Foal ESCAPE - help needed

[Ricgail]

Hi,

Hope someone can help. My mare foal at night. I didnt know she had bred with my stud and had no idea for a foaling date. The next morning i found her foal in my neighbors yard. The mare is fine and the foal is very active and seems OK. I have tried to obtain a tetnus shot with no results. The foal was born on the past weekend. Now she is five days old. Can i still give her a tetnus shot at five days?

Thank you for your help. I feel awful over this.

 

[REO]

I don't know the answer. Someone here or your vet would know.

Is your foal healthy, nursing and going potty well?

 

[Debby - LB]

Don't feel bad, you are asking for info. this isn't the first time a foal has rolled under a fence. Wow you got a huge surprise! so under the circumstances you have no idea if the little one received the colostrum she needed from her dam. Assuming she did, was the mare up to date on all inoculations? If a mare is vaccinated appropriately you don't need to give the tetanus antitoxin to her or her foal, her foal will get antibodies via colostrum, the foal will be protected until around six months of age, then is when it should be started on an immunization program. I would not give the foal a tetanus shot no. I hope someone else replies that knows more than me but in my opinion what I would do is have a Veterinarian come do a wellness exam. Its too late to do a IgG test but letting a Vet come check the foal and the mare would be good.

I wish you well with that little baby! Is this the first foal you have ever had? We love to SEE new babies here so please post when you can.

 

[REO]

Oh yes! Please do share your baby!

 

[Ricgail]

The foal, (FireFly) recieved moms milk by two that afternoon. The mom had her four way in October for the winter. She is due again the end of April for her four way for the spring. Both mom and foal are eating, peeing and pooping. I think the best to get the vet out to releive my mind. Thank you for your suggestions. I will be back with pictures for sure. This is my first of two foals... The second due next year... My stud will be cut this month.

 

[happy appy]

You shouldn't give any shot without having your vet out to look at the foal. I don't think it can be given until 4 months of age.

 

[Debby - LB]

That sounds like she should be fine then IF she received the colostrum within the window of time that she could absorb it... provided the mare had sufficient colostrum. The timing of colostrum is critical. Right now I'd make sure her umbilical is taken care of and that the mare passed her placenta and it looked normal. The Vet will ease you mind. Good luck with her! I do miss my babies each spring.

 

[Mona]

I always gave Tetanus Antitoxin to my foals at birth upon the recommendation of my vet. It is different than the Tetanus Toxoid that is given to the mature horses annually.

 

[Ricgail]

Hi everyone. I am calling out my vet for a mare/foal check. Did find and bury in plastic bag the placenta... How can I post my pictures of Firefly. By the way, it's great to have a place like Lil Beginnings to share with other folks that share!! Thanks everyone; you have all be GREAT!

 

[Julie/Azariah]

Congratulations on a healthy baby!!!... your vet will want to look at the placenta to make sure it is completely out of the mare.

To post a photo you need to go to the little picture (looks like a little green tree in the middle of the second row above) click on it and then put youre photo URL in... I put my photos in photobucket online and then get the URL from there...

Can hardly wait to see the photos of your new little one!

 

[supaspot]

or you can upload directly from you computer . in the box at the bottom of the page click on more reply options , then click on choose file , once youve chosen it click on attach file

congrats on your new baby

 

[Ricgail]

Hi evryone!

FireFly and mom are doing well. My lovely vet wont be out here until next week... Hmmmm.

Well here goes, yet another question. The foal seems to be eating some dirt while in the pasdock afea with her mom. I give the adults sand clear, but i have read she could be doing this for minerals. Should i put a mineral block in their stall? Im concerned about colic?

Thank you again for your help....

 

[happy appy]

It could be that the foal is eating moms poop. I have heard that it helps with gut flora.

 

[Julie/Azariah]

They will eat mommas manure

Usually about 10 days to 2 wks old... but my babies seem to start at just a few days old... NORMAL.. but EEWWWWW!

 

[Marty]

Congratulations! I don't put the salf/mineral blocks in the stall because sometimes they might get bored and keep at them too much so i put them in a common area instead.

I'd get another vet out by the way because it doesn't seem right this vet is having to make you wait so long for an exam.

Hope you got your fencing fixed. You'd be shocked at the teeny tiny places these little foals can get through. I've had a couple of little surprises end up in my back yard!