WORKING in a busy foaling unit and with already quite a few foals on the ground, our numbers are set to increase rapidly over the coming months, peaking in March and April, the busiest time for the flat foaling season.
Prior to a mare’s arrival at the foaling unit, she will have been closely monitored at home and will be brought in to our foaling unit when she starts to show the tell-tale signs that her time to foal is fast approaching. As a mare approaches her due date, she should be checked regularly for these tell-tale signs:
The development of the udder is the main sign to watch out for, it begins as a slight swelling which increases gradually. It is important to regularly check a mare’s udder in the month prior to her due date in order to observe any changes. We must also be watchful that a mare is not starting to ‘bag up’ too early as this can be a sign of placental disease or a compromised pregnancy and it is important to have a veterinary surgeon examine her. In a mare that has a normal udder development, the udder will become very full in appearance and wax (colostrum) will appear on the teats, a sign that foaling is imminent. As the udder increases in size, shortly before foaling the vulva will relax and become soft and flaccid to touch. If the mare has a Caslick (the suturing of the upper lips of the vulva) then she must be opened by the veterinary surgeon. This is carried out roughly about 10 days to two weeks before the mare’s foaling date and depending on her udder development. It is also important to check for any discharge from the vulva in the months and weeks prior to foaling as this can be a sign of placentitis and the mare should be assessed by a veterinary surgeon. The tail head of the mare will appear to rise as the ligaments around the tail head soften. This indicates the relaxation of the muscles in the pelvic area, changes which allow the foal to pass through the birth canal with greater ease.Foaling
The mare will usually give plenty of signs that she is about to foal. These include pacing the box, rolling, sweating up, pawing the ground, running milk and lifting her tail, however some mares will show no signs at all which is why regular checks are a necessity!
Once the allantoic fluids have broken, the mare is in her second stage of labour and she may get up and down several times to help position the foal, she will eventually stay down and is usually lying on her side (lateral recumbancy) to push. The emergence of the bluish-white amnion soon follows, the presentation of the foal should be checked. Wearing examination gloves, one should be able to feel two front feet with the soles pointing down, with one foot slightly more advanced than the other (to ease the passage of the shoulders through the birth canal), with the head on top. The foal will keep advancing with each contraction, the mare can sometimes struggle getting the shoulders through and assistance may be given by gently pulling on the forelimbs to provide tension, the amnion can also be ruptured.
Once the foal is delivered, it should be propped up sternally and the airways cleared of fluids and membranes. The umbilcal cord will be broken either by the mare when she stands up or by the foal as it attempts to stand. The umbilical stump should be clamped manually to stop the bleeding and then dressed.
The third stage of labour is the expulsion of the placenta, which should be tied up so that the mare cannot stand on it. The placenta should have passed in one to three hours. If not, a veterinary surgeon should be notified.
Problems requiring
veterinary assistance
Red bag – instead of the amnion presenting first, a velvety red membrane appears. The chorioallantois has failed to erupt due to premature separation of the placenta and the foal is being deprived of oxygen. Immediate rupture of this membrane and a swift delivery of the foal is necessary.Malpresentation – This is any deviation from the correct presentation (front feet and head) .Twins. Oversized foal – Foal is too big for the mare to deliver.Compromised foal – a difficult of prolonged foaling may result in an oxygen deprived foal.Post-Foaling
The following are a checklist and guidelines to follow post-partum, it is important to assess the condition of the mare and foal individually and not as a pair.
The foal
The neonate foal should be able to sit sternally and hold their head up within the first two-three minutes after birth.Each eye should be checked for an entropion (inverted eyelid), this can occur in one or both eyes, if the presence of one is detected, it can be gently rolled out. It should then be checked regularly as they can roll back in and a veterinary surgeon may need to stitch it down. The mouth should be checked for an overbite (parrot mouth) or an underbite (sow mouth).An enema should be administered to aid in the passing of the first droppings (meconium).The umbilical cord is broken either by the mare getting up or the foal trying to get up, if it continues to bleed, it can be clamped manually until it stops and then dressed with dilute iodine or chlorhexidine. This should be closely monitored and re-sprayed over the next few days to ensure that it is dry. If it has not dried up or the foal is seen to be leaking urine through its umbilicus, a veterinary surgeon should be notified. This is important as the umbilical stump provides the main entry route for infection in the foal.The foal should have developed a suck reflex about 30 minutes post partum.The foal should be standing and nursing within two hours of birth (may need assistance).It is essential that the foal gets an adequate supply of high quality colostrum within the first few hours of life, a foal is born with no immunity and must obtain all its antibodies from the mare’s colostrum (colostral immunoglobulins). Maximum absorption occurs within the first six to eight hours of parturition after which it declines significantly as the specialised cells in the foals small intestine that absorb these immunoglobulins gradually become replaced. If a foal is not standing and nursing within two hours, it can be given a bottle of colostrum. Once the foal has nursed, ensure that the milk does not run out the foal’s nostrils, this is a sign of a cleft palate.
Look out for signs of jaundice in the foal (mucous membranes and whites of the eyes will develop a yellow tinge and foal will become lethargic). The veterinary surgeon should be called immediately once the foal starts to display these symptoms. Look out for the foal straining and displaying symptoms of colic, this may suggest a meconium impaction and may require a second enema or veterinary assistance. The colic symptoms may also be an indicator of broken ribs.The most common sign of an ill or compromised foal is one that looks sleepy and won’t nurse, it may look like it’s nursing but the presence of milk staining on their heads will show that they haven’t actually nursed. It is very important to frequently check the mare’s udder has been nursed from regularly, the udder should be soft and the teats wet.The Mare
It is important to also keep a watchful eye on the mare post foaling and note any sudden changes in her condition or temperament.
The mare should be affectionate towards her foal and should get up and start licking it shortly after birth, maidens can sometimes take a bit longer to accept their foal as they can be a bit bewildered by the whole situation and should be watched carefully in case they display any signs of aggression towards their foal.The placenta can be tied up by tying a series of knots in it or by using some twine. It should be tied up above the hocks so the mare can’t stand on it and tear it, this also gives weight to the placenta and aids in its passing. The placenta is usually passed in one-three hours. Extra weights can be added to it to encourage passing, a veterinary surgeon should be notified if the placenta has not passed after three hours as retained placenta can cause severe infection of the uterus which can lead to toxaemia and laminitis. Once the placenta has been passed, it should be checked for any tears or missing sections.A sample of colostrum should be taken and tested to ensure that it is a suitable quality for the foal to absorb antibodies, if it is of low quality then it must be supplemented. Supplemental colostrum can be powdered colostrum or high quality colostrum collected from another mare and frozen, this is the most commonly used method of supplementing colostrum. When using frozen colostrum do not use a microwave to thaw it out as microwaving can destroy the immunoglobulins. The mare may show signs of pain post foaling, this is normal as her uterus is still contracting and she is passing her placenta. She should be watched for any significant deterioration in condition and her gum colour should be monitored. Also check for any noticeable tearing of the vulva. Some mares, particularly maidens, experience pain when the foal nurses for the first few times and the mare may need to be held. Check that the mare is passing droppings as the foaling may have caused some swelling internally which makes it painful to pass droppings in which case veterinary attention is required as she might start to display symptoms of colic. Another important factor to consider is the size of the mare’s udder and if she is producing enough milk. If the mare fails to produce enough milk, she can be given a stimulant to increase milk production (domperidone).Most foalings are straightforward and require very little intervention and assistance. It is important to try to recognise in advance the likelihood of a problem occurring and not to hesitate in seeking veterinary assistance as timing is crucial in achieving a successful outcome for both mare and foal. The foaling season can be challenging at times but it is also an exciting and extremely rewarding time of year, with never a dull moment!
Hayley Sullivan works at
the Irish National Stud