New Mom

[vickisminis]

Hi all,

I have a mare that gave birth before I got home today. The colt was dry but still "folded". He was still weak so I don't think he was very old. He has nursed good and is getting stronger. My concern is that there was no afterbirth in the stall. Have you ever had a mare eat it? (I haven't) My mare is not in abnormal pain. How do I know if she retained it? What do I watch for? My husband says I worry about everything. I just need to know if I should be worried and at what point panic. Thanks, Vicki

 

[MiLo Minis]

Did you search the stall thoroughly? Do you have any cats or dogs around that might have gone in and eaten it? Mares apparently do eat the afterbirth occasionally as well. Is there anything hanging from the mares back end?

Ordinarily they don't retain the entire placenta, only bits and pieces of it, although I did have a full size mare retain the entire darned thing last year.

You should find at least some of it in the stall. If you don't see anything hanging out of the mare likely she did dispel it properly. If you are at all concerned I would have the vet out as retained afterbirth can easily be a death sentence to your mare. It needs to be out of there within a few hours of the birth. If you do see anything hanging DON'T PULL ON IT!!! If you have oxytocin on hand you could give her a shot and see if that brings on a contraction to push it out. If this is your first and you aren't experienced at checking to be sure it is complete call your vet to check for you and have him show you what to look for.

 

[icspots]

Had a mini mare last year foaled no problem (all watched on camera) then a pair of skunks decided to crash the party for cat food, all heck broke loose and we lost track of watching the mare and didn't think she'd cleaned, searched the stall, nothing. Had the vet come out and flush her the next day and nothing, so evidently she did eat it, I guess they do sometimes as it helps the milk drop? Anyway, had a full sized mare foal a couple of weeks ago, but she was out with the herd, and baby was up already when we found him, couldn't locate the afterbirth, called the vet, and this time she had me give oxitocin (sp?) banamine and penicillin. Mare didn't clean after that, so given that she didn't get sick and isn't dead the assumption is that she cleaned and destroyed the evidence! I'd call the vet and ask what they recommend because if she didn't clean that is nothing to mess around with.

 

[bluerogue]

I have a mare that buries her afterbirths. Is there any way your girl could have buried it in bedding or something?

 

[Katiean]

I had a mare that retained her afterbirth for 6 hours. I think you can alwasy tell if the afterbirth is retained because the cord will be hanging out. It took for ever to find a vet that would even tell me how to get her to expell the afterbirth. No one (called them all) would come out because it was Rodeo weekend and no one would drive the 5.2 miles from the rodeo grounds to help a mini. She finally expelled it and was fine.

 

[vickisminis]

She is still doing great and doesn't have anything "hanging" out of her. My vet said to just watch her and if she starts feeling bad or runs a temp then call them. So I will hope the cat (or mom) ate it. Thank you all for your help, Vicki

 

[srpwildrose]

Yes, I DID have a mare eat her afterbirth. I watched the delivery and waited for the afterbirth for quite awhile.

Went into the house for a short time and when I went back into the stall it was out of the mare and GONE!!

EWWWW is all I can say...EWWW