Maybe lethal white foal?

[cherylsminis]

I went to another breeders house yesterday and she had a filly that was born sunday morning that was not nursing. The baby was in the pasture with mama and several other horses. She tried to nurse several times but the mare would not let her. We held mare but then the baby would suck for a min. and give up. The foal was already weak at this point. We milked mare and fed the col. to foal with seringe (too weak to suck). the lady thought she maybe lethal white and would die anyway so I brought her home to try to make her comfortable. She is solid white with blue eyes. A nurse friend came and gave her one bag of glucose and the foal started to feel better. I have been feeding her milk replacer with a seringe every few hours. She is urinating and has had a small bm (yellowish mush), since I got her home yesterday afternoon. Please forward any advice you may have. Do lethal whites die within a few hours of birth or can they live 24 hours?

Thanks!

 

[RJRMINIS]

I went to another breeders house yesterday and she had a filly that was born sunday morning that was not nursing. The baby was in the pasture with mama and several other horses. She tried to nurse several times but the mare would not let her. We held mare but then the baby would suck for a min. and give up. The foal was already weak at this point. We milked mare and fed the col. to foal with seringe (too weak to suck). the lady thought she maybe lethal white and would die anyway so I brought her home to try to make her comfortable. She is solid white with blue eyes. A nurse friend came and gave her one bag of glucose and the foal started to feel better. I have been feeding her milk replacer with a seringe every few hours. She is urinating and has had a small bm (yellowish mush), since I got her home yesterday afternoon. Please forward any advice you may have. Do lethal whites die within a few hours of birth or can they live 24 hours?

Thanks!

I think if she is passing stool, then this would not be a lethal white....My understanding is why they die, is they can't pass the meconium. So if she is passing poo, then I would think she is not a lethal white....But someone else can probably tell you more! Good luck with her!

Here is something I copied:

Long time breeders of paint horses have always dreaded the birth of an all white foal. These foals will usually die after hours of painful colic. Since these foals do not develop nerve cells in the lower part of their gastrointestinal tract, they are unable to pass their meconium, the foals first feces. Lethal white foals are usually produced when an overo mare is crossed with an overo stallion. Overo paints have been defined as horses where the white marking starts under the belly and moves up, they often have white faces. Tobiano is the other type of paint horse that is described as having white starting over the back and moving down with white legs. These two types of paints are genetically unrelated, so the lethal white syndrome is a genetic disease linked only to the overo.

Owners of overo mares should be aware of the symptoms these foals will exhibit. Besides being all white, the foals often have blue eyes and clear hooves. They nurse and appear normal for the first few hours. At about 5 hours after birth they may start to show signs of colic such as looking at their flank, straining to urinate and rolling. They develop pain because they cannot pass their feces. No treatment has been found and the most humane course of action is to euthanize the foal as soon as possible.

The encouraging news is that the gene that causes lethal white syndrome has been found. So now genetic testing can be done to identify carriers of this gene. The easiest way to prevent this disease while still breeding for overo horses is to cross an overo with a solid or tobiano horse. This makes the lethal white syndrome extremely rare and gives about a 50% chance of producing an overo.

 

[Becky]

Lethal whites can live 24 - 48 hours and they can initially pass some meconium in the lower part of their intestine. If she's passing yellowish stools, then it sounds to me like that would be milk and she may not be LWO. It's critical that she recieved enough colostrum.

She needs to be fed hourly around the clock now. 1 ounce of milk per 10 lbs body weight. It doesn't sound like she is getting enough. Does she swallow what she is being fed? If not, she may need to have a nasogastric tube put in for feeding for a few days. She could easily be a maximum white sabino or splashed white and no LWO involved. Please keep feeding her and let us know how she does. I would advise having a vet out to run an IgG on her as well.

 

[Minimor]

From what people have told me, & from what my vet book says, a lethal white foal will be bloated & colicky by the time it's 12 hours old. Since nothing can move through the intestine the foal won't really pass anything at all; give the LWO foal an enema & clear fluid will run back out. I'd say things sound promising for this foal you took in!

I definitely agree this baby needs to be fed hourly.

 

[Beccy]

Just wanted to send best wishes for you and this filly. If she is not a lethal white (and certainly I pray she isn't) then I hope she starts feeding well for you and hangs in there. Good luck.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Glad you rescued her.... keep trying, she doesnt sound lethal white to me either. What are her parents? She probably needs an ounce an hour. With a syringe that is 30 ML or CC same thing. See if that mare cant be milked more to get more colostrum. Landolakes makes a foal milk replacer if you can get that. Good luck! I would get the vet to put in an NG (Naso-gastric tube) for a while to make feeding her easier.[/SIZE]

She can rest that way and doesnt have to exert to suck or swallow.

Lyn

 

[Mona]

Sounds like you are this filly's angel! Good work for taking her home to try and make her more comfortable, even in knowing she would probably die. As it sounds though, I doubt she is a lethal white, and hope that the owner at birth lets you keep her, complete with paperwork, if she pulls through for you. Good Luck with your new little one!! Also, I agree, it is very important that she gets LOTS of colostrum!!

 

[Bramblehill]

I'm updating for Cheryl since she's headed to the vet to have an NG tube put in. I was with her yesterday when we got the little girl, and she was a fighter earlier when she had more strength!

Thanks for the helpful replies and please keep up the prayers!! That little baby couldn't be more angelic if she had wings. If I knew how to post a pic, I'd send one( with her little pull-up diaper on and her chin on her tiny feet )

 

[Gini]

deleted

 

[Bramblehill]

Thanks for posting the pic!!!

About the parents- her sire and grandsire top and bottom are frame overos. Dam is black with a wide blaze.

Her dam and sire both had the same father, if I understand right- a silver frame overo, I sure am hoping this little lady is just a maximally expressed overo. I think I see a little timy mustache (maybe wishful thinking)

 

[sixshooterfarm]

Oh she is just the sweetest thing you have ever seen! I must say I love the diaper idea! I woulsd think it would only work with a girl tho lol! Oh what a sweet heart, if she needs a new home I will take her !!!

 

[RJRMINIS]

I'll keep praying for her to make it!!!!!!!!!! Bless you for taking her in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep us updated, she is beautiful!!!!!!

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

oh my gosh! keep feeding that baby! and I will keep the prayers coming!!!!!!

 

[Miniv]

If she's pooped, she's most likely NOT lethal white, according to everything I've read.

I sure do hope the vet gives the little one an IGG test, and the plasma if necessary. It didn't sound like she got enough colostrum.

To encourage her to suck on the bottle, you may want to put some mollasass on the nipple. And KUDDOS to you for trying to save her little life.

I pray for a success story and not a heartbreak.

Blessings,

MA

 

[Beccy]

Oh what a little sweetheart! Bless you for taking her.

If she is not a lethal white, but is not nursing well, the suggestion of a vet inserting a naso gastric tube is a really good one. We had this done with a foal last year, and were able to feed him regularly without fear of him aspirating the milk into his lungs.

This would hopefully give that filly some strength to start sucking well on her own.

Good luck, prayers from here, and will be waiting for updates!

 

[Trish]

: So glad you took her home and saved her. Bless your heart. She is precious.

:

 

[hairicane]

Awww, how beautiful!!! If u can get enough milk in her she may come around fast. My little filly born last week was somewhat premature and could not suck. I had to milk mom(dangerous for me!) and syringe feed the filly. I even had to hold her head just right or the milk would just dribble back out. But at 24 hours old she suddenly figured out sucking and is now doing great!! Hope your little doll makes iit for u!!!

 

[kareng]

Good luck with her. I hope that she continues to improve.

kareng

 

[Robin1]

To encourage her to suck on the bottle, you may want to put some mollasass on the nipple

Another good thing to use is Karo syrup. I use the light colored one.

You need to feed her at least 60 cc's of "milk" every hour.

Good luck with the pretty girl, will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

Robin

 

[Dona]

[SIZE=14pt]OMG....what a little ANGEL!

: I pray that she is not a Lethal White (what the heck are these people doing breeding Frames to Frames anyway!!! :no: )[/SIZE]

BLESS YOU for taking this little dear in and trying to save her. Will be sending prayers that she pulls thru.

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