So your mare has foaled, mom and baby appear fine, you are exhausted and now you can go take a nap, right? WRONG!! You still have work to do!
First, you want to be sure your new foal is breathing normally and that he/she appears alert and bright. Make sure the mare is not aggressive toward the foal (or toward YOU!). Even a mare that is sweet and easy to handle, can become overly protective of her new baby and may try to charge you to drive you away. Before moving in to attend the foal, be sure the mare is OK with this. The mare will usually lick the foal to dry it off, but if she doesn't right away and it's cold outside, then go ahead and take a towel and gently dry the foal off.
While the foal is still down, this is a good time to treat the umbilical cord with a disinfectant. You will continue to treat the cord twice a day for 3 days and be liberal with your application. A common disinfectant to use is PVP Iodine. You can squirt it on the end of the umbilical cord directly or you can use a dip cup. Place the Iodine in a small (4 oz or so) cup and then dip the cord into the cup. You can also use Nolvasan disinfectant (the blue stuff) in a squirt bottle and liberally dose the end of the umbilical cord with that.
The foal should attempt to stand within 30 minutes after delivery. They will be awkward and will take a few nose dives, but let them try on their own. If, after a few attempts, they just can't get their legs under them yet.....you can step in and help them to stand. You can pick them up and support them, so they can stand against you. They will still be shaky, so let them lean against you for support if they need to. Don't be concerned if they take a few falls while attempting to take their first steps. This is very normal.
After the baby is on his/her feet and trying to take a few steps, it will be time to find the milk bar! The foal should nurse within the first two hours after delivery. If they haven't nursed by 3 hours after delivery, it's time to call the vet. The baby may need medical assistance. Watch him/her for a few minutes every half hour or so, to be sure the foal is still alert and active, nursing well and appears to be thriving. The foal should nurse enough during the first 8 to 12 hours so that it gets sufficient colostrum in order to absorb the antibodies from it. If that passive transfer of antibodies does not occur properly, then the foal will definitely need veterinarian intervention. Even though the foal is nursing well, the mare's colostum may not have contained enough antibodies, so veterinarian intervention may still be needed.
Many moons ago, we lost a foal because of this. It's called "Failure of Passive Transfer". The colt was nursing fine, seemed bright and alert and all seemed well. The next day, he was more lethargic and his eyes were beginning to look sunken in. He wasn't filling out like he should have. We called the vet and sure enough, he had not gotten the antibody transfer from the colostrum. The vet did all he could, including IV infusion of antibodies, but it was too late and the foal was lost.
Since then, we have EVERY foal's IgG level checked by a simple blood test performed by the vet, about 12 hours or so after foaling. (The IgG level checks for antibodies in the bloodstream.) If the IgG level isn't high enough (800 or over), then we have the vet treat then and there. Knock on wood, we haven't had any lost foals since then. Here is a good article written by Colorado State University on this subject. http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/Documents/erl-learn-foals3-failurept-apr09.pdf
The mares normally foal during early morning hours (2 to 5am is a common time). By the time all of the above things have occurred, the vet's office is normally open and we call them to schedule a routine foaling check for later that day. Of course, if something seems amiss, call them at their emergent number and do not wait for the office to open! Also, even if the foaling went well but you feel that something is just not going as expected with the foal or the mare, follow your instincts and let them know that you need the vet to come out sooner. Better to err on the side of caution.
The foal should also have it's first bowel movement (called the meconium) during this first 12 hours of life as well. It's normally very dark in color and sticky. The foal will struggle to pass it. You do want to be sure all of it has been cleared from the foal and the foal should not continue to strain. Some vets will advise you to give an enema to the newborn foal as part of the routine foaling procedure, to help them pass this meconium easier. For miniature foals though, since they are so small, be sure to check with your veterinarian before giving an enema.
Don't forget about your mare during this time! Make sure she has plenty of fresh, cool water. Allow her to munch on hay as soon as she is ready. She can have her normal amount of grain at the next scheduled feeding. There will be blood, of course, but let the veterinarian check your mare for any tearing when they come to do their visit later in the day.
You'll want to be sure you collect the placenta and save it for the vet. I've found it keeps best (especially in the heat), if you put it in a bucket of cool water. Be sure to get all of it. It should look like a "Y" shape and will have a hole through one horn (one of the "Y" arms), where the foal came out of it. It should look like its' all there with no other tears or rips. If it looks like some of the placenta is missing and you cannot find it in the stall, then call your vet ASAP and let them know.
NOW you can go take that nap!! Enjoy your new foal!! Here's a picture of our new miniature colt, shown at 4 days old. His name is Rebel, he stands 18 inches tall and he's quite a show-off already!
Next week's topic will be a travel adventure! Just because you live on a farm, doesn't mean you can't enjoy a bit of travel. It will even be horse related!! Enjoy your week everyone!!
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