Mare with early bagging now dripping milk at 275 days

[ShaunaL]

Hi again guys,

I posted last week about my mare who had started developing a bag fairly rapidly. She is due April 5. This morning she had what looked like light gray wax beads about 1/8" long on each nipple. They were not yellowish like I've seen on mares before. I fed everyone and when I checked on her again they were gone and she is dripping milk. It is very cloudy grayish-white and slightly tacky. She dove right into her breakfast though. She was put on Regumate last week to slow things down and that seemed to be working until today.

So... she is 275 days today. My vet is on standby but says there is no chance this foal will be viable if born anytime soon.

Anyone have mares that dripped milk then held off foaling for.. say... another couple weeks?? Please??? She is acting normal, eating, very interested in everything I'm doing as usual (she's a nosey little thing).

Hoping and praying that this is a full-term baby from an earlier breeding that somehow snuck through two ultrasounds and a heat cycle but I don't think that's very likely. I'm ready to be proven wrong though!

I do not have a source of colostrum yet - anyone have some frozen they could sell to me, just in case?

Just looking for some hope I guess

 

[Becky]

On no, this is not sounding good. I hate to be an alarmist, but did you also put her on SMZ's and Banamine too? I'd double dose her Regumate. You need to see if you can stop her, but it may be too late. I haven't had one dripping milk that I stopped, but I sure have had them bagging up fast and too early that I prolonged gestation on until the foal was viable using the above treatments. Please keep us posted.

On the brighter side, maybe she did get in foal at an earlier date and is due now.

 

[Magic]

I've had a mare at full-term that was waxed up for a week, and another that dripped milk for several days. Somehow I don't think that is going to make you feel better though, sorry.

I'm with Becky, here's hoping that she settled on an earlier breeding! *fingers crossed*

 

[ShaunaL]

Thank you Becky. Yes, she's on Regumate and SMZs, no Banamine though. I'll increase her Regumate for the next dose if she holds out til then. She's still acting normal so we'll see.

Please be a full-term baby!!!

 

[Floridachick]

How is she? I hope she caught early!

 

[ShaunaL]

How is she? I hope she caught early!

As of now she is just standing in the middle of her stall. She ate a couple handfuls of her breakfast then left it. She hasn't been eating much at one time lately. She eats small amounts through the day. Still dripping milk. I'm heading out there soon to do some cleaning. That sure works with most mares to keep them from foaling

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Becky's advice is good, I would double the Regumate, continue the SMZs and start her on Banamine for SURE i... Every day the foal stays inside is a day closer to viability. I had 2 premies last spring. The first was at 284 days and only 9 pounds. Both made it with a lot of work and medical attention.

Robin

 

[minih]

We had a mare in 07 that tried to go into labor at 282 days, she was making a pretty good size bag and we called the vet and he put her on regumate, SMZ's and banamine, we had a foal at 297 days. All was good, she had a pretty little filly that was a little lax on the back legs but had straightened up in a couple of days. The longer you can keep that little one in there the better.

 

[mizbeth]

Hi Shauna

I had a mare foal at 282 days. The mare was a maiden mare and after the foal was born she wanted to turn and watch it each time she tried to nurse so we had to infuse her. The filly was down in her back legs too. It was very labor intensive but we saved the filly and later the dam decided it was okay to let her nurse.

I am thinking your mare settled on the first date. So she will not be so far off. I would try to locate some colustrum though and have it on hand as your Vet may be on another call when the baby is born. The mare is losing all her colustrum now so even if the baby nursed she wouldn't get any. You can give it by syringe, by mouth. I'm thinking 30cc? I would have to check or someone here can tell you what to give. The sooner she is treated the better. At least you are getting notice.....this could have happened suddenly (early I mean) without any warning to you.

Good luck, you can call some local breeders around your area. Perhaps someone will have colustrum they will share with you? It keeps a long time so should be okayeven if from last year, then have your vet out to check her asap.

We always count 11 months from the first breading date to delivery.

Good luck,

Beth

 

[ShaunaL]

I'm watching her on camera. She's a little restless but she's pretty high strung to begin with, so it's hard to tell what is her being uncomfortable and what is her being a spaz. She has been doing some butt pushing on the wall. Still dripping. She hasn't touched anymore of her breakfast but she's been nibbling some of the Bermuda bedding. I gave her some Banamine. Mostly she's just standing in the center of her stall with episodes of walking in circles.

I'm going to post on some boards about the colostrum and call some of the local breeders.

Thanks for all the advice and info! 282 days isn't that far from now - so maybe we can nurse her along until then.

(Edited to add pics from this afternoon)

You can see the drops on the nipples.

 

[Joanne]

287 is the earliest I have seen here.

I know there are some miniature horse breeders that live at high altitudes that routinely have foals early and are successful saving them, but they use the same things that have been mentioned here; TMZ, Regumate, and Banamine.

We are all pulling for you. Keep us posted.

 

[Becky]

From looking at her udder, I'm going to say that you are not going to hold off anything she decides to do. She looks ready to foal NOW! If it's any comfort at all, all of my late term aborters, never did bag up fully. With the bag your mare has, I'm hopeful that she is full term now. I would guess that she will foal within the next 24 hours. Good luck and hope all goes well! Keep us posted.

If she is pacing some now, she is possibly in first stage labor and things could progress soon. I wouldn't take my eyes off of her.

 

[ShaunaL]

I am watching her like a hawk Becky thank you! Wow, I hope she waits more than 24 hours.

(Thanks for the heads up Beth!) She's on camera so I can watch her from the house when I'm not with her. With a one year old, a 5 year old and a 7 year old I don't know what I'd do without the camera for watching! Evenings at the house can be a little busy...

She's being pretty quiet right now.... I'll be up all night with her so I'll kee you posted on changes if I can.

 

[Charlotte]

That udder sure does look READY! I have everything crossed for a healthy full term baby.

Charlotte

 

[ShaunaL]

Seeing an increase in her pacing and starting some yawning and side biting... sigh....

 

[Becky]

Do you have a Breeder Alert or an Equipage? Somebody else who can help you watch? So you can get a bit of sleep? Although, yawning and pacing are pretty good signs she's going to foal soon.

Do you have your foaling kit ready?

 

[anyssapark]

Your heart must be in your throat waiting to see what happens! I wish you all the luck in a safe arrival of a full term foal. My thoughts are with you, please keep us updated

 

[ShaunaL]

I have Equifone but it's NOT WORKING

My husband was looking at it but called called away to an emergency late this afternoon (he's a small animal vet). He'll fix it when he gets home so hopefully it'll be back up for tonight. I also have a foal buzzer that I'll put on her if it's not fixed in time. Better than nothing, although she doesn't like the buzz. She just finished a round of pacing and is standing quietly in the center again.

Yes, I am very anxious waiting right now. My head tells me it's going to be too early but my heart is holding on to some hope. I just wish it was over and we knew already!

 

[Brandi*]

Just now reading this. You have had so much on your plate Shauna! I'm sorry things can't just go the way they are supposed to Hang in there. I will be praying for you guys.

 

[White Socks Miniature]

Sending good thoughts for a healthy, full term baby!