of mares going off on their own may just be that the rest of the herd has left her and she’s no longer able to keep up with the baby coming out! Maybe it’s just my horses, who knows.
The birth was smooth, perfect, no complications, uneventful. Just how we hope they all will be. Baby presented herself in a perfect diver’s position. The foal and mama nickered at each other with minutes. The placenta was passed perfectly about 45 minutes after birth. Baby was up within about 10 minutes after birth, and nursing an hour later. You can’t ask for better timing on all accounts. This was one of those text-book perfect births!
In the past, all I’d done for my foals was dip their umbilical chord a couple of times the first day in iodine. Now, because of our history of last years complications with the Clostridium perfringens, the vet had us armed with an arsenal of medications. Within the first couple of hours, we administered a C&D Antitoxin. At about 8 hours old, we administered 10 grams of ProBios orally. At 12 hours, 30 cc of BioSponge. The second dose of BioSponge was given at about 24 hours.
Right before lunch on the foals second day of life, so at about 34 hours old, we went to administer yet another dose of the BioSponge and noticed the scours. A day old horse should not have scours! I’ve seen a tinge of scours that may occur during foal heat, possibly related to the hormones of the mare changing, possibly another coincidence. And I read that a foal could slightly scour due to nursing too much. But let me tell you, if I ever see scours again, I will call the vet ASAP and have the foal checked out.
Bob got me 8 miles down the road to the nearest telephone and I called our vet. The vet did not have to check this filly to see what was wrong. She knew. She gave us a list of new procedures and medications, and I returned to the ranch ready for battle.
First thing we had to do was separate the mare from the foal. This stinks. But one thing that could be a concern is actually the mothers milk. You see, Clostridium perfringens feeds on proteins. So what I would have guessed would be the best thing for the foal, isn’t always.
Next, we had to administer the medication. An oral dose of penicillin (I know this sounds crazy, but it’s true), and a small dose injected in her muscle. I find giving a shot to a foal easier in the rump than in the neck, as it is easier to safely restrain their back end. Bob holds one arm under the foals rump, above the back legs, and one arm across her chest. It safely immobilized a foal. In addition, we administered another oral dose of BioSponge.
We allowed the mare back in with the foal every 2 hours, and administered the whole shebang again that night. Mama Tres was allowed to stay with the foal for the night. Baby was showing no signs of pain (kicking or biting at her belly) and the lessening scours was bright yellow, showing no indication of blood. The vet was on call (checking her e-mail) should these signs change.
Today, the baby is holding well. Her energy level is awesome, which is always a sign of general health. The scours continue, but minimally, and still bright yellow. Her appetite is insatiable, and we have been slightly limiting her access to her mama. Another round was given once, and we will continue daily for a few more days.
So… we’re not there yet. But it’s looking good. Will keep you posted… and please let me know if you have any experience with Clostridium perfringens that I could learn from as well. There are not yet clear answers nor guaranteed cures. I will hope the equine world will find out the answers soon. In the meanwhile, we have 4 more babies due this season, and rather than looking forward with such joy and excitement, I now can do nothing but worry.