Dummy filly update

[Venevidivici]

^^^this and what hereshoping said at the beginning of the thread. Fantastic

 

[Coblover63]

Gorgeous pictures.... so happy that she's doing so well. And REALLY glad that you are keeping her x

 

[Spring Feather]

I'm so pleased she seems to be making a good recovery. I had a foal a couple of years ago who became very ill at 8 days old and had to be rushed to ICU, and it was very worrying but mine survived in the end too.

 

[Hedgewitch13]

Yay! I love a bit of good news. I hope she goes from strength to strength x

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Bless, little scrapper! Is amazing how determined some foals are! When my little man was born last year vets were busy sharpening their needles to put him down, but he so wanted to live & tried so hard I wouldn't let them He is currently outside being bossed about by his big sister My OH fell for him too & won't let me sell him, so we have matching soft OH's

Good luck telling them appart in the field when Freya is older

 

[Enfys]

Love the pics.
Gosh she's a strong mare! It is strange seeing how muscled they are compared to what I am used to - she looks like she could walk through a wall! Fortunately Robin is terribly polite and wouldn't dream of doing anything she wasn't asked to do, Thank the Gods, 1200lb of badly behaved horse would be dodgy. It took me a long time to get used to these heavily muscled horses too, and she isn't fit! She's a colored QH? Paint. Different registry but yes, you have it bang on the head, a coloured QH. She shares many of the same lines as my AQHA stallion
Freya looks so strong too, and like a little bandit. Amazing how she's come around, and a testament to your nursing and care. Thankyou, but I have had had a lot of help, and I am still reluctant to hope too much - pessimism is my defence mechanism
Maybe buy shares in sudocream for the future?!

I already have shares in that! and Banana Boat Factor 100 (I have a red haired, pale skinned daughter as well so they share )
Even Robin's eyelids burn and she will not tolerate a mask, so she spends most of the summer in the barn by day.

Today is a hmmmmmm, do we? or don't we? day. We took the tube out yesterday as she was suckling and we thought the tube was interfering, and that being a little hungry might encourage her to drink, but although she will nurse for a little she is incredibly dopey when it comes to actually latching on, or even finding the udder. Like a newborn everytime, she is at elbows, under the tail etc. It is so difficult to tell, I can't watch her all the time, and Robin's bag is never bursting so it must be going somewhere.

She has very little suck to her, won't take a bottle, or suck fingers ... so I am still very concerned, even though she is definitely brighter (ears up etc) and lying on her sternum now rather than stretched right out rigidly.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Is a dummy foal what we would call a big dopey bull calf, in cattle up here? Or is it something specific as a known cause? The calf often has been a big one that got squeezed on the way out or otherwise had a bad birth and is very slow to get going/slow to suck. Just wondered as it sounds rather similar.

I hope she makes it Enfys.

 

[Murphy88]

FfionWinnie - the technical term for dummies is neonatal syndrome - this can be any combination of the three syndromes that dummies can suffer with, ie neurological/gut/kidney disease. It used to be thought to only result from lack of oxygen during birth - so dystocias/red bags would be the typical ones, but we now know that you can get dummies from mares with placentitis or other conditions where there are inflammatory mediators floating round prior to birth.

I don't know much about cows but I have seen several dopey colt foals at birth, the ones that just don't seem to have much about them, lack the drive to actually get on and sucking, so I suspect it is similar to in calves. These foals generally get there act together quite quickly, and aren't dummies - boys just seem to be a little bit slow on the uptake sometimes!

 

[Thistle]

So pleased to see the update on the foal. Freya is one of my favourite names.

 

[Enfys]

Tube back in.

It is like Ground Hog Day every time when it comes to feeding.
Search everywhere for udder, finally find it, and then forget why she was looking for it. Even when there is milk absolutely spurting out.

As my Vet says, 'She is just not wired all the way to the top' at the moment, hopefully she will catch up with herself.

 

[Coblover63]

Give it time... from what I've read it can sometimes take two or three weeks before everything clicks into place. Small steps in the right direction x

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Bless, she looks a lot more animated, fingers crossed and just have to wait and see. She looks tons better, tho!

 

[MadisonBelle]

Any more news/updates/piccies?

 

[Enfys]

Any more news/updates/piccies?

Lots but can't do anything until this evening (and it is only noon here) because I am running around like a headless chicken - as usual.

Looking on the up anyway.

 

[stroppymare153]

That sounds great news.

 

[bay maverick]

That's sounding good, looking forward to more pics!

 

[gadetra]

I hope she has worked out some of her faulty wiring!
They are so powerful looking, I would not want to be in the way of them!

Hopefully she is out of the woods now, up and feeding well. Good luck future little powerhouse!

 

[_GG_]

Blimey Enfys, I had completely missed all of this. I remember a dummy foal when I worked with my vet for a while and it was well over a month before everything clicked into place so hopefully you'll be able to worry less soon.

Just to say though, they are both just beautiful x

 

[Enfys]

Waiting for the Vet again, it is highly likely that she now has joint ill.
If she does then she will be pts.

It is a bloody sickener because she has been such a happy, bouncy little thing for the past few days, ah well, she's had some sunshine on her back. That's breeding for you.

 

[_GG_]

Oh God Enfys...I am so sorry. Will be thinking of you and hoping for the best.Cxx

 

[Coblover63]

Oh NO! I really hope she doesn't have joint ill.... poor little beggar. What a horrible rollercoaster ride for you, Enfys. Hugs xxx

 

[AmyMay]

Been following this post.

Really sorry to hear about this setback.

Have everything crossed for the little fighter!

 

[Spring Feather]

Such a shame; she's such a lovely little thing. Good luck for this afternoon, fingers crossed it's not.

 

[MileAMinute]

Keeping fingers firmly crossed for you and the pair.

Breeding horses must be such a rewarding hobby/job, but the downsides ultimately catastrophic.

 

[_GG_]

Really been thinking of you Enfys and hoping it isn't joint ill or anything that can't be sorted.

Big hugs and vibes your way xx

 

[gadetra]

Ah god no, Jesus the poor little thing.
So so sorry to.hear this, she has come so far and you have worked so hard on her.
Oh dear, hugs to you.

 

[whisp&willow]

Fingers and toes crossed for you all Enfys. Hoping to hear good news next...

Keep fighting little filly. xx

 

[Feival]

I'm really hoping she's gonna be ok. Come on little Freya. please be ok

 

[Diddleydoo]

Fingers tightly crossed here.

 

[hayinamanger]

Oh, no. I really hope this is not so.