S_N
Well-Known Member
Well due to me being over sensitive, I tried to not use this place and then tried to use another name, but that just didn't work. So here is the proper post introducing Matilda, born at 6am on Sunday April 20th, 2008. She's a lucky girl and so is B, as there was a real chance that I could have lost one or both of them. B had placentitis (self diagnosed and self medicated (oral AB's) I might add - but that is a loooong story that I'm not going into). She dripped/ran milk for 2 weeks, got a touch of endotoxemia (swollen joints - knees, elbows, hocks, stifles, but not fetlocks). I was told that she'd need specialist care at the horsepital if she didn't foal soon, she finally foaled!
After throwing herself around the box ALL bloody night - never quite sweating, but with veins popping out everywhere - all went quiet. So I rushed out and sure enough she was down, but I couldn't see any water coming out!! So rushed in with my long gloves on and a vetwrap (hadn't dared wrap her tail earlier on, as IME this can often make a mare back off....). Got her up, whipped her tail out of the way and sure enough, no sign of water having broken and when I put my hand in there it was, a thick leathery sack in my fingers covering a foot, followed by another foot. I managed to burst it whilst still way back in the birth canal - got soaked in the process, but this meant that the foal had hopefully not been fully engaged, so with luck would not be a dummy...... Thankfully the presentation was copy book and once she lay down again out popped these 2 white legs covered in spots (just like B's hind socks). Two big pushes from B and a hearty pull or two from me (wasn't quite sure how long foalie had been presented and I wanted it out ASAP and breathing!) and out plopped Matilda. B stayed down for ages and I gave her 2 notches of bute, as it hadn't been the easiest of times for her. I left Matilda still attached for as long as poss. Then B started to think about getting up (about 8 mins after foaling) and as the pulse in the umbilical cord had almost died away, I pulled M round to meet her Mum. I treated the navel, administered phosphate enema and tied up the placenta and left them to it for a while.
The placenta was revolting!! I wish I had taken pictures (I find placentas fascinating). It was thick and leathery and had turned brown and slimey in places - typical placentitic signs and the pregnant horn had lime green patches (I kid you not) and the non-prenant horn STANK!! This was obviously the reason for all of B's symtoms!
I had to insist that her IgG levels were taken by the vets the next day and sure enough I was right, she neede a Plasma Transfusion - in fact, she had hyper immune plasma.
These are not shavings, it's Sundown Yellow - I am allergic to straw and B coughs a bit on it too - though the very clean looking bedding IS shavings, that was put in after foaling!
Getting the colostrum down her - not that it did much good
1 day old
6 days old - she likes to canter!!
After throwing herself around the box ALL bloody night - never quite sweating, but with veins popping out everywhere - all went quiet. So I rushed out and sure enough she was down, but I couldn't see any water coming out!! So rushed in with my long gloves on and a vetwrap (hadn't dared wrap her tail earlier on, as IME this can often make a mare back off....). Got her up, whipped her tail out of the way and sure enough, no sign of water having broken and when I put my hand in there it was, a thick leathery sack in my fingers covering a foot, followed by another foot. I managed to burst it whilst still way back in the birth canal - got soaked in the process, but this meant that the foal had hopefully not been fully engaged, so with luck would not be a dummy...... Thankfully the presentation was copy book and once she lay down again out popped these 2 white legs covered in spots (just like B's hind socks). Two big pushes from B and a hearty pull or two from me (wasn't quite sure how long foalie had been presented and I wanted it out ASAP and breathing!) and out plopped Matilda. B stayed down for ages and I gave her 2 notches of bute, as it hadn't been the easiest of times for her. I left Matilda still attached for as long as poss. Then B started to think about getting up (about 8 mins after foaling) and as the pulse in the umbilical cord had almost died away, I pulled M round to meet her Mum. I treated the navel, administered phosphate enema and tied up the placenta and left them to it for a while.
The placenta was revolting!! I wish I had taken pictures (I find placentas fascinating). It was thick and leathery and had turned brown and slimey in places - typical placentitic signs and the pregnant horn had lime green patches (I kid you not) and the non-prenant horn STANK!! This was obviously the reason for all of B's symtoms!
I had to insist that her IgG levels were taken by the vets the next day and sure enough I was right, she neede a Plasma Transfusion - in fact, she had hyper immune plasma.
These are not shavings, it's Sundown Yellow - I am allergic to straw and B coughs a bit on it too - though the very clean looking bedding IS shavings, that was put in after foaling!
Getting the colostrum down her - not that it did much good
1 day old
6 days old - she likes to canter!!
