Please help

[Ferrah]

I did end up buying an in foal palomino mare.

She had her foal, but we have a bit of a problem! The delervery was normal. But the foal has its tongue hanging out. The foal has a sucking reflex, but she can't seem to latch on. The vet can't get here until 9 o' clock.

What can I do the meantime to help the baby? I don't even know if it is a colt or a filly yet, I have been trying to help the poor little thing nurse.

I will post pictures as soon as I can. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[kaykay]

first post again on the main forum

second milk the mare asap and syringe it gently down the foals throat. be very careful so as not to cause choke. sending prayers!

 

[Mona]

first post again on the main forum

second milk the mare asap and syringe it gently down the foals throat. be very careful so as not to cause choke. sending prayers!

Please DO NOT syringe it down the foals throat!!! You need to place the syringe more in the side pocket(inside between lips and gums along the side of the mouth) and slowly depress the syringe, making sure the foal is actually swallowing. Milk running down the back of the throat if the foal does not swallow, can cause pneumonia or drown the foal.

Also, if the foal can/is nursing, even with the tongue out, it should go back in. Sometimes they hang out like this for several days. I had a colt one time that did that, and he was still able to nurse etc. There is nothing the vet can do to get the tongue to stay in, however, he may want to check the foal over, and offer you some advice/suggestions.

Congratulations on the new foal, and good luck with him. Keep us posted.

 

[Getitia]

We too had a colt born about 6 years ago with its tongue hanging out - After a period of time - (several hours) it figured out how to "latch" on to nurse. We were most concerned about "sunburn" - I thought his tongue would get burnt and that would make the issue much worse- thus we only let him and his dam out at night to graze.

It took about 2 weeks, however the tongue did go back and and the foal led a normal life

As others have said your biggest issue is getting some milk into her now and others have provided good advice on that topic.