Pregnant Maiden Mare Acting Funny Tonite

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Well all of you know that I have only one mare that is for sure pregnant for this year and as of 3/14/2010 she is somewhere between 257 and 288 days along. For about a little over a week now I have been able to express tiny droplets of what knowledgeable LB breeders have been calling "serum" (non-sticky clear fluid) from her.

This morning she was VERY eager to eat, like always and is very normal for her to pig out on hay and grain. I noticed this morning she looked "skinnier" than normal and her belly was more "down" than "round". Didn't think anything of it really until tonight. . .

Went out to feed at approximately 5pm and she was doing her usual munching on grain. When I came back tonite about 9:30 I noticed she left nearly ALL her grain and didn't even appear to have touched her hay except for a few munches here and there. . . .

SO I decided to do my checklist - checked vulva, still nice and tight and firm - checked for foal movement, still plenty of movement as usual - checked udders, a little more swollen but not by a whole lot - checked serum/milk consistency, still looks to be serum but could get more droplets and bigger droplets than two nights ago - checked manure, still nice little apples like normal - checked her water intake, she is still drinking normally.

After I did my checklist I decided to go ahead and put on her blanket (she had a mite infection so had to clip her down to get the medicine on her skin) and she hadn't worn it in two days since it has been so unusually warm at night and thats when I noticed that her blanket was too tight depth wise and too loose width wise! So out came the camera for pictures.

The first two pictures are from her on March 12th and the second two pictures are from tonight March 14th.

QUESTIONS FOR EXPERIENCED MINI BREEDERS:

1- Do all mares have loose stools and/or diarrhea before foaling and if so, how soon?

2- Do mares that produce this "serum" before milk production often have milk letdown and bag up normally before foaling?

3- Any tips, etc. would be nice!

 

[Doobie]

Katie,

I an in no means a 'big' breeder we have a few foals yearly.

However that said, with what you discribed I would say you may soon be having a baby!

So keep an eye on her!

As for your questions about poops, bags, ect...

Let me just say this yesterday I thought one of my mares was showing signs of colic.

I did not think she was in labour as she still had two months to go and NO bag what so ever, on and off her feed, and even small 'apple' stools !

I called the vet and as he was lifting her tail to take a peek her water broke!

Now we were not lucky, her foal was breach and too young to have survived although he never took a breath.

We can never know for sure when they are going to foal and only you can know what is normal for your girl.

If she is acting off I would think she is telling you her time is soon!!

Enjoy the next while without sleep, I would keep a close eye on her, and enjoy your bundle when it arrives!

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Thanks so very much Doobie. . . . . .I would love to hear more advice from more LB breeders!!

Katie

 

[weerunner]

My mares get that dropped look that your mare has between 3 and 4 weeks before foaling. Sounds like you are getting there pretty much on schedule. The milk will get sticky and oily feeling (thick) before you have to worry too much. At this point when the milk is sticky and yellow and thick I go on total watch duty. I have one that foals at this point and another that waits until her milk is skim milk coloured and thinner again. So they are all individuals. I find the most valuable thing of all is the records I have kept from their previous foalings. They are not necessarily consistant in the number of days they will carry but are very consistnant in the number of days they go from the landmark events. Such as mares belly drops, she will deliver in 3 to 4 weeks. Keep good records, they will be worth their weight in gold.

amanda

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

QUESTIONS FOR EXPERIENCED MINI BREEDERS:

1- Do all mares have loose stools and/or diarrhea before foaling and if so, how soon?

Nope, I've had several mares foal with normal looking poo

2- Do mares that produce this "serum" before milk production often have milk letdown and bag up normally before foaling?

All of my mares develop this "serum" as they bag up, and all of my girls have had full bags and either yellow sticky colostrum or white milk prior to foaling.

3- Any tips, etc. would be nice

While she does look lower in the belly, I don't think this is the "dropped" prior to foaling look, she's still pretty wide/high in the rear shot, so *my* thought is the baby is just sitting a little lower in a new position that's making her feel uncomfy, hence not wanting to eat, plus there's not much room in there for food lol I think you're right on track for being around 280 days, and I have a feeling in the next couple weeks you'll see very noticeable changes in your girl..

 

[Becky]

I agree with Lucky C.

Many of my mares don't develop loose stools before foaling. If they do, it's frequently right before they lay down and start pushing.

Many mares have fluid in their udder year round, whether they are pregnant or not. Udder changes and development are the biggest sign of impending parturition.

Some of my mares go off feed a week or two before foaling. However, they need to eat, so I will feed them whatever they are most interested in. Your mare looks a little on the light side to me, so I would try to encourage her to eat now as she needs extra calories not only for herself, but to feed her new foal. Good luck!

 

[Firefall]

As others have said not all of mine have gotten loose pooh either.

I'm curious though why you try to get milk from her so soon? I don't try that till they are making bag changes and closer to their due dates. BUT I do message their bags early on especially maidens so they get used to being touched there and they all enjoy it.

My preggo mares all have an off day at times. Its normal here plus they lay down more often the farther long they get and rest. They also eat smaller meals due to lack of room but still eat the same amount just takes longer.

Good Luck!