Red Bag live births

[Shaladar]

Those of you that have had a live foal from a Red Bag delivery.......do you feel that the foal developed slower than a normal birth? Mentally and physically?

On March 18th, Rain Dance had a Red Bag, and when we got the lil guy out....and it wasn't easy even though he is quite small.....he was limp and non responsive....we did get him breathing using mouth to muzzle, he came around and he seemed fine. He was born at 329 days. Up on his feet right away , and nursing within a hour.

He is very small and petite, and didn't have a thick coat of hair. He needed a heat lamp and blanket for a week, or he shivered, then I quit the blanket and now no more heat lamp.

It is in the 40's at night and high 50's to low 60's during the day. So not tooooo cold.

The other babies are fine. The colt that was born Monday morning is leaps and bound ahead of this poor lil fella. I feel even though he was born at 329 days, he is preemie/dysmature.

He seems slow? He doesn't run and buck a lot, like the other foals do...he mainly stands around . He does follow his mom, and will occasionally run and play, but nothing like the other foals. He hasn't grown much. He doesn't even pick at his moms feed.

He is very, very friendly and sweet. Loves to be cuddled and scratched...

Everything else is normal...he nurses well, he is pooping and peeing normally, resp & pulse are normal, normal temp. IGg was excellent.

Oxygen deprivation?

Any thoughts?

Sue

Thought I should add....they are stalled most of the time, 10x12 stall, as are the others....we have had rain, rain, rain and most of the pastures are flooded, but he and his mom do get out, by themselves, for 1-3 hours a day, depending on the darn rain.

 

[wildoak]

I think it depends so much on the individual foal. I just had a red bag baby last week who was up on her feet in 5-10 minutes, and nursing with no help in about 30 minutes. She's quick, bright and alert, and has a big buck reflex LOL. I also have a 7 year old mare who was a red bag baby - very sweet mare but has never quite been "all there". She was a fainter as a newborn, and although she matured normally I do think she had some oxygen deprivation. Her startle response is just not there, never has been. She's been a good producer though and a good mom.

Your baby does sound a little dysmature, maybe he will catch up and develop normally. Just so many variations in the foals and circumstances of birth.

Jan

 

[bitsy]

Had a mare that red bagged on me two years in a row, both babies were fine and perfectly normal. I did have one foal, not a red bag, that was a lot slower to get going, with time he caught up. I agree with wildoak, it probably more depends on the individual foal.