Lost another foal 3rd in a row what could I have done

[Magic]

That's so sad, I'm so very sorry for your losses.

If it were me, I wouldn't try breeding this mare anymore. I've never given Regumate to a mare, not to say I wouldn't try it, but if a mare can't produce a live foal even after all that, all those tries and all that time and effort, I think both you and she would be better off not putting you both through all that again.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I think you did everything you could to try and help, but I believe the foal was already gone. It may have taken an actual breath or it may just have been something that seemed like a breath, but it wasn't going to live. I'm very sorry for your loss and heartache. Beleive me when I say I know what it's like to have a mare you specifically want a baby from and you just can't get it. It's heartbreaking, and it takes its toll emotionally and sometimes financially as well.

I would not put the mare (or yourself) through this again.

Again, I'm sorry you lost the foal. :no:

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

I am so very sorry.

 

[Anne ABC]

I to am very sorry to hear of your and your mares heartache and the loss of that precious foal.

May I ask if your other 3 mares have delivered their foals and if they had any problems delivering?

What you discribe sounds so very reminiscent of a brood mare on fescue pasture. When we were dealing with fescue toxins we had one or two mares that were not bothered by it , however, most of the mares would go into early labor and the foal would be malpositioned because they were not lined up with the birth canal yet.

It is a terrible ordeal for us and worse for the mares.

Probley not the case with your mare at all, but, what you are discribing makes one wonder.

Again, so sorry for your loss..................

 

[Miniv]

I'm reading the emotion in your post and feel so badly for you!

I hope you don't mind yet another person who agrees with Kay's post earlier on.........

We have decided over the years not to use Regumate either. A strong fertile broodmare that carries with few problems 9 times out of 10 produces a strong baby. And if it's a daughter, she usually carries on her mother's legacy.

Please don't second-guess yourself (as it sounds like you're doing). From your description, you did everything you could to help your mare AND the baby. A twisted cord often occurs when a foal has been in distress in the womb and while flipping around will twist it on its own. The end result is the twisted cord cuts off blood and oxygen supply and the mare will either abort, the foal is born dead, or near dead. Again, there was probably nothing you could have done to save the baby........Please do NOT drive yourself crazy.

Whenever we lose a foal, we grieve, and most importantly we allow the mare to grieve as well. Give her lots of love and be gentle on YOURSELF. OKAY???? (Speaking from a few years of foaling out here.)

MA

 

[Laura]

im so sorry for your loss. I know you are just devastated

1. no i dont normally pull the second the water breaks as usually there is a delay in water breaking and the foal coming out

2. I do think the foal was already oxygen deprived due to the twisted cord. we have had this happen to and revived the foal and then it went down again.

3. I do not think this mare can be a broodmare.

4. i do not think her laying on her back caused it.

5. i would not rebreed her.

I know this is not popular but I do not believe in regumate mares. to ME if a mare cannot carry a foal without regumate then she is not meant to be a broodmare. My fear is with so many people using regumate to get foals from mares that wouldnt normally carry, they are breeding daughters that will also have to have regumate to carry a foal. So to me its stamping in qualities we dont want in our mares.

IMO what makes a great broodmare (other then passing on great conformation etc) is the ability to conceive and carry a foal to term.

Not every mare is meant to be a broodmare

[SIZE=12pt]I completely agree with all of this. Now, with that said, has this mare ever had a uterine culture? If she's carrying some sort of infection that lets her conceive, but causes abortion or foals that are not viable, there *might* be hope. [/SIZE]

I have one mare who must be infused before breeding OR put on antibiotics before she foals, or else the foal will be weak/slightly toxic. I feel her problems were absolutely caused by that stupid freaking expensive internal foaling system we bought many, many years ago. We lost NUMEROUS foals because of it and Ceelie's problem are just one of the long term effects.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

So sorry- you so nearly did it too.

I am a breeder first and foremost and I have to say I might consider breeding this mare again, but I do not think that you should NOT because I think you did anything wrong- I do not , but because it could all happen again.

If I did it I would do it knowing next time I could lose the foal again- I could take it, only you can answer for yourself- BUT I would not have her on regulation and i would test for |Fescue- if you do not know if your posture is infected you can ask someone to look for you- anyone, not just an expert, who has seen it will know what it is.

If it is not fescue poisoning and she cannot carry to term that would be it as far as I am concerned.

If it turned out to be fescue I might give her one more chance- you have also to ask yourself could you bear to lose the mare- as this too is possible.

How would you feel if you got her to term, got the foal alive and lost the mare??

 

[HGFarm]

I am SO SORRY for your loss. I had a mare that would not carry a foal to term either and aborted at 9 months twice, then carried to term but the filly was very weak and died after 3 days, despite round the clock care by us and the vet. I just did not have the heart to breed this mare again and put her, or me, through that. She was sold as a pet, however was later sold again as a broodmare and has produced one foal that I know of.

I think some folks are under the misunderstanding that Regumate is a cure all for abortions. It is not. It is hormone therapy for those that may have an imbalance. I had to use it once on a mare that had had previous foals with no problems. Her hormones were not kicking in to hold the fetus one particular year. She foaled fine that year, then has had many more foals at another farm since with no problems and no Regumate.

Regumate will not stop a mare from aborting for other problems or if the fetus dies, etc....

I wonder if the placenta had already started to seperate? Could have been the cord twist, or another factor that caused the baby to twist the cord as it was moving too much?

Without a culture and biopsy from your vet, it is hard to tell what is going on.

So sorry, and dont beat yourself up over it all. Mother Nature does what she thinks she should and you cannot force her into doing something else. Again, so sorry for your heartbreak- I know exactly how you feel.

 

[~Karen~]

Just wanted to say, I am so sorry for your losses. Maybe you can get a veterinary explination for what is going on so you could at least have some answers.

~Karen

 

[horsefeather]

I also agree 100% with KayKay. We have foaled mini mares for years and haven't had to pull or help the mares. We were careful who we bred to whom.

That said, I don't think I could stand to put the mare thru all that again. Not only the uncomfortable part, but the heartbreak (and yes, I DO believe they grieve) as well. I feel really bad for you and your mare. Hopefully, as suggested, she can perhaps be a 'nanny' to the other babies. Hug her lots as she is hurting as you are.

Pam

 

[tagalong]

I agree with with kaykay's comments.

I am so sorry that you had an angel foal...

320 days is prime foaling time around here!

In the past, I have had to pull a couple of foals who had a leg back - as there was no room (or time) to reposition... and they (and mom) were just fine.

The cord could have twisted in the final moments... and there is nothing you could have done to prevent it.

We had a normal foaling here last year - all was well, easy delivery, experienced mare, no complications - and yet that filly never took a breath. Despite extensive resuscitation attempts that have rarely failed me in the past. Sometimes - it is just not meant to be.

Equally - I have had mares lay on their backs and push. Roll. Get up. Roll. etc. - all sorts of rather interesting gymnastics to position that baby. And even that does not do the trick at times!

As was mentioned earlier - and it bears repeating for anyone new to foaling out, even when the term mouth to mouth is used to describe resuscitation - it is actually mouth to nose. Make sure the fluid is cleared out of the baby's nose. Baby is laying flat... hold its mouth closed and pinch the nostril on the down side closed as well. Blow into the nostril on the upside... observing the baby's side to see if you are blowing enough to inflate his lungs... you can do gentle compressions over his heart if he does not seem to have a pulse.

Other techniques to stimulate babies who may be slow to respond... tickle the inside of a nostril with a piece of straw - the normal reaction is to sneeze. Pinch a tongue to get a reaction. Or an ear. Rub him down vigorously. Stimulate in any way you can. I use my fingers to do a wiggly rake down the baby's topline from ears to tail. One last ditch All Else Has Failed No Options Left effort - that I saw work a few times on the Thoroughbred farm I worked at - is to pick the foal up - and DROP HIM. Flat on his side. From about a foot and a half - two feet in the air onto a cushion of straw/bedding... that served as a shock to the system - and sometimes a baby that we were about to give up on was brought back to sputtering life. Again - that is only the final option.

Foaling can be the best of times.... and the worst of times.

 

[indebtedfarms]

To everyone on this forum and everyone who responded to this post----I love all of you guys!!!!!!! I knew when this happened I needed to hear from people who have been there. I hope you all know how much your words have helped heal me. I love this miniature horse family.

 

[hairicane]

So sorry for your losses...