We manage our foaling out mares with the Foal-Alert™ system. This is a device that is sewn into the vulva of an expectant mare. When the mare is in labor and her water breaks, the device is activated which then calls the veterinarians phone & pager system.
This ensures that the doctor can be present for the birth of the foal so that immediate assistance can be given if needed.
Very soon after we admit a foaling out mare, we open up her caslicks if one had been placed the previous year. This is a very simple procedure and with a little local anesthetic, is resented by few mares. A caslicks surgery is simply sewing the vulva a bit more closed than it is normally to prevent fecal contamination of the vagina. This is important as it could lead to an ascending infection up through the vagina and through the cervix and into the pregnant uterus. Affected mares are at risk to abort their pregnancy in the last trimester, or if they deliver a live foal, that foal is prone to sepsis. So, a simple procedure performed in the first trimester of pregnancy can have a monumental affect on the outcome of that pregnancy. We recommend a mare’s caslicks to be opened 3-4 weeks prior to her due date.
Soon after her admittance into ERCCF, a trans-rectal ultrasound was performed to determine two things. First, we want to measure the combined thickness of the uterus & placental unit.
An abnormal increase in its thickness is important to discover, for several reasons. First, it could be the result of an infection of the placenta that needs further diagnostic s performed followed by prompt medical treatment. Secondly, a foal could have difficulty breaking the thickened placenta during birth, which if unassisted, could lead to suffocation of the foal. An accurate and timely diagnosis will lead to early intervention and treatment resulting in a more positive outcome.
The second thing we want to determine by the trans-rectal ultrasound is the presentation of the foal. The foal should be oriented so that it will be born head first. The fetal orbit aids in documenting this proper positioning.
Foals born backwards are a cause of dystocia (difficult birth) and require immediate assistance for any hope of a live foal. These types of dystocias may result in a C-section.
It is the beginning of our 2011 breeding season and our first mare has arrived for our foaling out services. She is a 16 year old Selle Francois mare named Gitane. She was bred at our facility last year with cooled shipped semen from the stallion, “Landkoing”. Being her very first foal, there are many anxious bystanders waiting to see the final result of her 2010 breeding management. We are gracious to her owners for entrusting us with her for this special event. Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing the procedures we perform and the events that lead up to a horse birth. We hope you enjoy the discussions that will soon follow.
