red bag baby/mare question-sorry it could be long....

[running in the red]

my big momma mini mare had her baby last friday morning about 4 am. I got up to go potty and saw her on the monitor getting up and down- jumping into my jeans I'm down the hall yelling at my hubby this is it- get up -well my barn is only about 300 feet from the house- the baby was up and standing- still wet-so- I must have just missed him being born........Katie was still gowing up and down, found the plencenta- removed it from the stall. Still going up and down- now it's about 45 minutes latter........I'm worried so- I call my friend Joyce [thanks Joyce] she comes over at 5am- how many people would do that for someone that you have just meet? She's worried that Katie might have retained some plencenta- start to call the vet- no answer back! she checks the bag- says it was a red bag------lucky that the mare and colt made it thru.........finally get the vet at 7:30 he was in a dead zone.......take the mare and baby in-= he does a rectal says she's clean gives shots and home we go.........have been talking to Joyce- he has red eyes and is 'slow' just doesn't seem awake.......today he's running around more and eating great-even grain. How long do the red eyes last?is it painful? how long befor he's really active? any experiance and advice appreciated. thanks again joy-running in the red

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Don't know if this will help, but my filly that was born 3 weeks ago (and diagnosed as a "dummy" foal by our vet - although many people on this forum have disagreed with that diagnosis) had red eyes and was very slow to respond to stimulus. This lasted (gradually lessening) for about one week. According to our vet, the red eyes are not painful.

Good luck with your little one. Post pics when you can!

 

[wildoak]

Red eyes are sometimes from pressure in the birth canal, may break some little blood vessels.....not a big deal, at least in my experience. The slow responses may be just this particular foal, or may indicate more of a problem, that's a question for your vet.

Hope all is okay with him

Jan

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Many foals, especially if they are a little early, have eye lashes that turn in a bit and irritate the eye and make it red. Also in the act of being born the foal may have gotten shavings, dirt or hay in his eyes and irritated the eye. An antibiotic eye ointment from the vet will help. Sometimes all it takes is a day or two of the foal eating well, and filling out and the lashes turn out normal, but occasionally may need vet's help and almost always needs antibiotic eye ointment. This could cause corneal ulcerations, scarring and /or blindness.Make sure a vet sees those red eyes.

Some signs of dummy foal.... making funny noises(almost like a soft bark) doing silly things like sucking on walls, not eating well, not finding the milk bar, no suck, acting blind, running into walls, running circles.

Mine usually don't actually eat grain but play with it in their mouths, but after almost a week. Is he nursing a lot?

Robin

 

[Miniv]

If his eyelashes are turned out okay, the red is probably from the constriction that happens from the mare during birth. Sometimes it's a tight fit.

To check to see if the placenta is all in one piece, I spread it out and slowly run water from the hose into the side that the foal was in. It should fill up with the water and not have any holes.

Congratulations on your new little one!

 

[running in the red]

he's nursing great. seems to see well.interactive with his mom. has been interested in me yesterday and today. starting to run around the barn when mom's not watching. the 2 week old is trying to get him to play-when the momma's are not watching........seems to be 'waking' up today.........joy

 

[Southern_Heart]

To check to see if the placenta is all in one piece, I spread it out and slowly run water from the hose into the side that the foal was in. It should fill up with the water and not have any holes.

MiniV,

That placenta was torn to shreds unlike I have ever seen. There was one horn that was intact and it had a huge hole in it and the other side was ripped to shreds. It was a puzzle to put together and even at that point it was hard to even figure that if it was all there. Also when I check out the mare after birth her vulva was as tight as a maiden mare would be non preg.. No looseness from the delivery at all. I was surprised to see such tightness as the mare was not a maiden. All my maiden mares have had some looseness after birth so I am just going by them....

I have had 2 redbags and they were all slow, some what like Joys, but were fine after a week. I don't beleive that this was a total Dummy foal. The actions of a dummy are not the same as in Joys foal.

I will however check the foal Sunday when I go out there.

Joyce

 

[HGFarm]

Wow, boy are you lucky! Sometimes they are a bit 'slow' if they have a little oxygen deprivation at birth. Have seen a couple (belonged to other folks) and they came out of it fine and were perfectly normal.

 

[Miniv]

Shreds????????

I hope the vet is going to flush the mare.....and infuse her with antibiotics. He will also likely want her on oral antibiotics too.....just in case.

 

[Southern_Heart]

MiniV, Yes Shreds!! I will let Joy tell you the Vet story as I was not there when she took mini to the Vets!

Joyce

 

[MBhorses]

congrats,

love to see photos.i am glad mare and foal are doing good.