Can someone give me advice

[Marnie]

She was just born a couple hours ago, she was hiplocked. Nate turned the mare on her back and thank God got the baby out. He said it looked like the umbilical cord was wrapped around her back legs, keeping them in that position, they are still like this, in a frozen position. I tried to rub them, stretch them, to no avail. I did give her 24 cc's of colustrum from the mare. She is sure trying to get up but can't of course, because her back legs won't allow it. I can't get photo bucket to work so I put the pictures on my website, I'll put a link to it here, if anyone wants to look at her. I have seen this before without a good outcome. Please, has anyone else seen or had one like this and is their any hope, anything that I can do for her?

http://www.sunsetridgeminis.com/forsale.htm. She is on the bottom of this page, please look and help me if you can.

 

[dreaminmini]

I'm sorry I can't help but wanted to send some prayers and good wishes that she gets up soon. Hopefully someone can help.

Have you contacted your vet?

 

[chandab]

Sorry, I don't have any ideas for you. Just wanted to say what a sweet looking little girl she is. And, I hope someone comes on with ideas for you and your vet to try with her. Seems I've read about similar situations on the board, but I can't remember when or who posted.

 

[Marnie]

I did call my vet, I have been in this business for years, have used him for years, we know each other well, so we pretty much trust each other and know what we're talking about. I described this to him, he said it does not sound good. He's never seen a good outcome when the foals legs are like this. All he could suggest is to stretch them and massage them. I don't want to use a linament as it could burn, I spent an hour so far stretching them. I'll do it again when I go back down to feed her and my vet is coming out in the morning. But sometimes he seems quick to put animals down. Thats why I was hoping someone here had some experience with this.

 

[Miniv]

Marnie,

My instinct tells me....if I were in your shoes......would be to expect a long night. Keep feeding the baby, and keep massaging her legs.....including stretching them out and in gently. Then, call the vet in the morning. That's what WE would do. Others may disagree, though.

If you're lucky, the vet call will be just for a health check. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Marty]

I have no advice and no idea but isn't tetracycline used in some cases like this?

Marnie, I wish you the BEST of luck that you have the strength to keep up the good work.

Your baby is so pretty.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm no vet, and haven't had experience with this exact problem, but we had a foal born with very LAX tendons this spring, and our vet gave her a shot of Vit.E/Sel. He said that helps with lax or contracted tendons. Might be something to mention to your vet when he comes out. Good luck with your girl! She's beautiful! I love that face!

Melba

 

[wildoak]

What a shame, she looks like such a nice filly. I've not had any experience with this, but I would probably also contact someone who does alternative medicine before I gave up on her - acupuncture, chiropractic, TTouch, anything that might help. TTouch you can do yourself, certainly won't hurt anything. Can you tell whether it is ligaments or bone joints that are inflexible? Best of luck with her.

Jan

 

[Jill]

Marnie --

I don't know any advice but I hope things will be okay for your precious foal!!! She is lucky to have you as her person because if anyone can get her through it, it would be you with all your experience with foals. I pray she can be okay. She is adorable.

Jill

 

[eagles ring farm]

Marnie

I can't see her picture on your pages. but praying for a good outcome for your little sweetheart

she is certainly in the best of hands with you and Nate

Lori

 

[Marnie]

Thanks everyone, I guess I'm hoping for a miracle answer. Lori, right hand click on the picture once and then if it says, Show Picture, click on that, sometimes that'll work if it's red X now.

I went down quite often over night, she sucks it right out of the syringe and she'll suck on the mare too when I hold her up but I don't think her legs will make it. They are not only frozen up in the position you can see but even the hips almost seems welded together, they don't want to spread to well either. I can see this happening too if the cord was wrapped around her legs. I had ran up to the house to grab a foaling chart that I have for getting them out when they are in bad positions and I called my vet so I wasn't their when Nate pulled her out but he said that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her legs a couple times. . Just so the next person who has a hip lock knows, the foaling chart says to rock them back and forth and my vet said to pull straight down toward the mares heals. But Nate turned her on her back and it came out.

But I have a month off of work on a voluntary lay off or I'd not even been home till 11:30 So by being here, at least we saved MaDonna, I hate to think what might have happened had I not been here. It's sad to lose a little one but thankful to save the mare. To wildoak, I really believe in alternate medicines but in this case, I can tell you we live in the middle of no where and that's an under statement, theirs just nothing around me or I wouldn't even know where to find an animal chiropractor, I sure wish I did.

If anyone has anything to offer us hope, please respond. We won't let the little one suffer if theirs no hope.

 

[Karen S]

Hi Marnie,

I'm no vet, but here is my thoughts on what might help you out:

If she was mine I would make a sling on a pully system in the stall. I would make the sling where it fits under the front legs and around her flank area. She needs the support to get those legs to stretch downward with the gentle pull of her weight and gravity. I would call your vet back and ask if they can give her a shot of A.D.E. (which is a vitamin) to help relax and strengthen the muscles. You have such a short time frame to work with her.

With the pully system it will help her with touching the ground but won't put as much weight on her legs until she's ready to put weight on them. My folks used this same type of system on a dog (a Rotty) that had back surgery due to breaking it's back in two places.

Good luck keep us up to date on her progress.

Karen

 

[qtrrae]

Marnie,

She is a little doll! She has such a beautiful little head and looks so bright and alert. I so hope and pray for a miracle, I know that MaDonna is such a good Mom - if you need help with making sure she is nursing either by holding her up or by syringing milk - just let me know.

Hugs my friend and lots of prayers for MaDonna and her precious filly.

 

[justjinx]

Oh, Marnie, what a beautiful little filly! It sounds like you are doing all you can. all i can think of is selenium and vitamins also. wish i were closer to help out but please know my thoughts are going your way! jennifer

 

[txminipinto]

You need radiographs of this filly's pelvis to make sure there's nothing genetically wrong with her skeleton. Vitamins and massages aren't going to help if she's orthopedically abnormal.

 

[Genie]

From the picture it looks like her hips are the problem...still I would not have any ideas for you, that others have not already told you.

Would applying some heat to her hips increase blood circulation and loosen them up?

 

[Mona]

Marnie, I am so sorry that your little girl was born this way. I am thinking she was likely in this same position inside her dam, and that this position was the CAUSE of the hiplock, because those little legs could not straighten out they got hooked on the mare on her way through the birth canal. If she was mine, I would have her xrayed, and if it is a structural deformity, I would have her humanely euthanized. Good Luck with this little lady.

 

[Reble]

So sorry for your trouble, Congratulations on such a nice Filly.

I agree a heating pad and ask your vet about banimine to help with pain so you can work on the hips and legs. yes, vitamin E.

A bale of hay or straw make it the size you need and put the foal over it, to help get it up.

Thinking of you and your foal

 

[Magic]

Oh my, I'm so sorry! I have no ideas for you, can only offer prayers and good thoughts for a good outcome. Good luck!

 

[FoRebel]

No answers from me but I wanted to give you hugs and prayers for your little filly.