Caslicks Advice

dianchi

dianchi

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So had the vet out today for final jabs and check over, after a good nosey at her. The vet decided that a few days before foaling she wants to cut her.
Now i didnt have caslicks put in her but we know she had bred previously and has clearly been sewn up before.
However there is about an inch that is sown and healed up that the vet now wants to cut.
I dont know what to do! I didnt think that it would be needed?

What is the ideal distance between anus and top of vulva opening? She is a TB 15.3hh mare.
I dont want to not cut her and then she have a horrific tear but equally dont want to cut her unnecessarily.
I will try and get some pics!

But any advice please!
 
As far as I am aware if they have been stitched then they will need re-opening, nothing for it Im afraid. It is normally about 4wks roughly before they are due, I have to go through this next year if mare takes (find out week Sat).
 
ah i did miss she has been like this for 11 years.
Main question is as she bred before is it likely this was done after she last Foaled?
Or done before and not undone?
 
You certainly have to have it cut!! It would be like giving birth through a pee hole... Terrible damage otherwise. I had my mare done day 320, she foaled 331 days.
 
Added to say that if on foaling livery the stud will observe and may do it when waters break. If you are at home, have it done before. They need as much room, ahem, as possible- ouch!
 
It never ceases to amaze me why people still question veterinary advice.Your vet will open suture at correct time at correct length
 
the problem is we didnt put these in!
I will take pics as i dont think im explaining this very well.
She def Doesnt have just a tiny opening!
 
dianchi said:
the problem is we didnt put these in!
I will take pics as i dont think im explaining this very well.
She def Doesnt have just a tiny opening!
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter that you didn't have these put in; it does matter that she has sufficient clearage to expel the foal without tearing so you need your vet to either open her up a few weeks before foaling or wait until she's foaling before you do it yourself (which is not a particularly nice thing to do and does depend on you being with her 24/7 to make sure you are there at the right time. If you can't guarantee that then I do strongly recommend the vet to open her up beforehand.)

Perhaps she was stitched after she foaled for a tear last time but it wasn't re-opened for covering which can sometimes happen if you use AI and it was only one or two stitches. Clutching at straws here but you get the gist of a possibility. Basically, if a mare has ever been stitched, they need re-opening before foaling again to be on the safe side.
 
Why dont you pop a piccy up, then we will be able to see what you are trying to explain?
I think the most effective way is to gently part the 2 sides a few times each day to prevent them knitting...Im quite prepared to stand corrected on that though!x
 
dianchi said:
the problem is we didnt put these in!
I will take pics as i dont think im explaining this very well.
She def Doesnt have just a tiny opening!
Click to expand...

It makes no difference how much or little she is stitched, she must be cut before foaling. If you are a bit squeamish about the discomfort she will be in then you are unprepared for the mess she will be in if you don't cut them.

Imagine yourself trying to give birth through a partly stitched vulva!
 
dianchi said:
.......Next question how is the best way to keep it open after being cut?
Click to expand...

If your mare has been stitched, and you leave her to foal in that condition, then she will almost certainly tear, and re-stitching torn vulvas, can be problematical. She would probably need to be re-caslicked, allowed to heal, and then opened up again, before re-covering. All a bit pointless, you'll agree.

In answer to your question, for a week of so, you will need to gently part the lips of her vulva, daily, with your fingers. I've never had a mare yet which has objected, in-fact they don't seem to notice. Eventually the lips will stay apart and heal, and you will have a lovely foal, and an undamaged mare!!

Alec.
 
My mare came back from stud with a caslick and I only noticed when I was washing her tail...a bit of a shock as it looks brutal. :eek:

When she was cut prior to foaling (330 days) I imagined a horrible mess but it was almost unnoticed by my mare! I checked her daily and after about 4 days the edges had healed enough to leave them alone. My vet had advised if there was any mess just to bath her with a very mild anteseptic but it wasn't needed.

I think it looks/sounds much worse than it is and if your mare has actually had a repair years ago it will still need re cutting.

Good Luck x
 
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Please please please get her opened up if you want to foal at home, you will be causing more trouble than it is worth if you don't, recto-vaginal tears and the like. It should stay open enough providing it is not done too early. We usually do it at birth but then we are there watching the mares 24/7, with myself as a dedicated nightwatch. A lot of French mares (trotters/racehorses) are stitched even before they go anywhere near a stallion or AI.
 
dianchi said:
Giving up trying to explain....

Next question how is the best way to keep it open after being cut?
Click to expand...

In that case ask your vet, they should be able to tell you if the stitches were there because she tore after foaling or they are Caslick stitches because of her vulva conformation. I think it a bit unfair to take the above attitude when no one on here knows or seen the mare in question. An issue with stitches after birthing is if there were too many put in making the original size smaller. Does happen ask some women who have had it done. So again for the sake of repeating oneself, ask your vet.
 
thank you magic, the whole reason i asked was th vet said its up to you.
I've decided to give it a couple of weeks and see how she lets down and then decide if its needed
 
dianchi said:
thank you magic, the whole reason i asked was th vet said its up to you.
I've decided to give it a couple of weeks and see how she lets down and then decide if its needed
Click to expand...

Well glad your vet is not mine, that is the most unhelpful comment especially for a novice. The only way anyone on here stands a chance of helping is to see photos.
 
My mare was stiched (but only a little bit) after she got pregnant and was cut open again about 3 or 4 days before foaling (she was on DIY livery at a stud and so the stud vet was always there morning and afternoon) so we had it opened when it looked like she was getting close.

The vet tried to open it without blocking it out, which was nasty, I said no and wanted it blocking, he said "well it will cost you more" I said I didnt care as I wouldnt want my sewn up bits just snipped open :eek::eek: It cost me a extra £2.20 lol. I say thats £2.20 well spent!!!

It stayed open quite happily after and I just kept it nice and clean
 
At the stud I worked at.. we had over 150 mares to foal each year!! So opening caslicks was an everyday part of life through the breeding season. I have to say... we rarely used local... mare went in the stocks, back end cleaned up...twitch went on.. someone held tail, and I cut! Job done!

It was only if we knew that they were particularly bad in the stocks or bad to touch their vulva that they got local.. (if they were that bad.. they got doped and done!!!)

I know its not a nice experience for them.. (i'm sure it's not for any female!!) but it has to be done.. and hardly any played up while I cut them!! Usually the ones that were difficult to do anything with were the ones that played up!
 
rachi0 said:
At the stud I worked at.. we had over 150 mares to foal each year!! So opening caslicks was an everyday part of life through the breeding season. I have to say... we rarely used local... mare went in the stocks, back end cleaned up...twitch went on.. someone held tail, and I cut! Job done!

It was only if we knew that they were particularly bad in the stocks or bad to touch their vulva that they got local.. (if they were that bad.. they got doped and done!!!)

I know its not a nice experience for them.. (i'm sure it's not for any female!!) but it has to be done.. and hardly any played up while I cut them!! Usually the ones that were difficult to do anything with were the ones that played up!
Click to expand...

Well I certaily wouldnt allow anyone to do any sort of cutting or slicing without at least a local! The only time I would re-open a caslick without local would be if the mare was already in labour.

To be honest guys, Dianchi just wanted a second opinion on something that had neve been mentioned to her before....I would expect a vet or the stud to have said something before 4 weeks off foaling if an old caslick needed attention.
Lets not villifi her because she isnt sure - everyone has to learn, and to not want to slice up your mare without due need is pretty understandable! I wouldnt want to!!

Dianchi, think it might be a good idea to pop up a foof piccy, with your hand along side for a perspective if you could....then everyone can see what you are talking about xx
 
rachi0 said:
At the stud I worked at.. we had over 150 mares to foal each year!! So opening caslicks was an everyday part of life through the breeding season. I have to say... we rarely used local... mare went in the stocks, back end cleaned up...twitch went on.. someone held tail, and I cut! Job done!

It was only if we knew that they were particularly bad in the stocks or bad to touch their vulva that they got local.. (if they were that bad.. they got doped and done!!!)

I know its not a nice experience for them.. (i'm sure it's not for any female!!) but it has to be done.. and hardly any played up while I cut them!! Usually the ones that were difficult to do anything with were the ones that played up!
Click to expand...

I see your point about sheer volumes of mares etc but for a 1 mare owner where the vet is there anywhere Id rather fork out the £2 and extra 2 mins!!
 
FWIW I have never worked anywhere (here or in the USA) where lidocaine, or similar local, has not been used to open a mare up, who was not already in labour! Even then some of them need sedating (though these are the mares that also need sedating to be palped etc).

Dianchi, if you put you index finger into her vulva and hook it upwards, push up and pull out (I hope that makes sense), how much 'sealed' flesh is there?
 
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