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  Discussion on Late maiden-- do I do more than wait?
Author Message
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Saturday, Apr 18, 2009 - 10:46 am:

Good morning DrO,

I have a 6yo maiden mare at 355 days gestation. My questions are

1) Would a vet exam likely give me any actionable information. (My current course of action is simply to watch and wait.)

2) Is there any malpresentation of the foal (or size-related problem) that might cause her not to go into proper labor at all, or is that controlled purely by hormone levels?

The mare is huge-- her bellybutton has actually popped out, which is not something I'd seen before. She is fully bagged up with microscopic waxing and a swollen vulva. She is so lax that she has been having trouble getting up from sleeping. Her appetite has been variable, but she does not appear ill and is eating and drinking, though (understandably) depressed.

The last 5 nights she has shown multiple hour-long periods of what looks like heavy labor.

My older mare bred to the same stallion foaled an enormous (tall and broad) colt at 343 days earlier this season.

My regular vet has been following the mare, and has said that the only plan is waiting for the mare, and dealing with problems if/when she commits to labor. I don't have the option of hospitalizing her to foal, since I elected not to immunize for clostridium/rhodo. etc..
Member:
paardex

Posted on Saturday, Apr 18, 2009 - 11:14 am:

Hi Elizabeth, last year Margo[at 9 years of age] foaled out as a 'maiden' almost a month to late! I had her taken to a "haras' to have vets standby but it wasn't necessary from the point of giving birth.
Everything went completely normal she had just kept us waiting. Quite Easy could have given a big 'throw back' with her too but the foal was normal.
No guarantee for you but perhaps it makes you 'sleep' a bit better?
Jos
Member:
scooter

Posted on Saturday, Apr 18, 2009 - 11:25 am:

Hi Elizabeth, Just FME.. I had a mare(maiden) go 1 year and some odd days. She had no problems and actually the foal was not big at all. My friend also had a maiden mare go around a year gestation and decided to induce...in that situation it was a bad outcome, her mare seemed to go in and out of labor, the vet had palpated and thought the foal big. Somehow it had gotten hung up in the birth canal (I can't remember the details)other than the outcome. I know my friend always regretted inducing, but no one knows for sure if that is what caused the problem.

So I suppose it depends Good Luck I hope you have a healthy foal with an easy delivery soon!!
Member:
stek

Posted on Saturday, Apr 18, 2009 - 12:53 pm:

I have also seen a maiden mare go to 367 days and foal out with no complications whatsoever (aside from my frustration at playing the waiting game with her!). I know inducing labor is common in people, per my OB the placenta can start to function poorly after a certain point, but I've never seen it done to a horse. My personal feeling is that it's better to wait till the foal is done cooking :-)

I'm not sure if there are any malpresentations that could cause a delay of labor, but as far as I know we still don't know exactly what triggers the body to start the process of labor...

Dr. O are you familiar with any similar medical theory in equine obstetrics that shows a problem with the placenta after a certain point?
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Saturday, Apr 18, 2009 - 2:39 pm:

Thanks guys. Just to be clear, I have no wish to induce. My understanding is that it's quite dangerous for mare and foal, and is primarily a last-ditch salvage attempt if something happens to the mare. I am only wondering if a vet exam might give me information that would change my management in any way, or cause me to handle real labor (when her water breaks) any differently.

My vet has told me that the mare's placenta may deteriorate in a prolonged gestation, but generally remains functional unless something else is wrong. She told me it would be "less pretty," never a term I have used about a placenta!
Member:
dres

Posted on Saturday, Apr 18, 2009 - 8:21 pm:

I am betting you have a foal in 24 hours.. !

can't wait for pictures..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 6:28 am:

Ann-- you were right! Born at about 2am, an insanely vigorous colt.

Rough delivery-- he presented with a foreleg back and the mare panicked. Fortunately she settled when I came in to help, and allowed me to re-position the colt, at which point it seemed that he jumped straight out into the world. He stood up in ten minutes and ran around for the next 2.5 hours, but finally decided to nurse.

I can't say enough nice things about my mare, who allowed me to help him and her, and is being a wonderful mother.

Member:
hollyw

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 7:50 am:

Just came in on this post, Elizabeth.
So glad you were able to get that leg (He was just wanting to put his best foot forward . . . :P . . . just remember which one is his best foot, okay?)
What a wonderful mare. I bet they are both exhausted . . . with you the MOST exhausted.
Congratulations!!!
Member:
scooter

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 8:02 am:

Congratulations Elizabeth! What a nice thing to wake up to..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 9:03 am:

The colt beat to the punch elk, congratulations.
DrO
Member:
dres

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 9:32 am:

Wahooo, Wahoo,, I win , I win...

lovely sight to see this AM... huge congrats in keeping your wits about you as well..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
erika

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 9:43 am:

Congratulations, Elizabeth!
Ann, where were you when I was sleeping in the barn for a week?
Erika
Member:
jjrichar

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 10:35 am:

Oh wow... what a beautiful colt (and mare btw)! Congratulations! I am so glad you where there for the delivery to help w that foreleg. Whew what a close one huh?

My mare was only 'covered' once by the stallion so I knew exactly when to expect the foal. But she had other plans as she went almost a whole month overdue. I was waking up every few hours, all night to ck her for three weeks. One morning I had given up hope and slept in a little, as the long nights had caught up to me. I had hubby ck her on the way out the door at 7 am. I got up at 8 and peeked out the window and she was standing so I figured all was ok and had some coffee, etc. Well, I walked out there around 9 am and there were little ears poking up over the door of the stall. He was already dry, running around, and nursing! I figure she watched hubby drive down the driveway and then plopped down and had the baby right then, probably out of spite. LOL I was glad all was ok, but I still curse her for doing that to me. hehe

Congrats again!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 10:41 am:

I,too, am just seeing this thread. What a great looking foal and beautiful mare! Congratulations! Our black stallion's dam was always late, late was her norm. Some mares are like that. They just like to see how long you can go without sleep!

So glad everyone is healthy!
Member:
canter

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 11:17 am:

Congratulations, Elizabeth! Another beautiful baby. When you catch up on your sleep, you KNOW we want more pictures....
Member:
frances

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 2:12 pm:

How lovely ... what good news ... so glad all is well ... they're beautiful!
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 4:51 pm:

Member:
sdms

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 5:25 pm:

Beautiful, Elizabeth! Congratulations!

Ann, as my mares get closer I'm going to be calling on you for assistance to cut down my mare watch time.
Member:
dres

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 6:30 pm:

Just could not be any cutier.. .. . Is he graying all ready?

Yup, Sara I will have my crystal ball and psyche vibes ready for your little one to come :-)

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 7:07 pm:

Yes Ann-- he has a lot of gray in there already.

I will give you a testimonial for your new "Foaling Psychic" business. Talk about a market opportunity!
Member:
jowidner

Posted on Sunday, Apr 19, 2009 - 11:33 pm:

Beautiful baby Elizabeth. I'm so glad you were able to correct the malpresentation. I can imagine that that was a very scarey moment for you too.
Member:
paardex

Posted on Monday, Apr 20, 2009 - 9:30 am:

Beautiful foalElizabeth, worth the extra worries! I expect great things of him, the best dressagehorse I ever bred also managed to have one leg bent back in the knee [apart from being and staying horribly big and 'lively'] he nearly made it to the Olympics, tell this one to completely make it!
Jos
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