Missy's Foaling Thread --> UPDATE ---> WARNING ABOUT BROWN/BLOOD RED MUCOUS PLUGS

[Wings]

Yup, just make sure you're diluting in distilled water if you go that way

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Okay with the pool test strips she's coming in at around 250 for calcium and with the mare strips she's right at 6.4........is this meaning we still have a ways to go? Her milk is skim milk looking.....

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

okay scratch that I just ran the calcium test with pure milk and its testing almost to the 1000 mark not the 250. However with both the diluted and pure milk tests the ph was way off from the foal time tests so I'm trusting foal time on this one because of all her other signs.

Do you guys think we should have a foal within 48 hours?!?

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Yep her milk is sticky enough to where I need to wash my hands and its almost looking like two percent and skim milk together. White but slightly yellowish.

UPDATE- checked her vulva and she has some dried reddish brown discharge on her outer lips of the vulva and her tail wrap.....I'm assuming more mucus plug?

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

Yea sounds like we are.going to see a new one from her very soon! Cant wait!

 

[Eagle]

Sorry I was asleep, my mare sat at 6.4 for less than 48 hours.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Well I don't know what to believe anymore. Last night she was testing 6.4 with the foal time strips but this imorning she's testing 6.8. With the pool strips and diluted distilled water she's showing around the 250 calcium mark and 8.2ph. With pure milk she's reading not far away from 1000 mark on calcium and her ph skyrocketed of the chart. Back in 2010 I lost her filly due to red bag because I was using mother natures foaling kit and she never showed anywhere close to ready even 9 hours before she actually foaled.

My concern is that if I cannot rely on these strips to aid me in determining foal time then with having work and classes start up and only having a part time mare sitter it puts me in a conundrum. I've talked to my vet, told him the situation and he's assuerd me that if she doesn't foal by Monday morning then he will palpate her and if foals in position then we will induce.

I'm very concerned about her and the foals safety and that's mine and my vets concern. I've also come to the conclusion that she's going to be going to the foaling facility next year - she's so unpredictable and I'm not comfortable myself with her and with graduating college this fall and getting married next summer I won't have the sleep to spare.

Well as of this morning no changes.....

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I wish I could leave them open for next year but sampson is getting gelded this fall and id like to get two more foals out of him before his career is over as a stud and he starts his new career as a show horse. Unfortunately he just wouldn't do nicely with his breeding mentality in the show ring as he way too mare focused lol.

I got some new pool strips this morning as I was thinking about it and they say to store at room temperature but walmart had them sitting outside in the garden section? Maybe their validity was comprimised.

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

Oooo yes pics of daddy!

 

[Eagle]

I would stick with the foal-time strips, it can go up and down for a few days but then it should drop. Remember that milk testing is like the icing on the cake, she will only foal when everything else is in place: i.e baby cooked, baby dropped, mum is ready and finally milk. Inducing foals is a risky business but can be done, I will be inducing one of my mares this year, my vet will come morning and evening to check her and her milk and then when the moment is right she will induce. This decision didn't come easily but I have a mare that is a special case, my vet and I have talked it over and over and decided that it is the only way to get a healthy baby. I wouldn't advice inducing a foal unless there is a medical reason.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

This is what I saw this morning and when she stood up I checked her vulva and you could see her cervix and it was very soft looking. When she was laying down in this pic her hooha was gaped way open.....is this because of the foal getting in position and pushing on her?

By the way she had no sign of labor and there was no bag or broken water.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Gosh, I wish Diane would log on and take a peek....please I would suggest to keep a real close eye on her. Im just not sure what Im looking at (dah...Im such a newbie

) but it sure looks like shes darn close. I think Im going to give Diane a jingle. Sending prayers and hugs your way!!

 

[LittleRibbie]

No,Thank You Diane!!! I knew you would know if I were overreacting and I didnt want to waste time reading the entire thread. Im heading out the door myself but i just want to wish you luck and will pray that a beautiful foal will be on the ground for you very soon.

 

[AnnaC]

Yep! That picture shows a mare very close to foaling, with the foal 'pressing' to get out, but she will not foal until Mother Nature has everything in place for the coming baby and says 'yes, lets go now'!!

It can be very dangerous to induce a foal (unless medically needed) as the resulting birth can be very fast and traumatic for the mare. I had to induce a mare many many years ago, it left her totally shattered. There was no 'run up' to labour, just what seemed like a big crah straight into violent contractions, she never got time to catch her breath poor girl. Also the resulting foal seemed to be a bit 'odd', sort of not quite with us for a few days, almost as though the rushed birth had left him a bit befuddled! Plus we had a few problems with the milk supply as I dont think the hormones needed to trigger the milk actually got themselves 'activated' due to the lack of the 'run in' to the actual foaling. I'm putting this down as simply as I can, it was actually much more complex and not something I would want to repeat again. Both mare and foal were fine within a few days, but did require some constant nursing for a while. I'm sure that nowadays things are much more advanced and it will be possible to induce labour more slowly/naturally than back when I experienced it, but I just wanted to let you know what happened with my mare.

I think Missy will be presenting you with a new baby very soon. Good luck and safe foaling!

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

She's been laying down a lot more, kicking at belly, pushing her butt against the stall door, laying down and getting up , laying flat out, looking at her belly and today at turnout she's been a hog over the hay to her buddy and she never does that.

Its been taking her 6 or so hours to finish her grain when normal for her is 30 minutes......

Does this pushing on her rear mean the foal is in position and ready to go?

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Yep I will be home and on Saturday my family is coming over to watch her while I'm at work.

Does anyone think I need to call the vet out?

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

Yes, how is she looking? New pics please?

 

[LittleRibbie]

Just wondering how shes doing today? Dont keep us waiting too long unless your trying to get photos of the "baby" posted.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Well no changes in her at all today. Only thing new is she moved all her straw around in her stall to where only the dirt bottom was left. Nesting maybe? Heck I don't know. I just tested her and they were as follows:

pool strip with distilled water: (1 part milk 3 parts water)

100 calcium

8.2+ ph

pool strip with pure milk:

1000 calcium

8.2+ ph

foal time strips (tried 4 times with 4 strips)

6.4 with one

7.0 with three

I don't believe these strips are what they are led to be. Not bashing but I'm definately saying that they aren't meant to be used with all mares and definately not a reliable method, IMO. I tested them one straight after the other with clean hands and got different results. Missy is the only mare that gives me heck like this so she's 100% going to a foaling facility next year. I've foaled out close to 50 mares with my neighbor/trainer/twh breeder/exhibitor during my short 12 years in the horse field and no other mare had pulled this on me.

Either way I'm charting the results to see any pattern for the poor fool who gets to watch her next year - I'm also looking into getting one of those foaling alarms that are expelled during the actual foaling.....we've used them with the big mares with plenty of good luck so maybe this will be the best route for her next season.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Also wanted to add she has more dark brown discharge around her vulva. But thats all the news I have for yall, sorry....