ConnemaraFolk
Active Member
So everyone, I'll just give you the facts firstly:
- 294 days pregnant today. Took last cover on the 12th of May, 2021. Not receptive to stallion on the 14th.
- 11 year old Mommy. Has had two babies previously. No problems.
- Was scanned in foal at 17 days with TWINS. One twin squeezed. Checked monthly (scans) for 4 months to make sure there was no issues.
- 16-3hh big framed NH TB mare, slimmer type of build. Difficult at the best of times to keep weight on. But had been doing really well over winter etc. Getting the best of everything.
So now for the story...
Mare presented a bit foot sore last Friday and little off form, staying away from her friends, not eating the same amount. I brought her in to the stables to monitor and give her the once over. Get her feet paired etc. I noticed when I took the rug off that she's not OVERLY big as in I was thinking "Jeez is this mare still in foal?". Thought I was being ridiculous as she is a TB and they don't all carry big especially because she's in foal to a Connemara stallion who is 14-2hh. Fast forward to today, I was cleaning her stable. Noticed she had only eaten half her haylage net. I turned her out into the arena with her buddy who she has known all year. For some weird reason, her buddy had a "moment" and cornered her in the arena and double barrelled her 3 or 4 times into her bottom, vagina and vulva. Of course I was panic.com. Brought her in, checked her over and just found she had a scuff of hair missing and some small lacerations/bruising on the lip of her vulva. Looked painful but that didn't overly worry me. When I was cleaning her wound with some disinfectant, I opened up the lips a small bit and noticed a bit of yellowy tinged mucus and thought "Oh no". I loaded her into the horse trailer and brought her straight to the repro vet. Vet pulled blood off her and while he ran that he handled her. Found no mucus in her vagina upon looking. Cervix was closed and not relaxed. No production of milk or bagging up. But he did say "But I wonder where this foal is if she is due in April?". So he ultrasounded her immediately and said she was incredibly "Deep" that the uterus was all the way "down". Found the foal. Saw the membranes/placenta didn't appear to see thickening but it was difficult to get a proper look due to the size of the mare. Thats when I said "She is meant to be due in a few weeks" and his response was "I wouldn't necessarily worry about that as she could end up carrying 4 weeks over her time, not uncommon this time of year". We waited for the blood test. Came back with MASSIVE amounts of white blood cells. He said she is fighting some very big infection which very well could be placentitis. He said to treat for placentitis regardless. He injected 2 x 20ml of some strong antibiotic I had never seen before into the vein and sent me home with Trimediazine antibiotic powders. 2 x per day and 12ml of regumate for the rest of the pregnancy.
Wondering if anyone can let me know their own personal experience with placentitis. Did it result in a viable foal? Should I be concerned that she is carrying small? I have only had one experience with placentitis which was pretty progressed and the cervix was already 4 fingers opened with relaxing behind, ended up aborting at 7 months. This mare is not at all like this. But I'm scared for her and I'm scared for her foal.
I know the longer we can maintain the pregnancy and hope the antibiotic kicks in, the better the foals chances are. Would love some optimism but would like to know some real life experiences too.
- 294 days pregnant today. Took last cover on the 12th of May, 2021. Not receptive to stallion on the 14th.
- 11 year old Mommy. Has had two babies previously. No problems.
- Was scanned in foal at 17 days with TWINS. One twin squeezed. Checked monthly (scans) for 4 months to make sure there was no issues.
- 16-3hh big framed NH TB mare, slimmer type of build. Difficult at the best of times to keep weight on. But had been doing really well over winter etc. Getting the best of everything.
So now for the story...
Mare presented a bit foot sore last Friday and little off form, staying away from her friends, not eating the same amount. I brought her in to the stables to monitor and give her the once over. Get her feet paired etc. I noticed when I took the rug off that she's not OVERLY big as in I was thinking "Jeez is this mare still in foal?". Thought I was being ridiculous as she is a TB and they don't all carry big especially because she's in foal to a Connemara stallion who is 14-2hh. Fast forward to today, I was cleaning her stable. Noticed she had only eaten half her haylage net. I turned her out into the arena with her buddy who she has known all year. For some weird reason, her buddy had a "moment" and cornered her in the arena and double barrelled her 3 or 4 times into her bottom, vagina and vulva. Of course I was panic.com. Brought her in, checked her over and just found she had a scuff of hair missing and some small lacerations/bruising on the lip of her vulva. Looked painful but that didn't overly worry me. When I was cleaning her wound with some disinfectant, I opened up the lips a small bit and noticed a bit of yellowy tinged mucus and thought "Oh no". I loaded her into the horse trailer and brought her straight to the repro vet. Vet pulled blood off her and while he ran that he handled her. Found no mucus in her vagina upon looking. Cervix was closed and not relaxed. No production of milk or bagging up. But he did say "But I wonder where this foal is if she is due in April?". So he ultrasounded her immediately and said she was incredibly "Deep" that the uterus was all the way "down". Found the foal. Saw the membranes/placenta didn't appear to see thickening but it was difficult to get a proper look due to the size of the mare. Thats when I said "She is meant to be due in a few weeks" and his response was "I wouldn't necessarily worry about that as she could end up carrying 4 weeks over her time, not uncommon this time of year". We waited for the blood test. Came back with MASSIVE amounts of white blood cells. He said she is fighting some very big infection which very well could be placentitis. He said to treat for placentitis regardless. He injected 2 x 20ml of some strong antibiotic I had never seen before into the vein and sent me home with Trimediazine antibiotic powders. 2 x per day and 12ml of regumate for the rest of the pregnancy.
Wondering if anyone can let me know their own personal experience with placentitis. Did it result in a viable foal? Should I be concerned that she is carrying small? I have only had one experience with placentitis which was pretty progressed and the cervix was already 4 fingers opened with relaxing behind, ended up aborting at 7 months. This mare is not at all like this. But I'm scared for her and I'm scared for her foal.
I know the longer we can maintain the pregnancy and hope the antibiotic kicks in, the better the foals chances are. Would love some optimism but would like to know some real life experiences too.
