Foal Deaths

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]I feel that unbroken bags take a lot of our babies... right behind dystocia... what do you think???[/SIZE]

April

 

[lvponies]

I just lost a colt Friday due to an unbroken bag. The mare had been under camera at night for a month. Put her out Friday morning around 8:30 and she was calmly munching on hay. Went to check on her at 12:00 and found a dead colt.

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[Miniv]

I would tend to agree with April.

I voted for unbroken bag as the Number One. Red Bags are less common than both the other choices, IMO. (At least for us.) In 16 years of having on average 10 to 15 foals, we have only had ONE RED BAG. That says a lot for us.

MA

 

[qtrrae]

I also agree with the unbroken bag - one of the many reasons why it is so important to be there when the mares foal.

To me it just seems like the bag on the mini foals is so much thicker then it ever was on our big horses. I don't ever remember anyone with a big horse foaling losing a foal because it couldn't get out of the sack.

 

[wildoak]

We have only lost 2 foals ever in the foaling process - both were dystocias. We had a filly born this morning who absolutely would not have gotten out of the sac had we not been there. It did not break, and mom didn't stand for about 10 minutes. When she did, placenta dropped out, not breaking from foal. We saw her go down on camera and were in the stall within a minute or so, foal was already delivered - and in the sac - when we got there. We have been watchful and fortunate enough to be there for nearly all the deliveries, or I'm sure we would have lost some that way. We have had a number of redbags, but have not lost a foal from it.

Jan

 

[lyn_j]

I have lost two foals to distocias, The only birth where the bag wasnt broken my vet and I both believe that the foal was dead before labor started. There was a large area of infarct, or separation on the placenta and it slid out with the foal and was lying on top of the foal and sack. I really believe that most foals that dont get out of the sack were already dead on arival. If you aspirate the nostrils of many of them there is no fluid in them meaning the foal didnt even try to breathe.

Lyn

 

[Sandee]

My only connection with breeding with on the stallion end but I have a friend that is kicking himself because he didn't wake up or the foal monitor didn't go off. They lost that one because the bag stayed intact. His wife managed to deliver a previous one that was breech and red bag. She turned it and tore the bag and revived the colt. Then they took it to the vet. Looks like he'll be fine.

You get lucky with one and then not another. Maybe I'm better off just sticking with the stallion side of breeding. Not so much heartache.

 

[River Wood]

Last year I came home from work and found a gorgeous bay filly dead on the ground near her dam, but the sack was COMPLETELY off. Unbilical still attatched to the placenta. Looked like a completely normal foal and was not nearly nor was she late. :no: Bad day!

 

[nootka]

I've only lost one in 11 years of foals. He was full term, and when I found him, he had the sac removed except over the nose and mouth.

Liz M.

 

[CyndiD]

I have had 2, one just recently where the sack did not come off.

This last one I believe the foal was born alive and just did not get the sack off. I tore it myself when I found him, and was able to tear it with my hands, but over his body and face it was so tight..almost like saran wrap. Thats the heartbreak... :no: