| Author |
Message |
    
Beth Walker
Neonate
Username: Bbhorses
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 11:25 pm: | 
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Hello, My maiden mare foaled today at 341 days, normal delivery, and passing of afterbirth. She had been making a bag for 3 weeks, last 5 days the fluid was a nice honey color,and sticky. After foaling gave her an oxytocin shot, 4hrs later still only golden, sticky fluid in bag. Vet recommended giving one more oxytocin shot, still now another 4 hours later only golden fluid but not as thick. The foal is being supplemented with milk replacer in a bottle. Has anyone else had this happen?? Will her milk eventually drop or am I stuck bottle feeding? Any help or suggestions on other ways to get her milk to drop would be greatly appreciated. My regular vet is out of town, left messages with three other vets but apparently no one in this area works on the weekends, even for emergencies.
Thank You for any help you can offer! |
Lisa R.
Weanling
Username: Lisa98
Post Number: 37
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 08:44 am: |
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Beth-that is scary I know. In my experience if you allow the foal to continue to nurse your mare will produce milk. The golden sticky fluid is colostrum and is very good for the baby-necessary actually. It is always important, but in your case essential, that you have an IgG test run on your new foal 12-24 hours post-partum to make sure that it did receive the antibodies that it needs from your mare. If it didn't then your vet can assist you in giving those antibodies to your foal via IV. I hope that by the time you are reading this everything is ok. Congrats on your new baby. |
Kim Winter
Breeding Stock
Username: Clafairy
Post Number: 572
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 11:37 am: |
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Hi Beth - My mare also suffered from a lack of milk - It didnt look the colour or consistancy it should have. I called the vet but they wouldnt come out as there was milk and the foal was making every effort to suckle. I called again the next day and eventually got a vet to me and they said 'your right, she is a bit short of milk!' Grrr - I got milk replacer but could not get Rio to drink it for love nor money - She continued to suckle and the milk was produced strong and fast from my mare by day two - The vet unfortunately didnt run an IgG as I wanted but the reproduction vet that I normally see said it was definately something she would have done had she been the attending vet. Rio is now almost 1 year and is fit and healthy and has ALWAYS been strong. I hope you are getting on well with your foal now. All the best. |
Mood Swings
Weanling
Username: Mood_swings
Post Number: 45
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 12:40 pm: |
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You could get Domperidone from your vet. It helps to encourage milk production. By your description it sounds like you are seeing colostrum as Lisa R mentioned. I also agree with what she said  Congrats and good luck! |
Beth Walker
Neonate
Username: Bbhorses
Post Number: 4
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 08:08 pm: |
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Well at least it sounds encouraging that she may produce milk. We are into day 2 still no milk but the fluid is not so sticky and is easier to get it out. Her colt so far is doing fine, he still continues to nurse off of mom, and is also getting a bottle feeding of milk replacer every 2 hours. My vet who is out of town did suggest Domperidone, so I have called 6 other equine vets in the area and no one else has it. Vet is coming out tomorrow to check the colt. Thank everyone for your posting, it makes me feel a little better that I'm not alone in this and that there is still a chance of milk |
Heather Kutyba
Breeding Stock
Username: Heatherck11
Post Number: 498
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Monday, March 26, 2007 - 02:45 am: |
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Beth,
Domperidone is a compounded medication. It can be ordered by your vet through Wedgewood Pharmacy. They have a website, and/or your vet can order by phone. They will also ship priority FedEx directly to your home if your vet scrips it to you. |
Beth Walker
Neonate
Username: Bbhorses
Post Number: 5
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 26, 2007 - 10:19 pm: |
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Up-date: Mare is now getting a cloudy white fluid, not quite milk yet but we are almost there. Vet came out today and did IgG Test and he did get transfer, was well into the normal range. |
Heather Kutyba
Breeding Stock
Username: Heatherck11
Post Number: 503
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 12:22 am: |
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Oh, that's just fabulous Beth.
Congrats on your new foal and go get some needed sleep .
Any pics???? |
Colleen Beck
Yearling
Username: Gypsycreations
Post Number: 84
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 10:14 am: |
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Whoo Hoo! I am really happy for you Beth. You can breathe easier and unclench you guts now,  |
Lori Coleman
Breeding Stock
Username: Editorlady
Post Number: 205
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 10:25 am: |
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Hooray, Beth! That's a relief. I second Heather's call for pix! |
Beth Walker
Neonate
Username: Bbhorses
Post Number: 6
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 02:56 am: |
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Mares milk finally in, now comes the fun of weaning him off his bottle. Any Suggestions? We are trying to make his bottle feedings further apart every day so hopefully he will quit looking for it. He is nursing well but also likes his bottle. I'm attempting to add a photo, I haven't done it before hopefully it will come over okay!
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/bbhorsespaint/higginsdayout004.jpg |
Beth Walker
Neonate
Username: Bbhorses
Post Number: 7
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 03:02 am: |
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Yeah!! I got the photos to work. Here are a few more pics, hope they come out as well!
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/bbhorsespaint/higginsdayout003.jpg http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/bbhorsespaint/higginsdayout001.jpg |
Lisa R.
Weanling
Username: Lisa98
Post Number: 43
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 10:42 am: |
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WOW!!! Beth he sure is a cutie!! And him Mommy is beautiful too. As for weaning him off the bottle I think you are on the right path; eating from the bottle is easier than nursing so of course he likes it. I would begin to put only a very small amount in the bottle and have him take it near Mommy-then when it runs out and he's not full he'll nurse and he will beging to associate her with food. Sounds like everything is going to be fine now-and again WOW he is so excellent to look at. |
Jan Owen
Breeding Stock
Username: 1frosty1
Post Number: 206
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 10:54 am: |
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Beth....what a darling face! I love his white nose splash! What a great job you have done pulling the little guy through this rough patch. He will be bonded to his second mother YOU! What a special relationship you will have. |
Lori Coleman
Breeding Stock
Username: Editorlady
Post Number: 232
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 10:57 am: |
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Beth, He is so adorable! Love that face. Is his name Higgins? If so, it matches him! |
Beth Walker
Neonate
Username: Bbhorses
Post Number: 8
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, March 31, 2007 - 02:23 am: |
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Good news, Higgins now would rather nurse off his mother than take the bottle. When he is offered his bottle he plays with it, and then nurses off mom and then comes back and plays with the bottle, but he is only drinking 1/2 of what he was and has even refused the bottle a few times. |
