I'm bringing this back up again as we've been discussing this topic yet again this year!
During foaling, is a mare fully dilated by the time stage 2 labor starts? I prefer to assist my foals during delivery and deliver as quickly as possible once the water breaks and I determine the foal is in the correct position. Someone else says the cervix is still dilating even when the foal is being presented and traction could damage the cervix. So my question is whether a mare's cervix is fully dilated by the time stage 2 labor starts? Thanks!
"Dilation" in the human sense of the phrase, does not really occur in the equine. Firstly - as previously noted - the equine cervix may be relaxed up to two weeks prior to giving birth (something definitely not seen in the human!!!); secondly, as your associate indicates, it is the passage of the foal that stretches out the cervix.
Traction may well cause damage to the cervix in some instances. Additionally, stepping in and "assisting" a mare (especially a maiden mare) may result in the mare not making as much of an effort on subsequent pregnancies - and that can quite literally be fatal in the case of not being present at a subsequent foaling.
You are best advised to leave the mare alone unless there is an obvious need to assist.
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