question

[GAILS]

i lost a orphan foal about a week ago because we just could not get her to suck bottle or drink from bucket. after reading about someone else with the same problem i have to ask. my vet told me you could NOT put in a feeding tube and leave it in that you would have to take it out after each feeding and then put back in to feed. other people on here imply they have left it in. after how hard i tried to save this foal it sure makes me mad if he was wrong.

 

[Becky]

Gail, not to dispute your vet and I'm sure he had his reasons, but an NG tube can be run and left in place. I had a premature foal some years back that had a suck reflex but not the ability to latch and hold. My vet ran an NG tube and glued or sutured it in place (I don't remember which) and we left it in for 3 days until the foal was nursing on it's own. Sure makes those feedings easier and you know the foal is getting the nourishment it needs.

 

[angelridge]

We too had a foal that had a suck reflex, tho a little weak but could not latch on due to seizures from what the vet speculated as a red bag delivery. I found them only minutes after the mare had given birth. My vet sewed the tube in as I just could not get the hang of doing it myself. It was left in for 5 days, we syringed milk from the mare into the tube every hour for the 1st 3 days and then slowly lengthened the time between feedings,,on the 5th day I took her back to the vet because the tube which had several holes in the bottom had gotten clogged and I did not use the force needed with a syringe and water to unplug it, at that point we decided to let her get really hungry and see if she would nurse and on the evening of the 5th day she finally nursed.

 

[Miniv]

I hate to go against your vet.....but Becky and Angelridge are correct...... Sorry.

 

[Magic]

Gail, I'm so sorry.

My vet put in a nasogastric tube and sutured in to her nostil (ouch!) to keep it in. Many years ago my daughter's cat had the same thing done, as she had liver failure and wouldn't eat. Sadly, the cat didn't survive.

I'm hoping that my filly does.

I really wonder why your vet said that? OH!

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Some vets will not do this at least my vet wouldnt he is a wonderful vet and returned several times a day to tube the baby but did not offer to leave the tube in place Baby was fine though it took several tubings over 3 days and tube was inserted and pulled every time with an associated charge each time. I really think it depends on the vet. He may have been willing to leave it if I had known enough to ask him about it but at the time I did not. Im sure there are owners who can insert their own NG tubes but I just as soon pay someone to do that. My vet has told me the last two years that I could do it myself if I wanted but I tell him nope thats what I pay you the big bucks for. Just like when a mare I had needed a tube for oil I also had the vet do that one and that is when he told me he was quite sure I could do it. I just think there are certain things I would rather my vet do and some things Im willing to try myself. I do think it depends on the vet and the circumstance at the time.

 

[Relic]

l'm going to have to say any of the vets we use will not leave a feeding tube in a really young foal l'm told it's just not done and better to do for each seperate feeding. So my daughter and l learned how to do it or l'm pretty sure when a foal won't or can't suck on a bottle or lap up out of a bowl for it's first days thats pretty well the end of them. l know l was told let them go hungry enough in between forced feedings and they'll go looking on there own but that really isn't true for all foals some just won't or can't..l don't mind tubing a slow poke it's a full belly verses going hungury and causing maybe extra problems they don't need at this time in there life. But remember if you did all you could with some foals if it isn't meant to be then thats it no matter what you did or how bad you wanted it...been there a few times in the past and l know the stress and how it hurts when you loose them after trying so hard..

 

[Genie]

I was discussing this with other friends on my e-mail contact list and there was one breeder who also offered this alternative. Doesn't help you now but may help others, God forbid, we are ever in your position.

Hi there.I have had problems with foals not sucking in the past especially in the orphan foal.I use a 60cc catherter

tip syringe and mix in enough rice pablum to make the milk thick enough it wont run back out of the foals mouth.I

raised a colt on this and he never did suck but for 3 months he would chew and digest the pablum mixture.I also

added a little honey or maple syrup.There is nothing more frustrating that having the milk just run back out of

the babys mouth.This works so try it, Heather.

 

[Jill]

Gail, not to dispute your vet and I'm sure he had his reasons, but an NG tube can be run and left in place. I had a premature foal some years back that had a suck reflex but not the ability to latch and hold. My vet ran an NG tube and glued or sutured it in place (I don't remember which) and we left it in for 3 days until the foal was nursing on it's own. Sure makes those feedings easier and you know the foal is getting the nourishment it needs.

This is what we also did last year with one. Although she pulled it out fairly quickly, it was because she just rapidly improved and it did not need to be re-placed or re-set.