The NO FOALING SIGNS Saga Continues!

[Miniv]

I'll be posting photos of our two latest fellows soon.......but, in the meantime --

Sunday afternoon we had yet another colt! Again, NO SIGNS! Marginal bag, firm butt, and not dropped!

At least this time, she started producing colostrum (not as much as we'd really like, though).

Larry went on line to do some research this morning. He also called two vets and the Oregon State University Vet Hospital. The symptoms are as follows --

--Not showing typical signs of foaling (as stated above)

--some mares producing a thicker placenta than usual.

--last two mares producing a lessor amount of colostrum than usual, with one requiring oxytocin to bring it in.

After discussing it with two local vets and Dr. Walker at the OSU vet school, we are all feeling that our hay providers have been importing hay with endophyte infested FESCUE in it! Local horse owners are all scrambling for hay in this region because our hay growers exported their hay early on for the big bucks -- leaving us local folks without! So the only hay available is what's being trucked in from WHO KNOWS WHERE.

Dr. Walker agrees that all of our symptoms points to the fescue. Normally we don't have the problem because our growers tend to only grow Orchard Grass. So this is an unusual situation for us.

Our instructions we received are as follows:

--Find another hay source (which we already have done about 2 weeks ago.)

--Expect the symptoms of the endophyte to wear off in another 2 weeks (It takes a total of 30 days.)

--Start all pregnant mares on doses of the drug DOMPERIDONE as soon as possible - before foaling.

Needless to say, we have already ordered the drug -- which has to be shipped in to our vet.

The dose recommended by the OSU vet was 1.1 ml per k. (which we need to figure out into pounds.) I would suggest talking to your vet about that dosage. We have to pull out the calculator or something on that one.

Anyway......just wanted to share what we've found out .......I know that there are other folks out there that are having some similar headaches with their foaling season.

MA

 

[Anne ABC]

So sorry to hear you may be joining the fescue toxins club, not fun! The mares we have been using Equidone on are in the 30-32" range and weigh about 200# to 250# and our vet told us to use 2cc, one time daily. He said if we overdose it will not hurt anything but the drug is expensive if you are treating several mares so we are trying to be as conservative as practicle.

 

[crponies]

Wow, I am so glad that you got some more healthy foals although it sounds like everything did not go smoothly. I'm so happy to know you are figuring out what is happening to cause the problems and that you'll be able to fix it.

 

[Miniv]

Horsinaround -- thanks for that info..... The Equidone is supposed to be the same drug but by a different manufacturer. So that does help!

MA

PS: Is that you, Trish? If so -- Larry says HI!

 

[Minimor]

Glad to hear you have maybe figured out your problem.

Question--I assume Domperidone is the trade name, as is Equidone? Can anyone tell me the name of the actual drug that is sold as Domperidone? I asked my vet for Domperidone & we apparently cannot get it here. It wasn't on the list of drugs, and neither vet clinic here has ever heard of it.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Sounds like OSU gave you some very, very valuable information! Am glad to hear that you found another hay source, too!

:

This might be a long shot, but I have my hay analyzed at Dairy One - I just wonder if they are able to analyze for fescue? It might be worth sending them an email or calling (toll free).

Dairy One

Can't wait to see the pictures!

Liz R.

 

[Miniv]

Glad to hear you have maybe figured out your problem.

Question--I assume Domperidone is the trade name, as is Equidone? Can anyone tell me the name of the actual drug that is sold as Domperidone? I asked my vet for Domperidone & we apparently cannot get it here. It wasn't on the list of drugs, and neither vet clinic here has ever heard of it.

Just googled Domperidone and the generic? name is Motilium.

 

[Mona]

Congratulations on your 2 new colts Mary Ann. That gal I mentioned in my other post about fescue dsaid she talked to a Vet, and ...well, I'll paste the email message here...

I did find a veterinarian who knows about Equidone, but that info was not good either. It only works on mares that are exposed to fescue, so it won't help with milk production unless it is caused by fescue, and it has to be given for 20 days if they are still on the fescue and 14 days if they are off. Minis have to have double the amount per 110 lbs dosage, so if a big horse gets 1/2cc per 110lbs, a mini has to have 1cc per 110lbs. So one tube is $50 and will treat 6 minis for one day, so I would have to have 2 tubes per day for 20 days!!

Does anyone know if this info is accurate? I have personally not heard of double dosing minis with twice as much as a full sized horse? I just don;t understand the reasoning there?? Also, I thought it worked to help bring milk in on any mare, even if it was not Fescue related?? I would love to hear from you that know and have had past experience with it??

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Thanks for sharing the info on your foaling season - I wouldn't have thought of fescue immediately!

We're not having any of those issues, but this is definitely not a 'normal' foaling year. I've never had mares go late, show signs, stop, really furry babies - just different! I keep thinking it's the weather, but who knows!

 

[Tina Overo]

I have fescue in my fields and I suppose I also in the hay a bought and used all year. I have had 2 dead fillies so far this year. They are carrying their foals over, having no milk, thick placentas, the works! Most of the veterinarians here have never heard of Equidone,(domperidone), I went straight to the source, Clemson University. They are the ones who told me you must double the dosage for a miniature. If anyone needs to get the medication or ask questions concerning Equidone call toll free 1-877-378-4869, this is Equitox, Inc. at Clemson University. You have to have your vet get the Equidone for you, but you can get them to get it here. If your mares are still on the fescue they have to be treated for 20 days prior to foaling and 10 days prior to breeding them back. I have 12 mares that would have to be treated! Very expensive if you have alot of mares. But I have it ordered and mine will be treated, but I am going to have to downsize so it will not be so costly next year. There is no way to kill the fescue in your fields, unless you spray with total vegetation killer and then plow that under and reseed. Hay should always be tested, your local ag department can do that. Even if you have bought hay there before, it needs tested every year.

I hope things get better! I am hoping that I have a few foals that will survive and I hope you do better too!!

Good Luck!

 

[Miniv]

Congratulations on your 2 new colts Mary Ann. That gal I mentioned in my other post about fescue dsaid she talked to a Vet, and ...well, I'll paste the email message here...

I did find a veterinarian who knows about Equidone, but that info was not good either. It only works on mares that are exposed to fescue, so it won't help with milk production unless it is caused by fescue, and it has to be given for 20 days if they are still on the fescue and 14 days if they are off. Minis have to have double the amount per 110 lbs dosage, so if a big horse gets 1/2cc per 110lbs, a mini has to have 1cc per 110lbs. So one tube is $50 and will treat 6 minis for one day, so I would have to have 2 tubes per day for 20 days!!

Does anyone know if this info is accurate? I have personally not heard of double dosing minis with twice as much as a full sized horse? I just don;t understand the reasoning there?? Also, I thought it worked to help bring milk in on any mare, even if it was not Fescue related?? I would love to hear from you that know and have had past experience with it??

Mona,

We are still learning about Domperidone/Equidone so I also would like to know the reasoning. And I also have never heard that it could only work on fescue related symptoms. Larry looked up Domperidone on the internet and found a report stating that it is given to humans to correct GI tract blockages....its SIDE EFFECT is that it stimulates milk production in females. Currently, it is not being sold in Canada for the milk production - only for the GI tract problems.

Tina,

Apparently, the fescue that was fed to our horses came from out of the area and we purchased it from a hay broker. We used it up in less than a month and don't have any to test -- unfortunately. For the past 2 weeks we've been paying extra for an Orchard/Timothy mix, and we know where that comes from.

In the meantime we have ordered Domperidone through one of our vets....AND I have ordered a 300 ml bottle of oral Seramune -- just incase.

Thanks to everyone for your imput.....

MA

 

[Tina Overo]

I am not sure about the milk production factor in mares that are not on fescue, just having low milk production, but I will dig a little futher for that information pertaining to domperidone. Maybe it will help that also. That would be great news!!! I know the drug is most frequently given to cancer patients to help with their nausea. But if it will make us humans get milk surely it will help mares! I think it is a wonderful find, I hope it will someday be available over the counter, it has little or no side effects and even an overdose shows no ill effects, and if you give it and it is not fescue causing the problem it will not hurt, so why not over the counter?! It is still under study by the FDA, so that is probably the reason.

 

[AppyLover2]

My farrier and I were discussing the fescue problems the other day and he said something I've never seen on here. He said there is a product on the market (didn't tell me any name) that was created to help increase mare's milk. He went on to say you could feed CalfMana to a mare to increase her milk. He said it is the same product as the supplement for mares - only a lot cheaper.

Anybody ever hear of this??? He's been around horses for 50+ years so I would assume he knows a bit about them.