# Help! Newborn won't "latch on"



## sweetheart (Jul 13, 2007)

I'm hoping someone here has some suggestions - just had a filly born to a maiden mare with tiny, inward-pointing teats and the foal can't seem to latch on to them. I tried milking some out to soften the teats, I've rubbed some colostrum on the foal's gums, and syringed some into her mouth from where the teats are. The foal has a sucking reflex, she'll nurse on my finger and I've tried pushing the nipple into her mouth, but the mare's nipples are so small & slippery that the foal can't seem to latch on. Any suggestions?

Adding to the difficulty is that it was a really difficult birth and the mare doesn't want to stand up for very long. Also, the foal was born without a heartbeat - thankfully I was able to revive her, but the vet said she might be a dummy foal because of the lack of oxygen initially. She is rooting around and trying to nurse though, so I'm hoping not.

I don't want to just milk the mare out and and bottle feed a big feeding for fear that the foal will then have no incentive to try to nurse from the mare, but I also don't want to let the foal get so weak from not eating that she doesn't have the energy to try anymore. Anyone have a suggestion as to how much colostrum she needs to get to keep her strength up but still be hungry? She was born about 2 hours ago and has had about 10 mls of colostrum so far from the syringe & squirting in her mouth.

Thanks for any help.


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## Marnie (Jul 13, 2007)

Can you call the vet out to give her the colostrum she needs, than you have that problem solved. I don't think she's a dummy foal if she's trying to nurse, (but I could be wrong) you'll have to keep milking the mare and giving it to her until she gets stronger. If you don't have a nipple or she won't suck on it, use a syringe. But go very slowly and when I do it, I put my finger in the mouth just a little ways so she's already sucking, so it goes down the right tube. To get the milk out, take a bigger syringe, cut a hole in the top, the end all the way off, like a 60 cc syringe, cut a hole the down where the tip starts, about the size of a dime or nickel, make it as smooth edged as you can. Than you just put it on the mares nipple and pull back on the syringe, works great. But the foal will get stronger as she gets a little older, she won't be dependent on you if you keep trying to get her to nurse her mom too but she needs to get enough colostrum in her, 10 cc is nothing, I think I saw where they need 60 cc's an hour of milk, if I'm wrong, someone will correct me. The vet also has a serum called IGG that is a fake colstrum that you can get, it's about 80$ a bottle but is enough for about 4 mini foals.

Did you give your mare banamine, she should have some with a difficult birth.

Good luck with her, I hope it works out. After that birth, you sure don't want to lose her. I'd call the vet to get her started in life.


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## Cimarron (Jul 13, 2007)

Take some of the mares milk and rub all over her udder area so it will encourage the foal to keep trying! Good luck! Sheila


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## kaykay (Jul 13, 2007)

this is one of the most frustrating things there is to do. it takes a ton of persistence. get your vets advice too but last time my vet had me give the mare banamine so she would stand still and let the foal nurse. I always try giving them some time alone and watching on the camera. I tried for 2 hrs once and then left the stall. Sure enough 30 mins later the foal was latched on by itself. giving the foal some thru the syringe should give her the burst of energy to try and nurse again. The good thing is once they latch on they get it from then on out. sending good thoughts for all of you!


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## eagles ring farm (Jul 13, 2007)

when she is near the utter area looking

are you scratching her butt gently (just keep scratching)

that is how mom stimulates them to keep searching and suck

we have had alot of luck with that

also has the foal pooped yet

we had a foal that had not yet passed the mecatum (sp?)

vet told us an enema will stimulate appitite

and it worked


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## sweetheart (Jul 13, 2007)

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I have given the mare banamine, but she still is wanting to lay down quite a bit. The foal has pooped and I've syringed some more colostrum into her. I'm going to try the syringe to milk her Marnie, thanks for the idea. I have a call in to the vet also about artificial colostrum. The mare seems to be producing plenty though, I'll bet I can milk quite a bit out of her. The mare is nuzzling and nipping the foal's tail & rear end when she tries to nurse, so I think I'm covered there



. I'll go smear some colostrum all over the mare's bag right now to see if it helps. Thanks for the suggestions and the support, I'll keep you all posted.


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## sweetheart (Jul 13, 2007)

Hi!

Just a quick update - she finally was able to latch on and had a short but successful nursing session (probably for about a minute or so), then popped off and rooted around some more and then latched on again for another short nurse (maybe 10-15 swallows), so I'm hopeful. I milked about 60 mls out of the mare to give to her, but now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to wait a bit and see if she continues to successfully nurse on her own before I confuse her by giving her more from the bottle or syringe...

Thanks for all the suggestions and prayers! Keep your fingers crossed.


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## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Jul 13, 2007)

sweetheart said:


> Hi!
> 
> Just a quick update - she finally was able to latch on and had a short but successful nursing session (probably for about a minute or so), then popped off and rooted around some more and then latched on again for another short nurse (maybe 10-15 swallows), so I'm hopeful. I milked about 60 mls out of the mare to give to her, but now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to wait a bit and see if she continues to successfully nurse on her own before I confuse her by giving her more from the bottle or syringe...
> 
> Thanks for all the suggestions and prayers! Keep your fingers crossed.


YIPEE sounds like she got it I would wait and see how she does before giving her a bottle

Sometimes the whole trying to help them ends up being so frustrating for all the best thing to do is give it some time they really can go some time before nursing.

The a few swallows is totally normal!

Congrats on your new baby


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## Miniv (Jul 13, 2007)

:aktion033: Sounds like your baby is going to do just fine........ If you still have that milked out colostrum, you might as well freeze it.

MA


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## sweetheart (Jul 13, 2007)

Just another quick update -with pics (hopefully I can get them to post!). She's been nursing all day in short but frequent bouts. She's still not as strong as our others have been, but she stands and nurses and seems alert, has pooped & peed several times. Hopefully she'll just get stronger from here on out. Thanks for all of your help.






In this one you can see her pretty blue eyes






In this one you can see her dorsal stripe (just like mom's!)


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## crponies (Jul 13, 2007)

What a pretty girl! I love those blues eyes and her dorsal stripe.



: I'm glad she is getting the hang of things now.



:


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## Mona (Jul 13, 2007)

Congratulations on your new filly! So glad she caught on to where the goodies come from! :aktion033:


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## HGFarm (Jul 13, 2007)

Sounds like she's good to go now! She doesnt sound like a 'dummy' - and give her a day or two, she will be racing around all over! Foals don't nurse for very long at a time, but do nurse very often and sounds like she is doing that, so I dont think you have any worries now. YEAH!! :aktion033:


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## Miniv (Jul 13, 2007)

Remember, she had a bit of slow start. But I bet she catches up in another day or so. If you are at all unsure, it wouldn't hurt to have your vet run an IgG test on her, just incase.

That's a definite dorsal stripe! Thinking she may turn into a silver dun! Pretty girl!

MA


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## CJMM6 (Jul 13, 2007)

What a beautiful dun filly. I'm happy she is getting the hang of things. cjmm


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