Twin Foals

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Hope they both continure to improve, keeping everything crossed for them, even came on here at 6 this am before turning my horses out to see how the little girls are doing... and have a feeling I'm not the only one!!!

A mare at a yard I worked at in the US had twin foals and both survived too so it does happen and your little girlies sound like they are getting the best care possible! Good luck :)
 
Hi

I have raised twin foals and both are still with us! They are 3 now :)

I know exactly how stressful this can all be, trying to decided what is the right course to take while having little past experience and being very sleep deprived! So my heart goes out to you!

I havent had time to read through all the posts on here, but i am sure you have had some great advice.

I will go now and find a thread that i got alot of help on from another forum at the time so that you can read my story.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to PM me. I will do my best to give some guidance, although obviously every situation is different.

Here is the thread

http://latigo.marestare.com/forum/index.php?topic=8515.0

unfortunatly the pics dnt work any more. but will post some on here when i get chance.

The best advice i can give you :

TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! having spent every waking hour with them since birth you know them best right now. trust what your eyes are telling you, its usually right! :)

Best of luck

Emily
 
Just read through all the posts - sending you more good luck and healing vibes. Hope they are both still doing ok today. Looking forward to hearing what happened after the vet visit. xx
 
Well done on getting them through the night! You must be shattered, even with two of you it must be hard work. Hang on in there, it is still early days for little ones, if the one that is laid down hasn't had much room in the womb then her legs may need to develop a bit more before she will have the strength to get up on them alone. Keep up the good work xx
 
What a day.

Well, first thing's first, they're both still with us.

Second thing's second - we have a filly and a colt, not two fillies. Bit of a mixup by the first vet which we never questioned due to the whole twins thing, we just carried on making them live. So that was the accepted wisdom, until this afternoon there was quite a lot of wee in a place we didn't expect it...

So, the filly, now doing well enough to earn the name of Silver Star, can get up unaided and is suckling. All bodily functions seem normal. With the half-litre of plasma the vet gave her this morning, we're told she now has as good a chance as any foal. She even had a little buck this afternoon.

The colt (unnamed as yet but still known as Flopsy due to his floppy left ear) is still very much in the touch and go position. He also had half a litre of plasma, as well as half a litre of saline, antibiotics, heparin, half a litre of mum's milk by stomach tube and an enema to make sure he's all connected up, which he seems to be. We're not entirely sure he's continent - he dehydrated this morning quite badly despite having taken feeds overnight - but we hope that's a maturity thing, given that his genitalia are very underdeveloped. But he's sure a fighter - he's never stopped trying to get up, even if it's just flailing legs.

So now we have one to concentrate on. We're getting him up to feed and encouraging him to support himself as much as possible. He's still keen to feed and takes a bottle well. We've made him a little area with warm blankets and hot water bottles to keep him toasty. And we've bought another dog jacket so that we can keep putting a dry one on.

The next 24 hours are critical. The vet has said there's very little chance he'll pull through, but popped back this afternoon and was mildly amazed that he's still with us and suckling so well.

I'll keep you updated as much as possible - another long night ahead... Thank heavens I have an understanding boss!)
 
Glad to hear no.1 is doing well and no. 2 hanging in there. Did new vet have any wisdom on nutrition/how much foal needs to take on an hourly/two hourly basis to make sure little one is getting adequate nutrition?
 
Thank you so much for doing updates - even through the sleep deprivation.

I sure everyone who is following this thread is willing them both to keep making progress.

Hope that you have a good night - and hoping that another day will make them that little bit stronger x
 
Glad to hear your little girl is doing well. Sending best wishes and hope for your little boy. I hope he can find some strength to keep fighting. Good luck and keep up the good work, i bet your cream crackered!
 
Great news about the filly, she sounds like she's doing amazing! I wouldn't give up hope on the colt, he sounds far more alert and able then many of the foals I have dealt with and the majority of those have made it - the average dummy foal has an 80-90% chance of survival with the right care (which he sounds like he's getting). The fact that he can stand with help and knows how to suckle is a really good sign - dummy foals can be completely comatose (or seizuring) for the first 3 or 4 days of their life, and by a week old will be up and learning to nurse. Hopefully he will be up a bit quicker than this for your sake, but as long as he is bright and still sucking hopefully he will keep going the right way.

SusieT - I would think that the aim in a foal this age would be a minimum of 10-12% BWt per day, don't know how big the foal is but in a 50kg foal thats 400-450ml every 2 hours. Obviously the OP is limited by the foals own appetite, and the fact she can't tube the foal every 2 hours to ensure he gets that much, but the fact that the colt is bright and still suckling means hopefully his appetite will improve and he will start in enough to support himself.
 
The vet has estimated that the foal is about 30kg, and I've just got 150mls of milk down him, so that's right on target.

So, we'll see - more good vibes and crossing of fingers, please!!
 
Massive vibes for the little lad, have been checking in and out all day (while at work) to read updates, keep up the hard work you should be proud of yourselves, everything crossed for you x
 
Sending huge vibes to the little man


Henryhorn hand reared a foal that I met as a 4 yr old. She was bold but not rude at all so I would drop her a pm for advise if you need it.
 
Vibes and good wishes I can do. I have everything crossed for the little fellow and don't think there is anything above what you are doing will make any difference. It's up to him. Your care sounds exemplary and your updates cheery and realistic. You sound grateful for the positives and accepting of the vet's opinion without it affecting your efforts towards a good outcome.

Good luck
 
fingerscrossed with the twins
cant give any advice but wishing you the best
keeps us updated

my friends TB had twins(they tried to pinched one out) a few years back unfortually the colt died soon after it was born..all fully formed,the filly survived and going strong as the owner has still got her although only made approx 14hh out of a 15.2
 
Cor I have just read this whole post! It sounds like you are doing a amazing job. Fingers crossed they both carry on improving :)
 
Oh my word!! I have just seen this!! What a miracle!! Huge hugs and sending big best wishes to you all!

Even tho your tired thank you so much for taking the time to post xxx
 
Ditto all above. Good luck, you're doing an amazing job. You're little ones have so many well wishers xxx
 
been following this post and just want to add best wishes for the colt and glad filly is doing well. I really hope flopsy makes it. Well done for all the updates.
 
Oh fingers tightly crossed for the little lad! Floppy seems like a name that will stick :) I like it, it's endearing. Sounds like all 3 of them are getting all the care possible and as has been said, the fact that the colt is so bright and eager to feed is such a major bonus, he knows what to do and he knows he likes milk. Keep at it. As I think I said before, they're lucky to have you guys! Thank you for the updates.
 
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