Parturition

PARTURITION

Twenty-four to forty-eight hours prior to foaling, a more will usually wax. Waxing is the presence of a yellow substance on the end of the teats. You may notice that the color of the wax changes from yellow to white as the mare approaches parturition. If the mare begins to leak milk before she foals especially if the milk is streaming out., try to collect the milk and freeze it. This first milk is colostrum. Colostrum is very rich in the antibodies necessary to protect the new foal. Ensuring that your new foal gets colostrum early is the single most important thing you can do for your foal.

As your mare approaches parturition, you will also notice relaxation of the muscles around the tail head and pelvic area. You may also notice a personality change as your mare starts to go into labor. She may paw, act colicky, pin her ears, urinate frequently, and want to be by herself.

STAGES OF LABOR

Stage I - the first stage of watching the mare from a distance you can determine the frequency of the contractions. Interfering with the mare at this point may cause her to postpone the second stage.

Stage 2-This stage is the delivery of the foal. Usually this stage lasts from five minutes to one hour. The mare will most often lie down to deliver the foal. The normal presentation is muzzle and front feet first. Various abnormal presentations may occur. If foaling is delayed more than thirty minutes after the head and front feet are presented or if the head and front feet are not presented at all and the mare is down and in heavy labor for 15 minutes, call your veterinarian. Once the foal is delivered, allow the umbilical cord to break on its own as the placenta and umbilical cord contain up to 500 ml of blood which the foal needs.

Staqe 3 - This stage is the delivery of the placenta. The placenta will normally be delivered within 30 minutes to one hour after delivery of the foal. Since founder and infection of the uterus can occur as a result of a retained placenta, you should always make sure that it has been delivered. Save the placenta and examine it to ensure that it is all out.

CARE OF THE FOAL

The foal's navel should be dipped in iodine two times within the first 24 hours. This should be done while the foal is still down. The foal should be standing one to two hours following birth end nursing within two to three hours, The first milk (colost rum) contains the antibodies necessary for the foal's survival. It is imperative that the foal get colostrum soon after birth. If the foal does not nurse within three hours, the mare should be milked out and six to eight ounces of colostrum given to the foal hourly. Call your veterinarian if there are any questions or problems, he will check the foal, the placenta and give the foal an enema and a Navel Ill shot.