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  Discussion on Mare care after foal euthanasia
Author Message
New Member:
kcleving

Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 11:16 pm:

My vet informed me tonight that we will be putting our 16 day old foal down tomorrow morning due to a severe case of joint ill. My main concern now is for the mare. This was her first foal and I have seen the terrible grieving process mares can go through after losing their beloved foals. How long should we leave the foal with her after death? They have been together in a stall for the past 16 days due to the foal's illness. How will I know that she is ready to be turned out with some buddies again? Also, would it be a good idea to give my mare any sort of sedation during the foal's euthanasia?
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 12:51 am:

Kristine, I'm sorry about your foal. How sad. I've never had to deal with something like this, so have no advice based on experience. Just going by feelings, if your mare has a "special buddy" would it be possible for her to be in an adjoining pen where the mare could see her friend? Then, maybe the mare could choose when to be with her buddy instead of the foal? Just a thought.
New Member:
kcleving

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 7:18 am:

Sara, "Olivette's" best buddy had her 2nd foal one month ago today and is out in our largest field with 4 other mares and their foals.I was very much looking forward to their reunion, but now that won't be until after weaning. She'll be going back in with our 2 barren mares who she should do fine with. (She's always the queen of her paddock.) In the meantime she's in the foaling stall which attaches to our apartment. I'm so dreading the "crying" of this sweet mare. She's totally in love with her baby. Last year we lost a 3 month old filly in a sudden death that we felt required necropsy. We made the mistake of removing the foal within about 20 minutes of death and the poor mare stood rooted to the spot and whinnied for 3 days and nights. I just want to make this heartbreaking time as easy as possible for our first-time mother.
Member:
canter

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 7:48 am:

Kristine, I don't have any advice either but just wanted to express my sorrow at the loss of your little foal and send best wishes to your mare. I hope she comes through it OK.
Board Administrator
Username: admin

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 8:06 am:

Oh Kristine,
I am so sorry to meet you over such a loss. The last week has been a bit hectic here do to caring for foal problems and I know how I would feel if I lost one. I would not routinely recommend sedation of the mare and your experiences last year were unusual.

There are some changes you should make in her nutritional status for a short time after the foal is gone and you can read about those at, Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Feeding the Growing Foal, Nutrition for Young Horses.
DrO
Member:
erika

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 8:55 am:

Welcome, Christine. So sorry you had to join under such sad circumstances.
I wish you strength through what you are facing. Best of luck with the mare.
My condolences.
Member:
36541

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:28 am:

Hi Kristine, so sorry for your impending loss. In the horrible time that I have lost foals, I gained some experience re your question. When my experienced broodmare lost a stillborn at 10 mo, we sedated her and took the foal for necropsy. She walked the fenceline calling and looking for the foal for almost two weeks. She and I were a wreck. The next year when a maiden lost a full-term foal at birth, I let her stay with the body in an isolated pasture until she left it of her own volition. That took about 36 hrs. There was no calling or fretting - she just began to graze farther and farther away from the body. I'm sure your vet will have an opinion as well. Sending hugs and hope for you and your girl during this most difficult time. Stacy
Member:
lilo

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:31 am:

Kristine - how sad. I have no first hand experience, but a friend of mine had to have a foal put down shortly after its birth. They did leave the foal in the mare's stall for several hours to make her aware that the foal was not alive. However, this was at a veterinary hospital, so there were none of her usual buddies nearby.
This is so sad - my condolences. I hope you get advice from someone who has been through this before.
Lilo
Member:
frances

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 11:09 am:

Hi Kristine, I'm so very sorry to hear what you and your poor mare and foal have to go through.

Although I don't have any personal experience of this, it does sound as if leaving the foal with its mother is the better option. And when you think about it, it makes sense: if the foal is removed, the mare will be anguished because she can't protect it, doesn't know where it is or what's happening to it, whether it's calling to her for help. It must be much like the agony that parents' whose children go missing experience.

At least if the dead foal is left, its mother can see where it is, see that it's not in pain or calling for her, and it makes sense to me at least that this would make it easier on her to accept what has happened.

Just my idea ... and you really have my sympathy.
Member:
canyon28

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 11:52 am:

Leave the foal with the mother for at least 3 or 4 hours. she will realize in about an hour or so that it is not moving and not nursing, and will finally accept that it is gone. I had to put down a two month old colt with a large bone chip on his hock a few years ago. the vet left the mare and foal together for a few hours and the mare instinctively realized after a while that the foal was no longer living or moving, I am sure they can smell death. We also did the same thing with another mare that lost her 8 day old foal to choke and pnuemonia. The foal was euthanized and left with the mare for a few hours and she was able to quickly realize the foal was gone. both of these mares had many foals in the past, but I am sure a maiden mare will also realize the foal is dead if you leave it with her for a while. I did have one other mare, a maiden, that lost a full term foal, to GHEB, I think, it was born dead and never took a breath, although I tried to give it mouth to mouth. The mare was very good about it, and I left the foal in with her for about an hour or so and she knew. Her second foal was fine, you would have thought she had had 10 foals, she is the best mother any breeder could ever ask for.
dont just take the foal away for euthanizing, the mare will look for it and be very agitated.
Member:
srobert

Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 11:17 am:

Oh my, so sad. My heart just breaks over stories such as these. Thoughts and prayers go out to you. Wish bad things didn't have to happen. SHari
New Member:
kcleving

Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 12:14 pm:

First of all I want to thank everybody who took the time to respond with your kind words and some excellent advice. I was surprised at how comforting it can be to hear from all you people I've never even met.
We decided to put Olivette and her foal in a paddock for the euthanasia. Because we had found it necessary to sedate the mare for the foal's 3 joint flushes, the vet administered the same "cocktail" before we took them outside. For the first 10 minutes or so after the foal's death Olivette was happily munching grass. Then she pawed at the foal a little, then grazed a little, nothing dramatic. This went on until about 6 hours had passed and then she started wringing her tail and looking pretty agitated. I realized that she was frustrated because she was unable to accomplish what nature told her she must- nurse her foal. She would stand over him and let her milk rain down- a heart-wrenching sight. We removed the foal at this time. Olivette actually appeared relieved and started grazing again. She has been doing fine ever since (except she misses her grain!). Her bag is going down and I anticipate being able to put her in with some other mares in a few more days.
Thanks again guys.
Member:
erika

Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 10:04 pm:

Kristine, such a sad story. So sorry for you. I am glad that the mare got through relatively okay.
Member:
36541

Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 11:12 pm:

Thanks for letting us know Kristine, I know I wasn't the only one thinking of you...
Welcome again to HA. I think you'll find a lot of comfort here in sharing the amazing joys and occasional huge heartaches of being owned by horses.
Best wishes, Stacy
Member:
frances

Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 7:05 am:

Thank goodness the worst is over now; it sounds as if all went as well as it could in such unhappy circumstances. What a sad thing to happen.

All the best to you and Olivetti.
Member:
lilo

Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 9:29 am:

I am glad you got through this stage. How heartwrenching. All the best for the future! Lilo
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 9:30 am:

Sad sad, sounds like you did a great job though.
Member:
sully

Posted on Friday, Jun 8, 2007 - 12:40 pm:

So sorry to hear of your loss ;( I am glad your mare is ok.
Sully

PS what is GHEB
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