Observations on red bag foalings..

[Field-of-Dreams]

OK, this year I believe all three of my mares had red bags, but...

#1 mare, the placenta was just inside the vulva, with a tiny hole in it. Maybe it would have ruptured on it's own, I didn't wait. I torn it open and helped her deliver. Colt is fine, took 20 minutes to finish passing the placenta, so it wasn't completely detached at all.

#2 mare- again, I checked and the palcenta was just inside the vulva. I ruptured this one again and delivered the filly. Again, it took the normal (for my mares) to finish passing the placenta completely.

#3 was the same as #2 but a colt.

All three took the average time to finish passing the placenta. None of my foals was born with the placenta coming right after them. And none were dummy foals. The filly was a bit slow, but both colts were up and at'em in half an hour.

Am I jumping the gun on this? I am just so paranoid about oxygen deprivation. Maybe all three would have ruptured normally, but when you only have minutes to correct a mistake....

Any ideas?

Lucy

 

[rabbitsfizz]

The mare I have who always red bags, was pretty much the same.

At the time I had no idea what she was doing, I just knew it was not right and got on with it.

She takes up to six hours to pass the placenta and then colics all night and into the next day.

It really does take it out of her, foaling.

The last foal she had- this year, was not red bag, delivery took three minutes flat- just heaved until it popped out, and there was me all ready to break the bag open!!

When she red bags it takes up to thirty minutes from start to finish- actually delivering, even with me helping.

She never does push enough bag out for me to be sure of not cutting or poking the foal- and I have NO way of knowing if I am opening the bag round a foot a nose or, (what I am REALLY scared of) an eye!!

Every time, all I have ever got is a great round red BALL!! Not even pushed out properly.

Then when I have summoned courage to break the bag she delivers more or less normally.- After DRENCHING me of course!!

I lost her first foal- perfect, on time, I was there from the start, just dead- I reckon, in hindsight this was also a red bag but not savable- I could not reach to help.

Poor wee thing.

The next colt took three days to get right- he never pooped without an enema for three days, had brain damage form oxygen deprivation and- Oh, it was a NIGHTMARE.

I got him through it, patterned his behaviour and he was normal by the time he was six weeks old.

Then, at one year exactly, he colicked and crashed within three hours- Vet said his intestines were mush.

Some things are not meant to be.

Her other foals have been a little touch and go but OK- I am probably just getting better at coping!!

Just when I think I could write a book on it, she has a normal delivery!!

:

 

[ThreeCFarm]

This was my first year having a red bag. By the time I got to the barn (and I ran as fast as I could, but I guess that's not saying much, LOL), I saw red protruding from her vulva. I broke it and pulled the colt out. As soon as the mare stood, the placenta fell immediately out. He was slow to stand and nurse, but now acts like everyone else.

I don't know if it is related, but we also had our first abortion this year, and it was late term (304 days).

It just makes me wonder, having both of these problems, from our only two bred mares

 

[Becky]

In my opinion, those are not true red bags.

I've had two of those deliveries, the last a week and a half ago and both out of the same mare. A large red bulge presents which I cut open with scissors. The clear sack is right inside and the foal is delivered normally. However, the placenta does not come out with the foal nor does it come out when the mare stands up. It is sometime later before it comes out.

In a normal delivery, there is an area on the placenta called the cervical star which is adjacent to the cervix. This area is supposed to 'break' as contractions push the foal through. For whatever reason (and I'm doing some research), this area does not break in all deliveries, hence the placental bulge at the vagina during delivery. I'm thinking the placenta maybe thicker than usual? No fescue here, so I know that is not the cause on my farm.

A true red bag would have the placenta detached and either deliver right with the foal or as the mare stands up. Just my opinion, but I sure would like to find out why the placenta doesn't break or tear in some cases.

 

[Southern_Heart]

I remember hearing from my vet that there is such a thing as a false red bag delivery. Looks much the same at the beginning but not a total red bag delivery. If that makes sense!

:

Joyce