Mare Aborted.............This Is Long

[CharmedMinis]

My black mare Dixie, who we have been watching like a hawk due to previous problems, aborted her foal this morning.

The first thing I do every morning as soon as I go outside is check her vulva for discharge and take her temperature, per the Vet's orders.

Everything was just fine and normal. I fed everyone their alfalfa and went back 15 minutes later to give everyone their grass hay and she had expelled the fetus, placenta and all while standing up with no signs.

Everything was intact, not a even a hole in the placenta.

Dixie was at exactly 193 days gestation.

She showed no prior signs, no bagging or acting off. The one abnormal thing was that her manure has been ever so slightly loose since Monday, but not even loose enough to be called cow patties.

The fetus was a filly and is at the lab being tested and necropsied for anything abnormal. Unless something definitive and easily fixable is determined for the cause of this, we will not be breeding this mare again because of her past problems.

I hope these pictures can be used for good reference points, and I will be emailing them to Kim at CrayonBox for her to add them to the fetus development page.

This is exactly how the fetus came out of the mare

And with a ruler so you can see the size, again 193 days gestation

I then broke through the placenta but left the sack on the filly

And with the ruler

I then removed the sack from the filly

And with the ruler

A better visual of size

Picture for height. Filly's cannon bones were 2.5 inches.

Up close of head. Even at this stage, this foal's jaws lined up perfectly

Even though the pictures tend to distort things, especially the head, everything about this filly seemed very proportionate. There was no hair growth yet at all, only eyelashes.

If anyone is interested I have up close photos of the foal's feet/hooves and of the jaw and gums.

My mare seems to be doing fine and was pretty unconcerned about the whole thing. She needed some banamine but is resting comfortably this evening.

I'm fine, just sad, mostly for Dixie. I hope this information will be helpful for someone. If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[virginia]

Great pictures. That cord looks pretty twisted, could that have been the reason she died?

G

 

[Mijke]

Thank you for posting this. Please let us know the lab results.

 

[Robin1]

I was thinking the same thing as G. That cord is really twisted, wouldn't be surprised at all if that was the cause.

Robin

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have had foals born normally with cords like that. I really think this is a "just one of those things" thing. I'm sorry you never got to meet her and I'm sorry she never got to run. Some things aren't meant to be. Her size is about right for the dates shown.

 

[Southern_Heart]

I am so very sorry for you and your mare. The pictures are very educational for others that have never seen this and especially people that are new to miniatures. They will be great on Kim's site, CrayonBox

Thank you for sharing. And again I am sorry for your loss.

Joyce

 

[Becky]

Lindsay,

So sorry your mare aborted. Did you have this mare on progesterone by any chance?

 

[ruffian]

I lost the foal and the cord was like that. The vet said that's what caused it, at least in my case.

I'm so sorry for you and your little mare!

 

[WeeOkie]

Lindsay, I'm so sorry you lost your little filly.

Rita

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]So Sorry about your baby. Thanks so much for the educational pictures. I know this was a hard thing for you but sharing this will help us learn. The black spots on the placenta seem to me to be necrotic or dead areas on the placenta. IT could be that it detached because of that and the filly died from that. Only the experts can tell you for sure. Glad your mare is ok.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Marnie]

My cremello mare lost her foal last wk and it looked just like this. But my mare had the placenta hanging from her yet and the baby was laying there in the pasture. But the baby looked exactly like this, I could kinda see the spots and it was a filly but the cord wasn't attached so I didn't know what it looked like. But my guess was it was a 4 months fetus and when I said that to my vet, he was looking at and agreed. I was going to take pictures too (just for ecucational purposes) but Nate didn't know it and disposed of it. But thanks for putting these on, I learned something here. So Honey was further along than I thought. It was a palomino pinto filly, a planned pregnancy, these things are just so sad. I'm sorry you lost your baby.

 

[AS IF BY MAGIC]

What heartache for everyone, it's the not knowing why ?

I've only had one foal aborted earlier than this, I didn't get a good look at it as another mare had broke it up with her feet.

Do the ears move forward on the head as they grow ? sorry if it's a stupid question.

Keep your chin up.

 

[C & C Farms]

So sorry about your mare aborting, but thank you for sharing your pictures. They are very educational to see how foals develop. Hope you find out the reason why she aborted...keep us posted and good luck.

 

[Charlotte]

Oh, I'm so sorry! I know how VERY disappointing that is. ... just like a kick in the stomach

Thank you for sharing the pictures....and for taking such good clear ones. Everything in the pictures looked normal. In our cases the necropsies came back with all normal.

I was just wondering......Was your mare on Progesterone? Regumate, or the injectible? That would sure be worth a try. We have 2 that go on Progesterone (injectible) as soon as they go out of heat (after last breeding) then have them preg checked at 20 days. or after they are confirmed in foal at 20 days. Doing this has worked 100% for us with mares with a history of abortion.

It just seems to me that progesterone issues are more common in minis than in full size horses....from my experience.

I will wish you better luck next year.

Charlotte

 

[justjinx]

So very sorry for your loss.

Thank you for making the effort to photograph the fetus. I think it is really helpful for everyone!

jennifer

 

[Cathy_H]

I am sorry that your mare lost the foal. It is so disappointing! Bless you.

 

[Ashley]

I have never seen one abort with the placenta and all like that.

My mare I have aborted a few years ago and her filly came out like a normal birth then she cleaned shortly after. We didnt run tests, but we did see her take a good fall in the pasture when playing with the other mares so we figured that was the cause.

But to me, that tells me something was dead before head and it detached. Maybe she had a infections or something?

 

[Mercysmom]

Sorry you and Dixie lost a foal...hugs and prayers sent your way...

I went through that this past February when Independence aborted her grey filly at 7 months gestation, without much warning other than her belly started swelling rapidly in a 24 hour period...now if a pregnant mare here has no foal movement and starts the belly swelling thing , you can bet I am placing the emergency call to the veterinarian for a status quo on the foal...Indy's foal was upside down, legs tucked under and the head and neck was turned back... Indy is 29.75" tall and there was not a lot of room to get that foal out (I got it out after repositioning it) but our veterinarian said all was well when we needed her assistance to get the placenta out....luckily Indy is happy and healthy and enjoying life as a pampered pet!

I am on pins and needles with our new Modern Shetland who is expecting a Modern Shetland foal in May...anxiously awaiting next month when she will be 6 months along and I can feel the baby myself...she was vet checked in foal prior to my purchase but I am always nervous until first breaths, steps and drinks from the udder are taken.

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[Bluerocket]

Excellent pictures -- very sorry for your loss however.

JJay

 

[Miniv]

I'm so sorry for your loss.....You must be so terribley disappointed.

The photos are VERY good and very educational for people getting into breeding.

The placenta looks good and the foal looks normal for the gestation. My personal guess would be either an undiscovered infection in your mare's uterous or progesterone deficiency.

Wishing you all the best,

MA