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HorseAdvice.com » Equine Reproduction » Pregnancy, Foaling, & Neonatal Care » Preventing Neonatal Septicemia »
  Discussion on A couple of questions regarding this article
Author Message
Member:
Heidih

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 2, 2002 - 3:46 pm:

Hi Dr.O

I just found this article about foal septicemia, and since I have a mare due to foal in Feb. I read the article with great interest.

Just so you have my background also, this will be the 3rd foal I've raised from this mare. She has never had one with low IgG, nor has she had one get septicemia after foaling. Both of her previous foals were born in Pipe corral stalls, not in barns, that were open to the air in AZ. This foaling will happen in a barn with a foaling stall, and several other horses in close proximity. It will also happen in the middle of winter (mid Feb.).

I'm curious about a couple of things in the article.

Dr. Madigan states "Keep the mare in the facilities in which the foaling will take place to allow production of antibodies in the mare to pathogens within the local area"

How long before my mare foals should she be in the foaling stall? I don't normally use that stall. It is very large and requires a large amount of shavings. I was planning to move her in there around the first of January (She's due Feb. 14). Is that enough time?

Dr. Madigan also recommends washing the mare with large volumes of soap and water after the birth. (I noticed that you said only to do this right before the foal starts searching for her udder). What kind of soap would be good for this? Should I use an antibacterial wash like Nolvasan, or a plain horse shampoo w/water. Also it's going to be cold in there (mid Feb), so should I dry her off also?

I think the bottle of colostrum is a great idea, however I'm not sure my mare will let me milk her out right then. I've never tried, so I don't know. She doesn't wax until right before she foals, so I can't practice with her either. Will a commercial IgG product work just as well? Or should I stick to as natural as possible?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Oct 3, 2002 - 7:59 am:

Hello Heidi,
Hmmmmmm...6 weeks should help but 3 months would be better.

For Dr. Madigan's purpose, antibacterial soaps would be best. I do not do this routinely myself. Yes, drying is important not only because it is cold but because wetness will promote the regrowth of bacteria.

Lastly, you could substitute a commercial oral colostrum product but the mares colostrum would be much better: it will contain antibodies to bacteria in your environment.
DrO

Member:
Heidih

Posted on Thursday, Oct 3, 2002 - 1:49 pm:

Thanks DrO. That is the kind of information I'm looking for. Hopefully I'll be able to implement some of it. I will definitely give my mare more time in the foaling stall to build up her antibodies. The other 2 items, (washing and colostrum)I'll have to wait and see on. So far I have not seen this mare foal. She's very sneaky. No milk or colostrum until she foals and gives false labor signs for an entire month before she delivers. About the time I'm totally exhausted and sleep for a couple of hours, she foals. Like I said before, she hasn't ever had any problems, so hopefully she won't have any problems this time. I'd just like to be prepared.

Thanks again

Heidi
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