This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System » Failure of Passive Transfer of Immunity »
  Discussion on Lethargic newborn, not nuarsing much, sleepier second day than first,
Author Message
New Member:
leina

Posted on Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 - 2:51 pm:

Trying to figure out what ails newborn paint filly. Born in rainy pasture to maiden mare, who didn't volunteer to nurse until 10 am with my assustance. Now she is okay with it, but foal is lazy and not so interested. Foal showed much more interest yeaterday (day one) AFTER i gave her a fleet enema and she passed 25 pellets.
She has been kept warm and dry overnight, sleeping (yop) on a couch in the carport right now. Mare is attentive, staying by her side. No fever in either. Bag is full--very full--and yesterday it was squirting out the unused teat while the baby sucked on the other. Milk looks good, smells good, no clots, no blood in it. Need feedback, ideas. Mare is not constipated. Gave water enema to foal this morning.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 - 4:15 pm:

Hi Leina, welcome to HA. I'm not the doctor here, but have raised a lot of foals so thought I'd offer some comments.

First, why is the foal on a couch and not with it's mother? Unless the mare is being vicious towards the foal, the foal should be in with it's dam so they can properly bond. If the foal is nursing with your help, it will quickly learn to nurse on it's own. You aren't saying how often the foal is nursing, but unlike some other mammals, foals need to nurse small amounts very frequently. The foal at this stage should be nursing about every half hour or so.The fact that the foal is "lazy" may indicate it isn't getting enough nurishment.

Also, did the foal get any of the mare's milk containing the colostrum, which the mare has for about the first 24 hrs or less after the foal is born. It is extremely important that the foal get the colostrum; if it doesn't it might need a plasma or iga transfusion.

First off, I'd put the foal in with the mare and keep an eye on them to make sure the foal can nurse on it's own at this point. If you don't have a dry place out of the mud, rain and wind, I'd find one somewhere - at the vet's, at a friend's, but somewhere. Then I go to https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/6/19984.html and read the articles on newborn foals and foal and mare care.

If the foal has not had it's navel stump treated, I'd do so following the directions given at the above site. I'd also take the foal's temperature and make sure it does't have a fever. It it does, I'd get it to a vet ASAP. Any fever in a foal I treat as an emergency; they can go from healthy to dead in an extremely short time.

I would not give water to a foal as it might fill up on the water and not feel a need for the milk. The longer the foal is away from the mother and the longer the foal goes without nursing, the faster it will loose it's instinct to nurse. Another danger is that the mare will become very sore, and in a maiden mare especially, if she gets very sore she won't want the foal to nurse as it will hurt her. I would help the foal to nurse, trying every half hour, if it won't nurse on it's own at this stage.

I'm sure Dr.O, the vet on this site, will have more to say, and other members will probably chime in here also. There a lot of good people here with lot of experience. Meanwhile, I hope what I've said gives you some direction and help.
New Member:
leina

Posted on Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 - 7:17 pm:

The mare has not been separated from the foal---I just had the foal boxed into a space between old couches and plasatic bins so she could not wander out into the storm during the night. And I got up three times to put her ON the mare for a drink. And this morning the weather is sunny and nice, and they are together but the foal is lyng down a lot. I did give her water because she seemed thirsty. her pulse was way up an hour ago when i took it---at 126 beats per minute. And she was brething 93 breaths a minute, at rest after having walkied around for a while.

i just milked the mare, and tried to give the baby that milk, because as of half an hour ago the baby doesnt want to stand up, and just flops back down when I stand her up.

So I came inside to see if there were any suggestions.

I am going to put th e milk in aobottle for her now and feed her that way if she will take it. The mare has even become cooperative while I milk her---whe wasnt yesterday. But she freaks out if she cannot SEE the baby, like swhen I noticed a discharge from the vulv and wanted to rinse it off with the hose.

Everybody smells okay.

This is about my 200th foal, so I am not new to this, and have lost ONE (two week old) foal that was born alive---but weak---to an older mare who had once had a miscarriage, about ten years ago.I am usually the go to person giving ou t the advice. I am feeling helpless and inept this time.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 - 7:38 pm:

Leina do you have a vet you can get involved? It sounds like the foal is getting worse and needs emergency care. Do you know if the foal sucked with in the first 12 hrs. and got the necessary colostrum in her?
Member:
juliem

Posted on Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 - 7:43 pm:

I agree, this sounds like an emergency situation. If you can't get a vet involved, I don't know what you can do, but those vital signs are VERY alarming as well as is the lethargy. Foals, as Sara said, go from alive to dead in very short order. Welcome to HA and very sorry it's in regard to something so potentially serious. Julie
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 - 8:37 pm:

Any newborn foal with increasing lethargy is an emergency situation and a veterinarian needs to be called. There is nothing diagnostic in the posts above and quite a few possible explanations for your foals problems. Many are treatable if treated early. If you would like to read about the diseases that effect newborns see, Diseases of Horses ยป Foal Diseases but please call your veterinarian out.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC