HELP! and prayers

[pepperhill]

My older mare suddenly, with absolutely no warning, foaled last night around midnight. It was 17 degrees. Thank heaven my husband was up late watching a movie because when he came to bed he saw the foal flopping around in the corral. I was asleep, and we would never have found him until morning if it had been any other night! We got it in the stall and took a blow dryer and a heating pad to it, but it was over an hour before his little mouth no longer felt icy cold inside. This little colt looks preemie! He has only 1/4 inch hair on his body and really no mane or tail hair to speak of. He also has no body fat. Bless his heart, he was trying to stand when we found him. Thank heaven Mom's milk came in about an hour after she foaled.

Pros......

Colt is breathing well, heart sounds strong. He has tried to stand twice since we warmed him up. Has a sucking reflex and if placed by mommas flank tried to bang around under there to find the milk. Tried to pass stool once, briefly, but nothing happened.

Cons....

I think this little guys nervous system is just not developed, he is doing that feinting thing someone was talking about on here just the other day. He also does that newborn "startle" spasm a lot. He cannot keep his balance, but he can stand if I help him get up, and even toddle around a bit. He tried to find the nipple but even when I direct him to it he is so busy sucking on his own tongue, he won't draw the nipple in. He cannot get under the mare on his own without falling over.

This is a fairly wild mare, but I was able to milk her a bit. Since midnight the colt has gotten about 60 cc of mommas milk and about 20 cc of milk replacer, by syringe. What do I do now? I have been out there all night trying to help him nurse. It is getting so the mare moves away whenever we come over to her, and she certainly doesn't like me milking her. How do I keep this little guy alive long enough for him to get strong enough to nurse?

This is all new to me

 

[kaykay]

im so sorry! i would get a veternarian out there asap to run igg levels and tube the foal etc sending prayers

 

[pepperhill]

I got ahold of one I am not particularly fold of at about 1 AM and got some advice, I am still trying to find someone who will come here. I'm afraid he will just get weaker and weaker. How much milk should they get an hour? Should I keep trying to milk my very angry mare for colostrum a bit longer, or go to replacer?

 

[kaykay]

shoot i know theres another thread that says how much per hour. Ill look again. He for sure needs as much colostrum as you can get in him. I would keep milking her if it was mine but you really need to get a veternarian out there. I know how frustrating that can be!!

 

[Marnie]

That other thread said 60 cc's per hour which I thought was alot but I'm not an expert. I do think you need to keep milking her and keep feeding the baby or you will lose it. Even if you have to get help holding the mare or restraining her, the baby needs to keep getting that colostum in it and right now. Good luck with it.

 

[Becky]

He's not getting nearly enough to eat and your going to lose him if you can't get more in him. A foal needs 1 ounce (30 cc) of milk per 10 lbs body weight per hour. 60 cc an hour if he weighs 20 lbs. YOu need to aggressively warm him with blankets, heat lamps, body heat. Whatever it takes and get milk into him hourly. If he can't latch and hold, then an NG tube needs to be put in place and feed that way until he's strong enough to nurse on his own.

 

[Mulligans Run]

Prayers and hugs - hoping and praying for a good outcome here. Keep us posted, but definitely get a vet out there.

 

[RJRMINIS]

Prayers to your little one!!!! I would get the vet out too!

 

[pepperhill]

I am ripping my hair out about the vet! I have now started calling everywhere I can think of.

In the meantime, baby is doing better. He is toasty warm in his two blankets and he is up walking around. I have gotten another 80 cc of colostrum in him and half an hour later he pounded back 2 ounces of milk replacer out of a calf bottle. He gets up and down by himself (not gracefully) he peed and passed an enormous muconium poop. His suck reflex is GREAT on the syringe and the bottle, but I get him up to mom and he just doesn't get it. He struggles and fights and carrys on. Right about the time I get the nipple in him and he gives a suck or two, he faints and I have to start over, OR, mom decides she has had enough and moves! I have her tied off, but all she has to do is shift her weight and he pops off the nipple. He gives a half hearted try at nursing off mom, and I haven't felt him swallow anything. I don't think he is latched on long enough to make her let down. I no longer think getting food in him is going to be the issue. The problem is going to be getting enough colostrum in him. I cannot get enough by milking her, and getting him to nurse off her instead of the bottle is not working well. I'm sure I could keep him full off the bottle, but I want that colostrum, and I want him on mom, not a bottle of milk replacer.

How can I get him to nurse off of her!!??!!

 

[Becky]

He may not be strong enough to 'latch and hold'. Keep feeding him as you are and if you can, see if you can get some colostrum from your vet. Then I would also get a milk replacer. More than likely, he will continue to try to nurse the mare and I would encourage it every hour. If he doesn't nurse her, then keep feeding him. Most foals would rather nurse their dams instead of a bottle, so he will likely keep going after her.

 

[kaykay]

our very first foal was a fainter just like this. Thankfully my vet came and tubed a bunch of colostrum in her to get her going. But it still took 6 hrs to get her to latch on. I know how crazy this can make you but you have to be patient. Even my vet couldnt get her to latch on. Once she was finally nuzzling in the right directiion i got out of the stall and watched and lo and behold she finally latched on. Sending prayers

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

Prayers going out from here as well! Please keep us updated when you can.

-Amy

 

[becks_cupid]

Hi

It must be a terrible feeling you are going through trying to get a vet out there.At least he has some improvement and thats better than none.Things are seeming never ending at the moment I guess but I am sure he will be fine he seems to be a little fighter.It helps to talk here when the vets are letting you down and you need that advice and comfort. Prayers for you and your little boy and chin up.There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I hope it comes soon and eases your worry.

Kel

 

[Dona]

Are there any updates on this little one? Last posts, sounded like he was doing much better.

:

 

[MyBarakah]

Yikes!

Sorry to hear about your new baby!?

Hope things work out!!!

 

[TinyMiteVillage]

Poor baby......but thank goodness he has you to help him...maybe he will latch on soon....

 

[CLC Stables]

Anxious to hear about some updates...........it sounds like you are working your behind off to make it work...............

 

[pepperhill]

Things are turning around! Our little guy is getting stronger and stronger all the time. I had been spending about 10 minutes every hour trying to get him to nurse, then milking the mare, then bottle feeding. All of a sudden, at about 6pm last night, I went out there to do the drill and the little guy was standing next to the mare. I noticed her nipples looked wet so I examined him a bit closer and there was one telltale drop of white on his chin! I backed the heck out of the way and the little squirt went back to business and had some dinner. He even switched sides! I was soooo relieved I got a bit choked up. I have still been watching him, and although he is still wobbly and neurologically undeveloped, he is eating on his own and is apparently getting enough at each meal. Hopefully time will allow him to develope further and he can get on with life. We are thinking about Peppers Dash O' Cayenne as a name as he has a lot of fire in that little heart. Thanks for all the support! Linda

 

[Dona]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW..............that's GREAT news!

: Sounds like he's going to do fine now. :aktion033:

 

[srpwildrose]

:aktion033:

I am sooo glad to read he is doing better...........what a scary thing to happen to you................sounds like you have been the perfect step-mom.......

:

Congratulations on all your hard work. Keep it going.

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