Filly won't nurse

[Korinne]

Jezabelle finally foaled at 630 this morning...a gorgeous buckskin pinto filly. She was up in record time, hopping around and looking for the milk bar. The problem is that she won't latch on...nipples are not engorged or hard to reach, mom is leaking milk...all she does is lick the milk that is dripping...but will not open her mouth enough to latch on. I have expressed colustrum twice and given it to her in a syringe, but I don't know how much she is actually swallowing. What do I do?? She is still very strong and active at this point.

 

[txminipinto]

Call your vet. It's imperative that she get the colostrum in the first 24 hours or she will be unable to absorb the antibodies from her dam. Your vet will want to an IgG test to see what her antibody level is. Good luck!

 

[HGFarm]

I agree!!! CALL YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY- time is most important with newborns!!! I would continue feeding the foal til your vet comes as it will need the energy, fluids and all the important stuff they need to get!!!

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]While waiting for your vet, wet your fingers with mothers milk and get them in the filly's mouth. See if she will suck on your fingers.... if she will do that then gradually move your fingers to the teat and switch over. Some babies just dont get it..... Get your vet to tube in some colostrum.... the baby needs at least 4 oz to get her started. It is imperative or you will lose her.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Korinne]

Thanks everyone...I just came from the barn. With some gentle coaxing, she finally latched on!! :aktion033: There isn't a more beautiful sound than a baby slurping away...and audibly swallowing...much needed nutrients. I will keep an eye on her for tonight and make sure she is nursing enough. Boy, do I need a drink!! After a tough delivery...babies head was turned sideways and mamma couldn't push her out over the widest part.of her head...and now this...my last nerve is shot!!!

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Thanks again.

 

[Minimor]

I keep a kitten bottle on hand, so if the foal is a bit slow to nurse or if the mare is crampy & disinterested (I've had 2 out of 3 that were like that this year--until their banamine kicked in they just weren't interested in having anything to do with their babies) I milk the mare & feed the foal with the bottle. I can squeeze the bottle to get some milk into baby's mouth, then that will usually encourage the foal to start sucking on the bottle. Once I know the suck reflex is there I try to get the foal nursing on the mare. Our colt was very slow this year--he absolutely didn't want the bottle, but kept looking under his mom. He kept missing the right spot, and when he did find it he wouldn't latch on. He'd touch it, then move on up to try and suck on the side of her bag. I tried squirting milk from the teat onto his nose--that got him a bit closer to the right area, then finally I put some in my hand & rubbed it all over his nose & lips. That seemed to be the incentive that he needed--he finally got latched on and it's been all systems go since then.

How much milk did you syringe into your foal each time? Did she seem to be swallowing okay, or did a lot of it run back out of her mouth? Getting the vet to tube her to make sure she gets enough colostrum soon enough is probably the thing to do, but until the vet comes I'd be inclined to keep milking the mare and feeding the foal by syringe or bottle. If you can get her nursing on a bottle that's a big first step at this point in time. If she won't take a human baby bottle or a bottle with a lamb nipple on it, try a kitten/puppy bottle--I've never had a foal refuse to suck on that tiny little nipple!!

Good luck with her!

Ooops, we posted at the same time. That's great that she's now started to nurse. Hopefully she can do it all on her own from now on!

 

[Beccy]

Only just read this, but glad baby has finally figured it out with some coaxing! Congrats on your new girl!

 

[Korinne]

I have been going out every 30 minutes and she is nursing very well now. She still seems to have some trouble latching on from mammas left side so she scoots around to the other side and nurses on both teats from there!! Silly girl!!

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I will post some photos tomorrow after she has unfolded those lonnng lonnng legs!!

Thanks for all your help!!

 

[FFFoxyGal]

SOOOO very glad that everything is going great!!!!!!

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Congratulations on your new little girl!!!!!!

:aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[Miniv]

Korinne,

I'd still have your vet run an IGG test on her.

MA

 

[capall beag]

Glad all is well!!

 

[zacharyfarms]

Congratulations on your little filly and getting her to latch on. Please have her IGg level checked just in case.

 

[Mona]

CONGRATULATIONS on your new filly! She sounds beautiful!

 

[MountainViewMiniatures]

:aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: can't wait to see the pics!

 

[eagles ring farm]

so glad shes doing well :aktion033: :aktion033:

congrats

lori

 

[rabbitsfizz]

So glad all is now well.

For future reference you need a "lamb teat" on an ordinary baby bottle. Milk the mare straight into the bottle and milk her quite aggressively- I will happily strip her out that first time as I keep all the milk anyway- this encourages the mare to produce more milk.

The lamb teat is very easy to get into the foals mouth and I have never had one refuse to nurse from this sort of teat provided the suck reflex is good.

It is also sold without a hole so you can make whatever size you wish.

If the foals suck reflex is not strong you can dribble milk into the mouth using this teat, which is much less aggressive than using a syringe, I have never used a syringe and feel it could cause aspiration in unseasoned hands.

I give my foals a bottle as norm, as I can then get a couple of hours sleep as the muconium is passed almost immediately when this happens, and, as I said, Arabs and Minis, I have never had a foal not take this teat.

I have never tried a human teat as I consider them much too small, hence the problems latching on.

Oh, sorry, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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