Help needed new foal in Northern CA

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My friend's mare has totally rejected her foal (born Thrusday June 19th). The mare/foal have been at Loomis since then and the foal is being fed around the clock (mare is drying up too) and had a plasma transfer already so doing well.

Unfortunately circumstances dictate she needs to find a better solution for the foal as the dam is in total hate mode and the vet hospital bill is already up over $2500 (and climbing at $200-350 a day)!

She works and goes to school full time so cannot be available for 24/7 feedings, but has some family to help out now. She may try to see if her other mare will take this foal as a solution, but I thought I'd check to see if anyone might have a mare that recently lost a foal or that would take a second foal on.

I sent her the articles on the 'feeding igloo' and how to care for the orphaned foal.

Again Northern California outside Sacramento if anyone has suggestions/ideas. Any and all help is appreciated.

BTW - Bonnie, awesome job on reading Dee. I wish she could be convinced this is a good thing : )

 

[Miniv]

Michelle, Unless a substitute mom can be produced that is WILLING.......it sound like the family has a bottle baby on their hands......

After a few weeks (I wouldn't push it until the foal is at least a month old) they can wean the baby to a dish. They really do need the sucking time from a bottle, if at all possible.........but you probably know that.

Oh, there IS a website out there and it was just posted a couple of weeks ago that unites mares who have lost their foals with orphans! Not sure how to do a search for it!

FOUND IT!!!

http://www.cyberfoal.com/

 

[Brandi*]

I am located near Modesto. She's probably a good hour and a half from me. I wish I did have a mare that could help out

Hope everything works out

 

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Thanks Mary Ann. She's trying to find some alternatives, but not much luck yet. My mare Deva last year was letting all the foals nurse - but this year she's not, so I don't even want to test that with this baby. I'm really surprised at her mare, but Bonnie Fogg has been helping so we're hoping that may make headway too!

I did give her the link to the min donkey that was raised with an igloo ice cooler as an option.

Thanks Brandi too - I'm over an hour away too, so hoping she'll be able to find someone closer to help out.

 

[Rodeo]

Hi, I live 15 minutes from Loomis Basin. I wish I had or knew of a mare to help but I don't. If I can be of any other help with the foal please let me know. Linda

 

[shelia]

How sad! I live in northern california too, but i din't have any foals this year. We are going to the Sacramento show tomorrow and i could ask around for you. You probably already know everyone that i know though. i know Pee Wee farms just took an orphan a couple of days ago, but I doubt she can take on another one. I sure hope she finds someone.

 

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Hi Sheila thanks for mentioning PeeWee - I have already spoken to Pam.

Right now her best bet is 24 hr bottle feeding - they're trying to get him to drink from a bucket, but I think he may still be too young for that.

 

[shelia]

Poor little guy! I am surprised that Loomis wasn't able to get him mom to accept him.

 

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Apparently she's very resistant to the idea. I'm surprised as she was born/raised here and has lived with my friend for three+years.

The mare is super easy to deal with, but honestly I think foaling was a bad experience for her and she thinks the little alien is the problem! Plus the stress of being at the vets and all - not a good start for a maiden mare that already doesn't like whats going on!

 

[LisaF.]

This may be a dumb question but here it goes.

Is the vet stalling them 24 hours a day?...If so, and if this mare is not used to that maybe she is under too much stress. Does the vet have a place to let her and her foal out to be by theirselves for a couple of hours? Maybe she just needs some privacy.

If this isn't the problem and you can't find a nurse mare I would also think this will be a bottle baby. My charmer would NEVER drink from a bucket. The baby bottle is the only way to go in my oppinion. Of course, with the slit nipple.