Flicka's mare stare thread

[elizabeth.conder]

I have been checking in all day as well. Hope everything is okay.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Well ! LOOONNGGGG night and its not over. But we have a colt !!!!!!!! He was born tonight at 10pm.

The only thing is he is currently fighting for his life. It was a red bag delivery that 2 stage labor happened in 5-10 seconds (not joking !). Was so fast, I believe that had I been at home watching on monitor, I would not have been able to run fast enough to get there before he lacked oxygen from the deadly sack. He popped out! But according to vet, he is borderline premature, and the smallest she's seen so far in minis. One hour after his birth he was not standing. 2 hours after, he was standing with help. We tried putting him to nurse, did not want to latch even when he had suckling reflex. I seringed him a few ml of milk, but he would'nt take more. I had called the vet. She got here at 2am and tubed him. We gave hime a full dose of colostrum, blanketed him, put a warm water bottle beside him to give him warmth.

If you have any ideas to help, please do not hesitate. I am open to ALL suggestions to help him.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

UPDATE:
The little boy is doing better, thanks to that colostrum the vet tubed into him. I've just bottle fed him some more milk. Try as he might, he can't find where to latch on Flicka, but he's been looking at the right place, so there is improvement compared to earlier. He is now sleeping under a pile of blankets and his warm water bottle.

He really wants to fight, now that he was given that milk. I am praying for that little man with all my heart.

 

[Taz]

Oh no! The repo vet here told me they need to be fed as much as they will eat every 1/2 hour. Keep him eating and warm and put a bit of milk on Ficka's teats. Give him the chance to nurse before you feed him each time so he's hungry and trying to figure it out but then make sure he gets enough. I'm so sorry he's having problems. A lot of them have a hard time figuring out where/how to use the milk bar in the beginning, just keep at it.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Oh no! The repo vet here told me they need to be fed as much as they will eat every 1/2 hour. Keep him eating and warm and put a bit of milk on Ficka's teats. Give him the chance to nurse before you feed him each time so he's hungry and trying to figure it out but then make sure he gets enough. I'm so sorry he's having problems. A lot of them have a hard time figuring out where/how to use the milk bar in the beginning, just keep at it.

Just came back from feeding him and he latched for a few seconds, before I gave him the bottle. I'm going to install a heat lamp to help him and I'm constantly supplying him with hot water bottles around him and under his pile of blankets

 

[JFNM miniatures]

 

[Willow Flats]

So sweet.. Praying for this little one to thrive and for stamina for you as you tend to all his needs! Hoping to hear he has latched when I check back in.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

So sweet.. Praying for this little one to thrive and for stamina for you as you tend to all his needs! Hoping to hear he has latched when I check back in.

Thank you very much! All prayers and thoughts are appreciated !

My brother tried helping him to nurse again, and he latched on for several gulps, except, he lost balance and unlatched. He was getting tired, so I bottled him. He is actually eating pretty much what the vet said he needs. The vet figured 75mL every 4 hours, and he is taking 10-20 mL every half-hour, if he keeps doing like that, he'll be getting between 80-160 mL every 4 hours.

He also had no problem passing meconium and urine several times, which is a relief.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Have you tried the madigan squeeze? A lot of time red bag foals are born as dummy foals because of the limited oxygen. It’s worth a try and won’t hurt. I’ve seen several have to use it this year with great results. The difficulty nursing and problem standing sound textbook dummy. Praying for y’all! If you do the squeeze it’s important to squeeze hard enough and hold it that he kinda passes out or it will look that way. And you have to hold it the whole 10 minutes. You can even try it several times need be.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Have you tried the madigan squeeze? A lot of time red bag foals are born as dummy foals because of the limited oxygen. It’s worth a try and won’t hurt. I’ve seen several have to use it this year with great results. The difficulty nursing and problem standing sound textbook dummy. Praying for y’all! If you do the squeeze it’s important to squeeze hard enough and hold it that he kinda passes out or it will look that way. And you have to hold it the whole 10 minutes. You can even try it several times need be.

No, did not try. I told the vet about it, but she tried some pressure points, on the gums and between the tail and anus. It seemed to work, as he was just lying down, and all of a sudden, he stood up. But I'll try that for sure. By the way, you said I have to squeeze until he seems to pass out. Can he actually be harmed from it ? Just wondering...

 

[elizabeth.conder]

No, did not try. I told the vet about it, but she tried some pressure points, on the gums and between the tail and anus. It seemed to work, as he was just lying down, and all of a sudden, he stood up. But I'll try that for sure. By the way, you said I have to squeeze until he seems to pass out. Can he actually be harmed from it ? Just wondering...

He won’t full on pass out. It will look like it. Basically just a deep sleep. There are a lot of videos on YouTube that you can see what it’s supposed to look like. No it won’t harm him at all. I’ve seen people do it 15-20 times with no side effects. All it is doing it mimicking the birth canal. There is a hormone that foals have in the womb that keeps them basically sedated. During foaling, the pressure and act causes the hormone to get turned off. But when there is an abnormal foaling, it doesn’t always happen. So the squeeze mimic is the birth canal and is supposed to turn off that hormone. ThT is why it’s important to hold it. With full sized horses they use a rope to squeeze. Just easier to use arms for a mini.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Ok. We did it twice, he definitely was more alert, had less trouble standing, but he still walks in a wobbly manner. He lay down, stood up about 5 times without falling and was much better at latching, although, he was still too unsteady to keep at it.

We'll go back and do it some more, especially if we can do it as much as 20-15 times.
Two questions however. I am supposed to set him back standing or laying down ?
Also, if I tried it a few times, took a break and then did it again, is it still good, or should i do it, say 5 times in a row without taking a break ?

 

[elizabeth.conder]

It doesn’t matter too much on how you set him down. Did your vet say anything about testing his igG? I would give him a break between. They won’t be automatically better but should gradually improve.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

It doesn’t matter too much on how you set him down. Did your vet say anything about testing his igG? I would give him a break between. They won’t be automatically better but should gradually improve.

Yes, the vet said she could test his igG if he improved by the weekend. I need to call her later and talk to her about it.

great to know that they improve gradually. That is what I noticed. Last time we tried, he followed his mommy around, which he hasn't really done yet. I'll do it again, because since it doesn't hurt him, it's worth a try.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Yes, the vet said she could test his igG if he improved by the weekend. I need to call her later and talk to her about it.

great to know that they improve gradually. That is what I noticed. Last time we tried, he followed his mommy around, which he hasn't really done yet. I'll do it again, because since it doesn't hurt him, it's worth a try.

It is recommended to get the igG done within the first 24-48 hrs. If there is an issue there it is best treated as early as possible. How is he now?

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Yes. Vet said she might do it on Saturday. He is better, more alert, but did not drink enough on Flicka and was hungry, so I bottle fed him and he is now napping under his pile of blankets and heatlamp. Weather is nasty and humid outside. I wonder why it always have to be so when things like that happen...

 

[Taz]

I'm so happy he's picking up!! My foal last year was a red bag and he ate(after being gotten started and his mom working with him on it), walked and followed mom but wasn't home for the first three days when he suddenly woke up. I didn't squeeze him because I wasn't comfortable using a rope on him, the arm method is great! Thank you elizabeth.conder for bringing that up!!!!! What kind of bottle are you using? I couldn't get mine to take a bottle.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

I'm so happy he's picking up!! My foal last year was a red bag and he ate(after being gotten started and his mom working with him on it), walked and followed mom but wasn't home for the first three days when he suddenly woke up. I didn't squeeze him because I wasn't comfortable using a rope on him, the arm method is great! Thank you elizabeth.conder for bringing that up!!!!! What kind of bottle are you using? I couldn't get mine to take a bottle.

I used a regular human baby bottle that holds 125mL, so pretty small. He didn't understand at first, but I took some milk and put it on the nipple so he would taste and smell the milk. Next, I put the bottle in his mouth and GENTLY pressed the nipple to get a few drops in his mouth and was very careful not to send a squirt in his lungs. He quickly understood, although he drank only a few sips that first time. But now, he takes between 10-20mL every half hour.

 

[Taz]

That's awesome. Is he any steadier on his feet?

 

[MerMaeve]

Congratulations on a cute colt!! It's not a surprise he is a cutie, as both parents are beautiful!

Hoping for a quick recovery!