HOLY COW!!!!!

[Becky]

One of my mares just foaled unexpectedly about 10:40 tonight. Thank God for the Equipage! I missed her last year and lost the foal. Anyway, this mare has very little udder and I figured she was at least a week away. Her udder is small, still two halves and the nipples are rolled to the inside still. She does have colostrum. I'm trying to get some frozen (thawed now) colostrum down the filly who is fighting me every step of the way. I'm afraid her filly isn't going to be able to find that tiny udder. What works best to get the mare to let down and start producing milk? I did give her oxytocin about an hour ago. Any help will be appreciated!

 

[Witts Mini Horse Ranch]

Becky, I am no help..I would think the mare would drop..maybe if the filly starts trying to nurse would encourage it. I would call Rita, she is my wise one.

Congrats on the filly, praying all goes well.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Your Vet????

 

[minie812]

Becky do u have a large syringe that you can cut the end off? Pull the stopper and put it in the other end and push it up under the mare on her nipple and pull so it creates a vacumn and draw out the colostrum for baby and see if that doesn't help bring on her milk

 

[Getitia]

Over the years, we have had mares foal with virtually no udder (sometimes maidens - sometimes an older mare who just foaled early) We owned an older mare who NEVER had an udder at the time of foaling - the best approach we have found (vet advice as well) in this situation is to allow the foal to nurse - if the foal is healthy and can easily reach the udder - they will latch on and start to nurse. In all of our situations ( except one) the milk came in within just two to three hours after the foal started to nurse. Plus, you mentioned that you were able to express colostrum, which is very good, as once the foal obtains a taste, even with a minimal filled udder, it will continue to nurse and bring in the milk.

Hope this is of help

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Warm wet compresses every hour. Milking and stimulation after to help bring the milk in.

When I volunteered at New Bolten Center, they gavr oxytocin before we milked the mares, every time until the milk was in.

You might also get some Domperidone, it really helps!

Robin

 

[Carolyn R]

Exactly what Robin said. Domperidone can be purchased through your vet. Starts its magic in less than an hour, with the very warm compresses it works in no time flat. I was a bit more aggressive with the compesses, stedily keeping them applied in between milkings.

 

[cindydog12]

hope all goes well, congratulations on your filly...keep us posted

 

[Connie P]

Becky,

I also think if the filly is strong enough to nurse this will help bring the milk down. Oxytocin and Domperidone are also wonderful. Hopefully your vet can come out this morning and give you some good advice as well. Best of luck to you - looking forward to some photos! Congratulations on your new bundle.

 

[mizbeth]

Hi Becky

Oh gosh! I think you are doing what is best for now. Oxytocin will work the quickest in this situation. Give every four hours. I hope the filly will be fine, and yes nursing is the key to bringing milk in, but????

Congrats............

Beth

 

[MountainMeadows]

Becky, as other have said - light does of Oxy every other hour, Dom if you can get it, warm compresses and actually a little Acepromozine will help her relax and drop her milk. Any way you go it is still pretty scary - keep us all posted

Sta

 

[RJRMINIS]

Hi Becky,

I had a mare foal last spring that was just like that hardly any udder at all, and I am used to most of my mares having huge udders before they foal, the colt was nursing, but I was so worried he wasn't getting enough, but I could get colostrum out when I squeezed, she never did have a big udder, ever, and I did give her oxytocin, one time, and then just kept an eye on them, the colt was always nursing and active, and he was fine, this was the first foal I had from this mare, but she had had several foals before I bought her........guess she is just not one to make a big udder.......but it sure worried me as well. So I will be watching her closer this spring, I did not think she was ready to foal either, but got a surprise that morning too.

Good Luck...I would be more worried if I couldn't get any colostrum squeezed out at all.

 

[Matt73]

Over the years, we have had mares foal with virtually no udder (sometimes maidens - sometimes an older mare who just foaled early) We owned an older mare who NEVER had an udder at the time of foaling - the best approach we have found (vet advice as well) in this situation is to allow the foal to nurse - if the foal is healthy and can easily reach the udder - they will latch on and start to nurse. In all of our situations ( except one) the milk came in within just two to three hours after the foal started to nurse. Plus, you mentioned that you were able to express colostrum, which is very good, as once the foal obtains a taste, even with a minimal filled udder, it will continue to nurse and bring in the milk.
Hope this is of help

I second that. Lexus didn't have much of an udder with her first foal last June. But she had colostrum and, evidently, had plenty of milk, as Briar was an energetic fast-growing, healthy foal.

 

[palsminihorses]

Thinking of you this morning, Becky. Hoping your little filly is able to nurse the mare and that the oxytocin and domperidone will work! I'll be watching for updates. Sending prayers your way.

Pam C.

 

[Reble]

Hope foal is nursing, update and pictures please

 

[sedeh]

Congratulations on your filly Becky!! I hope everything is okay this morning and the mare's milk has come in!! Pictures pretty please!!

 

[Joanne]

O.K. Becky..... I think we are all ready for photos of the new filly!

You are way ahead of my foalings which won't start for another month or so....

Wishing your new one a healthy start to the new year.

 

[Becky]

*UPDATE* Mare and foal are at Equine Medical Associates, a local equine hospital. I worked with this filly and mare all night long with no luck. Charlotte came over and we both worked for a few hours more. No luck getting the filly to latch on to the tiny udder on the mare. The filly started getting lethargic by mid morning so we loaded them up and took them to the hospital.

The vet gave the filly something that totally amazed me! No Doz!!! After giving her 1/2 tab dissolved in water orally, the filly jumped up, walked over to the mare, stuck her head under and started nursing! I've never, ever seen anything like it and I've seen quite a lot in all my years with horses. LOL The caffeine stimulant was just what she needed. She's not out of the woods yet, but things are looking better. They have given her two plasma transfers so far and are monitoring her carefully. She will stay there through the night. The mare has had two doses of Domperidone, so hopefully that plus the filly nursing, will get this mare to producing more milk and increase her udder size.

Thanks for all your suggestions and support! Here's a few pics of her in the hospital.

 

[targetsmom]

Congratulations! She is just adorable. The things we learn on this forum - No Doz!!! Thank you so much for telling your story on here. Hope the filly continues to nurse and do well.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Oh Becky! So, so glad things are looking up! And what a little doll she is!!

Keep us posted!