Maiden Mare - Nearly 5 weeks over - 375 days!

Lark

Lark

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Hi All,
I posted worried about this when we were still in the 360's!! the vet doesn't seem to be overly concerned still and didn't even think it was neccessary to come out and check her.
Is this not a bit worrying at this stage??
 
Your vet sounds a bit unsympathetic - it's a worrying time for mare owners and a little reassurance wouldn't have gone amiss! BUT - don't panic. Go and read this article - http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/overdue.shtml - by one of the most experienced and knowledgeable equine repro people I know! In particular, take note of this part of the article:

"Foaling days after 370 days of gestation are not uncommon and usually do not represent a problem.

* The longest live foal delivery on record is 417 days!
* Foals born after a prolonged gestation are often small in size as a result of a delayed uterine development period, and rarely present foaling problems as a result of "having grown too big".

So as long as your mare seems well in herself, you've got a further 42 days to wait before she beats the record!! If you see anything about the mare to worry you, then tell the vet it IS necessary for him to come and check her, as worry could send you insane and you might just murder him!
 
The horse is one of the only mammals that can carry on with the pregnancy and control the growth of the foal so that it doesn't get to big to come out naturally.

Jennie was a month late with Archie and all went well...
 
Lol thank you so much everyone - Really good advice and this has gone a long way again to making me feel a little less nervous - a little less sleep deprived no!
Thanks JanetGeorge I will be right on that article.
Thanks again
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Well if you can persuade your vet to come out do! We had a maiden pony mare at work and on day 370 (yesterday) the vet rectally examined her yesterday morning and she foaled at 2.30pm in the paddock
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She had a chestnut filly. Also, my own mare was having problems in the latter part of her pregnancy and I too had to insist that the vet came out to examine her. Vet came on the Friday and my mare foaled in the early hours of the Sunday morning, having had a very uncomfortable 24 hrs. No idea if the vets internal examinations persuaded each foal to get a move on or not, but it would seem likely IMO
 
I would NOT want the vet doing a rectal (OR a vaginal, in particular!) in a heavily in-foal mare unless I was very convinced there was something seriously wrong. The foal will come when it's ready.

Of course if there is a discharge, or the mare is definitely not well, or she appears to be having labour pains with no progress, that's another matter. Otherwise, the less interference, the better!
 
I agree about vaginal - though if the mare has suspected placentitis for example, being spec'd to check the cervix may be a good idea, but then placentitis falls in to your seriously wrong category.

As far as rectal exminations and scanning is concerned, it totally depends on the vet IMO. Ours is one of the stud specialists from Rossdales.
 
Thanks for all the advice - She is not one bit concerned; it is only us idiots that are up the walls. As she doesn't seem in any discomfort maybe we will just leave her as is for a few more days.
 
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