Thoughts on inducing.

[paullam9]

Right long story short.

Last Friday Rosie went to summer grazing. She was out from 8.30am till 9.30pm. When I got her in she had a bad colic.

We have kept to the same routine out early and In late. But yesterday morning I noticed that her teats have got smaller her bum is less soft and her vulva has tightened back up.

Got vet out and he was worried that she has no milk and that her vulva is to small now. He did a check and he could feel the foal but was talking about inducing Rosie if she doesn't foal in the next week as he's concerned that the foal will be to big for her to get out.

So my questions is what's everyone's thoughts on inducing.

Thanks xxx

 

[Clodagh]

My understanding is it doesn't work as the mare doesn't release a 'get your lungs ready' hormone until the end. Also it is the foal who triggers birthing, not the mare. I don't know that in practice, just from reading, and I may not be 100% right. I know I was told I couldn't induce my mare, even though she went well over a year and the foal was a giant.
What a worry for you.

 

[Alec Swan]

O_P, I too would worry about inducing a birth where the expectation was a live foal. In fact, the more that I think about it, the less that I'd fancy the idea.

We had a mare last year, who subsequently lost her foal at 36 hours of age, and for some while (days?) before the birth because she didn't appear to be making milk, she was fed Domperidone(sp), and that had the effect of encouraging the milk supply, which in turn had the effect of precipitating parturition. With our foal, and it was a very strange pregnancy anyway, though the foal was up and feeding, and despite the very best of professional care, the foal went downhill, and was eventually pts.

Perhaps it might be an idea for you to PM Sallyf, on here, as she will probably have clearer thoughts.

Good luck.

Alec.

 

[paullam9]

Thanks guys for the replys. My main concern is the safety of Rosie. Hopefully she will not have to be induced and the foal will come when it's ready.

Going to speak to the vets again on Wednesday and I'll call the stud for their advice.

Xx

 

[Maesfen]

I know my vets wouldn't entertain the idea at all; it would/could lead to serious complications if things aren't properly ready. Is yours a proper stud vet or a general practioner, you need expert advice on this?

 

[popsdosh]

Did the vet confirm the foal was still alive? The symptoms you describe would worry me as they obviously did you to get the vet in.

 

[paullam9]

I know my vets wouldn't entertain the idea at all; it would/could lead to serious complications if things aren't properly ready. Is yours a proper stud vet or a general practioner, you need expert advice on this?

We went over most of the details of inducing most of them cons. I'll be contacting the stud on Monday to get their advise.

Did the vet confirm the foal was still alive? The symptoms you describe would worry me as they obviously did you to get the vet in.

He confirmed the was there but he could say if it was alive of not. He felt movement but that could of been Rosie tensing up. They deffo have me worried.

Xx

 

[Corvedale1]

I have looked into induction as an option for my mare with pre pubic tendon rupture. All of the vets and experienced breeders I have spoken to have ruled out induction on the basis that a foal born before it is ready is highly likely to have developmental problems. Unless the mare's life is at risk from continuing the pregnancy I would not consider it.

A friend of mine lost a foal 2 years ago when she moved the mare onto a clover rich pasture late in the pregnancy with nothing apparently wrong with the foal it was just stillborn. Her vet said that this can happen and that they should be kept on the same pasture and routine as far as possible, difficult though if you are at a livery yard or have trashed winter fields. Hopefully your mare has just slowed down a bit and will get going again of her own accord soon.

I feel for you as it such a worry. Hope all goes well.

 

[sallyf]

Right long story short.

Last Friday Rosie went to summer grazing. She was out from 8.30am till 9.30pm. When I got her in she had a bad colic.

We have kept to the same routine out early and In late. But yesterday morning I noticed that her teats have got smaller her bum is less soft and her vulva has tightened back up.

Got vet out and he was worried that she has no milk and that her vulva is to small now. He did a check and he could feel the foal but was talking about inducing Rosie if she doesn't foal in the next week as he's concerned that the foal will be to big for her to get out.

So my questions is what's everyone's thoughts on inducing.

Thanks xxx

Mares can often colic late in pregnancy as the foal can be sitting on the colon.
We have just sent a mare and foal home and that mare foaled virtually daily for about 2 weeks until 2 days before foaling.
That particular mare will bag up and foal in 2 days so I wouldn't worry about that ,some will bag up as they foal.
Inducing is a big no no in horses , if the foal isn't ready to come out it wont survive and as Clodagh says there lungs only become ready for the outside world in the last 36 hours before they foal.
If the foal has died she will abort it within around a 48 hour window , they don't tend to say inside the mare long once dead

 

[Maesfen]

Very sensible words Sally.

 

[hayinamanger]

Inducing a mare is not something any vet is likely to recommend, The 'birth' would be so rapid, you would probably lose the mare and foal.

Just be vigilant and let nature take it's course.

 

[Murphy88]

As already mentioned, inducing is really not a viable option if you want a live foal (and a foal that will stay alive). Mares have such variable gestation lengths that it is impossible to know when a foal is ready even if going by due dates. Even with milk electrolyte testing you are taking a big risk. We have a number of high risk pregnancy mares that come in for elective c-sections where I work, and for every one we will wait until the mare is actively foaling - the one I had last week had fetal membranes showing before we did anything.

Even if the mare is at term if you induce you will end up with a dysmature foal that will likely go dummy and probably have respiratory compromise from lack of surfactant on the lungs. It can be a worry when mares go backward like yours and certainly I would be having an experienced repro vet have a look, ideally doing an ultrasound to check placenta/fetal viability, but I have seen plenty that have waxed and waned in how ready they look in the final weeks. I don't like bashing other vets but I think yours is giving very bad advice - you have more chance of getting a live foal from a dystocia due to foal oversize than you do from an induced parturition. If in doubt it is relatively easy to scan and measure a foals chest width to get a guide of how big it is for its gestation - a good repro or internal medicine vet will do this.

 

[Fides]

What is the mare's gestation? They can go a scarily long time over.

 

[paullam9]

Hi guys. Sorry for not replying back. Been busy talking to vets and catching up on sleep lol 😁

Spoke to my vet yesterday. There is a concern with the colic but I've just to keep an eye on her.

He doesn't want to induce her unless there was something wrong with her.

So now it's a wait and see game with Rosie. Keeping a eye on her bits and keep her to the same routine.

Will keep everyone informed on her progress.

Thanks to everyone who replyed your info was greatly appreciated and it helped out my mind at ease

Thanks Paulla xxx