I have a question please...on newborns

[jdomep]

If you have time I am curious if each and every one of your new babies and mares are vet checked the day after they are born?? Why or why not? What is the normal protocol for births and vet checks? So many of you have lots of babies and it made me wonder about this. Thanks and enjoy your day!

 

[Relic]

lf the foal and mare are fine which you pick up on after enough babies we don't get a vet out never have though l know all the books say you should and besides none of them would come out here for just a foal check to begin with it's like pulling teeth just to get one to show up for an emergency. So we've learned to do many things for ourselves over the years to keep mares/foals going and healthy with a vet over the phone.

 

[Miniv]

Ditto with what Relic posted.

I do recommend that when you've not had very many foals born for you, to have a vet do a 24 hour vet check.

But I have to admit that after over 100 foals born, we started not having the vet out every time when the mare and foal were doing well. We are coming up to our 200 foal mark now, and we will have a vet check done if we have ANY question on the foal's health. Newborns can take a nosedive with their health in a matter of hours, so we keep them under observation very closely for 24 - 48 hours.

MA

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Well, first you have to find a Vet who is up to speed on a) foals, and foaling.

and b) Minis.

Without this there is no point in having a Vet to check the foal.

The mare, maybe, if you suspect or are worried something may be wrong- retained placenta etc- give a Vet a problem, as I have said in another thread, and they are away- problems are what they are qualified to deal with best.

Give a Vet a straightforward check up and they seem to think they need to do something to justify the bill- then you get unnecessary injections and goodness knows what.

So, unless I have reason to suspect something is wrong I have never had the Vet out.

With my first litter of pups I did take them in to be checked as I wanted Mama checked to make sure there were no more puppies, but I never did it again.

Waste of time and money, as it turned out.

I would , however, actively encourage anyone who is even remotely worried about anything involving foaling, and is new to it, to get a Vet out straight away, sometimes it is worth the bill to be told all is well and to be able to get a good nights sleep!!!

 

[nootka]

No vet check ever. I have had to call him out on one that had diarrhea at about 24 hours old, but all in all, I generally call him if I have questions or concerns and we determine from there what to do.

My little ones have been healthy and fine for the most part (the diarrhea was the result of him getting too much colostrum and we needed to get him stopped up til the milk came in, or that was the explanation).

Liz M.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Didnt used to but since I had one with joint ill immediately after birth I do now.... Want to check milk for rh factor and also igg levels..... Just in case.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[RJRMINIS]

The only time I call our vet out is if something seems wrong/Emergency. Most all of our births have been easy going. I did have him out on one mare last year, She was Maiden, and after she foaled, she was not comfortable, and kept laying down and pushing. I knew something wasn't right, and called the vet immediately.....She was very uncomfortable and wouldn't let her foal nurse, He said she was trying to prolapse.....SO he gave her a spinal block....That helped her tremendously!!!!

:

This year she foaled with NO problem at all.....and I was really worried after last year.

 

[slaneyrose]

Was as Veterinary nurse for 15yrs so would only get the vet out if something was wrong.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Yes we have a vet call at 12 hours for Igg and overall physical. But that being said with exception of one foal all foals have been fine. Its for my peace of mind and to be sure nothing out of the ordinary is going on with either mom or baby. Perhaps if we had had 200 foals I would feel differently but for now with only 2-4 foals a year we will continue to have the Igg done and moms physical.

 

[bitsy]

I've always had the vet come out and check the foals within 24 hours of their birth. She does an igg test and thoroughly checks baby and mom, goes over the placenta to make sure there are no tiny pieces missing. She's very thorough and it gives me peace mind. The buyers like the fact that the foals have been checked by a vet.

 

[Mona]

I do not do it routinely. I guess if things are going seemingly well, I do not feel the need. We live 80 miles from the nearest vet. They do not do calls on any day either, unless of course it is an emergency. Otherwise, they do only regular scheduled farm calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays.