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Message |
    
Marci Nadler
Weanling
Username: Shadowsfire
Post Number: 40
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 05:17 pm: | 
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I'm not so sure was a real success. 
Now the vet said before we even went out to start that he wouldn't be able to tell if she was in the middle of her pregnancy but would if she was at the beginning or at the end. I think he said 120 days to almost 200 since the foal is out over the hips and not big enough to feel yet. I told him I think she was bred last summer so would probably be beyond that-but I really don't know for sure. So He did the preg check in the horse trailer as he doesn't have stocks-after all most of his clients are small animals, he rarely has large ones come in. Hasn't got an ultra sound machine. He comes out with a short glove to do the test-umm doc won't you need a longer glove than that? Nope hes OK he says. So my mare is not happy about this and is straining a bit but she didn't kick him and was as good as she could be. He pulls out and then goes back in and has a funny look on his face. So after he is done he says she isn't in foal. But then in the next breath he says "but if she foals tomorrow don't blame me." Now I thought huh? but thought he must be joking. Now I asked my girlfriend who was standing on the other side and she said her impression was that he wasn't really sure. Now when they preg check mares how far does the vets arm go, he was not in up to his elbow like I have seen before but only halfway up his forearm. So do you think I wasted my money on this check?
He did say to be sure we should get a blood test, but I thought that it would be more likely to know for sure with a palp.
But at any rate I have lowered her hay and grain intake and started really riding her. Not the walking only rides but lots of trotting too. She was a bit sweaty when we came back from our ride yesterday. If this doesn't do the trick to get rid of the hay belly then I will revisit the whole issue again.  |
Megan A Brown
Breeding Stock
Username: Fabmeg
Post Number: 160
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 02:06 pm: |
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If a mare is very in foal, you can feel the colt in up to a forearm because it will start to approach the birth canal, but if she is only 200 days along you wouldn't even be able to feel a uterus that far in, unless he is a very big guy, or she's a very small mare. My vet is a little gal, and she regularly is up to her armpit to make sure that she feels anything that might be going on. On my biggest mare she has to use a stool to be at the proper angle to get in far enough in to feel both ovaries. |
Marci Nadler
Weanling
Username: Shadowsfire
Post Number: 41
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 06:11 pm: |
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He is about 6 foot, but I don't think his arms are that much longer than mine at 5'6" and my mare is a 14.2 hand Arab mare so is close coupled. She was not being helpful either. Then it sounds like he didn't go very far in does it? Definitely didn't follow her uterus all the way to the end. I know I have seen other vets in up to their arm pits too (big guys too) that is what struck me as odd.
I swear last night I saw "something" rolling in her. Sure didn't look like guts to me. It seems to be active late at night, after midnight. Although when I did the push test-I kept at it til my mare was ready to kick my butt-I did feel some slight thumps like little kitty feets through the covers.
Plus I have started riding her and she is not tucking up like normal. Used to be after a 2 hour ride she was tucked up and kinda skinny looking-no matter how much hay she had in her gut.
Shes still not bagging up for serous but odd thing is the one side of her bag yesterday should have been totally flat after 2 hours riding up and down trails was still kinda filled. I didn't even check it before hand so I don't know what it looked like then. Sure will next time I ride.
I guess if its not a hay belly its got to show up sooner or later. LOL And if it is, it sure keeps the saddle where its supposed to be. |
Stormy Rood
Breeding Stock
Username: Stormyrood
Post Number: 414
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 06:13 pm: |
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I'm sorry you weren't able to find out for sure Marci! It sounds like the vet didn't even know for sure though. If she does foal, be sure to call him back and let him know!!!! 
Good luck to ya! |
Marci Nadler
Weanling
Username: Shadowsfire
Post Number: 42
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 06:20 pm: |
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Yeah maybe he will come out and do the foal AKA hay belly check. LOL But I tell you as far as my hubby is concerned she is not in foal-he was having a COW.  |
Stormy Rood
Breeding Stock
Username: Stormyrood
Post Number: 416
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 06:43 pm: |
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That's what my husband did when the vet said he wasn't sure on Missy. MEN!!!!! Now he just says he doesn't know what to believe because her belly is getting bigger and changing so much. She gets less feed and more exercise and that belly continues to grow and grow! Good luck to you! You know what I really think it is, our hubby's are pissed because they're out the money for NOTHING when the vet doesn't even know! |
Becca
Neonate
Username: Becca
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 07:11 pm: |
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I have my mares palpated and if my vets not sure and shes suppost to be in foal we will ultrasound internal and external under her belly. My vet told me that there are tons of ways to guess if your horse is in foal and only a handful of ways to know for 100%. If i was you and my vet said that he was inconclusive id ask him why and does he need to come back and tell him that since hes inconclusive im inconclusive about paying him for that visit lol. Good luck Ive heard that the blood test only works at some stages of foaling?? don't know if its true or not. Good luck. |
Marci Nadler
Weanling
Username: Shadowsfire
Post Number: 45
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 08:10 pm: |
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Well this vet doesn't have an ultra sound and mostly deals with small animals. I knew I should have just hauled to the large animal vet 30 miles away. Sigh I just don't think this vet has done enough preg checks to really be good at them. Oh well hind sight is always 20/20.
And actually hubby was quite upset when he thought she was in foal since he saw dollar signs for foal care. Plus extra feed for another horse. Babies are expensive even with everything does go right.
I sure hope for our sakes that we both have empty mares. } |
