Mona
Well-Known Member
I recently bought a mare, heavy in foal, from southern Minnesota.(I am just across the border from northern Minnesota here) She foaled on April 26, before I got her home. I THINK she foaled outside, but I am not 100% sure. I am also unsure as to whether the umbilical cord was treated or not, and if so, how often. I do know she foaled unattended, so perhaps this was overlooked.
The colt was 4 days home when we picked him up on Sunday. We met the seller part way. Mare and foal travelled in a well bedded(with straw) box in the back of a 3/4 ton truck for the first 2.5 hours, and then we transfered them into out mini horse trailer for the remainder of the trip(another 5.5 hours). All seemed OK.
We got home late, after dark, so I put them in the stall overnight. Assuming all was well, I never checked on them all through the night. The next morning, I still assumed all was OK, and I put mom and baby out for several hours in a small pen by themselves. Later that day when I was out that way, I saw the mom looking at me, and I have no idea why, for for some reason, the look just seemd to be telling me she needed my help.(I know...wierd!) So I went through the barn around to that area, and found her little little one laying there sleeping, but shivering slightly. I immediately brought them inand stalled them.
I noticed the colt seemed to be acting strange, in that when he went to nurse, he kind of walked under the mare and just left his head in a natural position, rather than lifting it to nurse. He made it seem like it was too much work to try and get his head adjusted to the proper angle. With my help, I got him to nurse a little, but only a small amount. This had me quite concerned, as he seemed so weak.
I had a bag of "ringers"(IV fluids) here so I took some and injected it under the skin, in case he was dehydrating. I could not get him to suck a bottle even. I mixed up some foal milk replacer, but he wasn't interested.
I did not know if it was due to stress from the trip and him not nursing while traveling, and me not knowing, so he maybe got weak without my knowing there was a problem, and by then it was too late, or if Mom being stressed out had stopped milk production? She is actually a very laid back back, and did not seem at all stressed. Anyway, I have the IV fluids once, gave him Probios yesterday and today, gave him an enema yesterday(just in case), and have given him several dosed of "Nutri-Cal". It is just something I had on hand here, that I thought might help, since it is a high calorie molasses based paste that is intended for dogs and cats. Every 1 to 1.5 hours throughout the night and today, I have watched him nurse and then I would syringe extra milk into him, and then every few hours, I would give him some of the Nutri-Cal. I have just done everything I can think of. He has a fever of 103. My books say a normal foal temps is 99-102. My Pennicillan was expired, so my husband is picking me up some new stuff. The vet said I have done all I can, and to continue doing it, since it does seem to be helping him. I can tell he has gotten a tiny bit stronger, as he resists me more now than he did last night at his worst.
I have not used the milk replacer, as instead, each time I go out, I milk the mare and syringe it into the colt. She has milk, and her bag is not big and tight, so we are keeping it sort of normal, I think, unless she is not producing much milk, but I don't think that is it at all.
When I syringe it into him, I put it in the side of his mouth and express it very slowly. He won't suck it, but he sort of chews it. Sounds like he's grinding his jaw. He also does this other wierd thing where he seems like he is marching on the spot....reminds me of a puppy or kitten nursing, how the "knead" it, but he is standing doing this.
He is not at all active. Most foals are up and walking in the stall alot, or running circles around their Mom...this guy just sleeps, then wakes up and maybe burses for 10-30 seconds or so...usually only sucks one teat, and then he'll just lay down right there, and go back to sleep.
I feel so bad for him, and I am doing all I can. I am hoping once we get this fever broke, that maybe then he will start to show marked improvement.
Does anyone have any idea at all, what this might be, or anything else maybe I can try? At this time, he seems to be getting enough to eat between his own nursing and my additional syringing when he is done, so won't bother tubing at this time.
If he had joint ill, how fast would he die? Do you think he's be dead by now if it started yesterday and has not had any antibiotics?
Any ideas at all on anything?? Thanks!
The colt was 4 days home when we picked him up on Sunday. We met the seller part way. Mare and foal travelled in a well bedded(with straw) box in the back of a 3/4 ton truck for the first 2.5 hours, and then we transfered them into out mini horse trailer for the remainder of the trip(another 5.5 hours). All seemed OK.
We got home late, after dark, so I put them in the stall overnight. Assuming all was well, I never checked on them all through the night. The next morning, I still assumed all was OK, and I put mom and baby out for several hours in a small pen by themselves. Later that day when I was out that way, I saw the mom looking at me, and I have no idea why, for for some reason, the look just seemd to be telling me she needed my help.(I know...wierd!) So I went through the barn around to that area, and found her little little one laying there sleeping, but shivering slightly. I immediately brought them inand stalled them.
I noticed the colt seemed to be acting strange, in that when he went to nurse, he kind of walked under the mare and just left his head in a natural position, rather than lifting it to nurse. He made it seem like it was too much work to try and get his head adjusted to the proper angle. With my help, I got him to nurse a little, but only a small amount. This had me quite concerned, as he seemed so weak.
I had a bag of "ringers"(IV fluids) here so I took some and injected it under the skin, in case he was dehydrating. I could not get him to suck a bottle even. I mixed up some foal milk replacer, but he wasn't interested.
I did not know if it was due to stress from the trip and him not nursing while traveling, and me not knowing, so he maybe got weak without my knowing there was a problem, and by then it was too late, or if Mom being stressed out had stopped milk production? She is actually a very laid back back, and did not seem at all stressed. Anyway, I have the IV fluids once, gave him Probios yesterday and today, gave him an enema yesterday(just in case), and have given him several dosed of "Nutri-Cal". It is just something I had on hand here, that I thought might help, since it is a high calorie molasses based paste that is intended for dogs and cats. Every 1 to 1.5 hours throughout the night and today, I have watched him nurse and then I would syringe extra milk into him, and then every few hours, I would give him some of the Nutri-Cal. I have just done everything I can think of. He has a fever of 103. My books say a normal foal temps is 99-102. My Pennicillan was expired, so my husband is picking me up some new stuff. The vet said I have done all I can, and to continue doing it, since it does seem to be helping him. I can tell he has gotten a tiny bit stronger, as he resists me more now than he did last night at his worst.
I have not used the milk replacer, as instead, each time I go out, I milk the mare and syringe it into the colt. She has milk, and her bag is not big and tight, so we are keeping it sort of normal, I think, unless she is not producing much milk, but I don't think that is it at all.
When I syringe it into him, I put it in the side of his mouth and express it very slowly. He won't suck it, but he sort of chews it. Sounds like he's grinding his jaw. He also does this other wierd thing where he seems like he is marching on the spot....reminds me of a puppy or kitten nursing, how the "knead" it, but he is standing doing this.
He is not at all active. Most foals are up and walking in the stall alot, or running circles around their Mom...this guy just sleeps, then wakes up and maybe burses for 10-30 seconds or so...usually only sucks one teat, and then he'll just lay down right there, and go back to sleep.
I feel so bad for him, and I am doing all I can. I am hoping once we get this fever broke, that maybe then he will start to show marked improvement.
Does anyone have any idea at all, what this might be, or anything else maybe I can try? At this time, he seems to be getting enough to eat between his own nursing and my additional syringing when he is done, so won't bother tubing at this time.
If he had joint ill, how fast would he die? Do you think he's be dead by now if it started yesterday and has not had any antibiotics?
Any ideas at all on anything?? Thanks!
