Mare lost mucus plug at 293 days

[barnbum]

It's Chloe for those who know her. I'm positive she's 293 days tomorrow. She ran one day with Jazz that would put her at 313 tomorrow, but he bred her again, and he never breeds if they're not in heat, so I feel secure with the 293.

Kennedy (barn buddy) and I were checking mares tonight and saw Chloe's mucus plug-- part on her and most on tail. I've never seen one before. It was very thick.

Her milk is yellowish, but watery and not sticky much at all--the kind that has to work to sticky and evaporates quickly. Her bag is soft--has never been hard yet. Her tail has some resistance when lifted. Chloe has not changed her evening habits for he past month--I watch her on/off from 5-9 just to know when there's a change.

I have notes on her from her past two foals--2005 and 2007. Her vulva is long and swollen, her teats separate--a great sign she's close, she stomps and swishes her tail... she's doing none of that.

I know about unpredicatableness in mares, but good grief! She does not seem ready at all!

I called the vet--they said how an early foal does has to be taken on a case to case basis and if she's going to go into labor--there's nothing at this point to stop her... and to just wait it out and see what happens.

I researched everything on mucus plugs and found 24-48 before they foal...and a week before the foal arrives. I read the recent post on this--

We clipped her belly--was planning on doing the other mare--and the foal is very active.

Anyone have anything else to add--things similar in their barn?

Thanks-

Karla

 

[Matt73]

Karla...Maybe, just maybe, Jazz was wrong this time

I'm sure all will be fine...Prayers coming your way

 

[Marty]

Sounds like you are in for an exciting ride! YAHOO, get ready.

 

[victoria]

I saw my first mucus plug last season and got some interesting advice from the forum to the effect that my mares foal was in trouble and that I needed to start antibiotics ASAP. I spoke to my vet about it and he said it just means everything is loosening up in there. Its one of the many signs, If you have the mucus plug and nothing else then chances are she isn't going to foal. My mare was the opposite end of the scale. she was 9 days short of 12 months when she did eventually foal. My mare went 3 weeks after loosing her mucus plug and foal a healthy filly no troubles at all. Good luck...

 

[barnbum]

Matt--well..he only bred for two seasons and always settled the mares the first round AND the mares made him work hard for everything.

But...maybe....

Marty--HI!! Long time, no hear. Did you know Jazz is a gelding? Email me, woman.

victoria--thank you!! That's a relief. The vet I spoke to didn't seem overly concerned. We'll be watching closely... and maybe I will get a foal over my break.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Karla,

I feel like my vet is overly cautious (the negative side of me says they like to get more money

) but when Cappy lost her plug at about 280 days they weren't that concerned. In their opinion, it doesn't alway mean foaling is emminent. Good luck!!!

 

[Reble]

Hi Karla,

Looks like you will have to wait and see, they do fool us, and keep us quessing.

Just wishing you a safe breeding season.

Keep us updated.

 

[barnbum]

In their opinion, it doesn't alway mean foaling is emminent. Good luck!!!

What a relief. Parmela--how long did Cappy go before she foaled?

Chloe is looking less ready today than she was yesterday, if that's possible!! But--I'm grateful because I certainly don't want her to go too early. I also don't want to be watching her through the night if it's going to be till May 10th.

Thanks, Mary--you know I'll show off a foal--Jazz's last--when they arrive.

 

[Adela]

I have a maiden mare who lost some of her mucus plug at 307 days and some more of it at 324 days. She is now 340 days. So not all of them foal right away I guess.

 

[barnbum]

Adela--thank you for that. I so appreciate folks sharing their experiences. The vet mentioned that it might not be all her plug...so that would be fine with me. It definitely wasn't as big/much as on Crayonbox's website.

I feel so relieved.

 

[wildoak]

We had a big mare lose her mucus plug about 30 days early - no other signs - and the vet was concerned enough to put her on Regumate and tucoprim (I think it was) until her due date. She foaled on time with no other issues. Had it been a mini, I might not have been as concerned as I've had several little mares who liked to foal around 305-310 days but a big foal is less likely to survive that early. It sure didn't hurt anything to be a little proactive (aside from my checkbook, since she also spent her last 30 days at the vet!)

Jan

 

[Mercysmom]

Hi Karla:

Mercy (with her first foal) had a large quantity of stringy, clear blood a month prior to foaling and had a healthy filly...she also was shaping up at 287 days and our vet put her on SMZs, ReguMate and bute (a very, very small amount for its antiprostaglandin effect and she foaled Tristan at 304 days and he was healthy.

Can't wait to hear what you get.

Was Jazz gelded?!

Denise

 

[barnbum]

Thanks Jan--I'm trying to not worry--and the news has been encouraging on here. Chloe has no bag, no signs. Neither does Gypsy, and she's due first. I did change hay guys last year--but I'm positive I asked about fescue... my other hay guy said there really isn't any around here. It just seems so odd to me there's no development.

I feel like I'm brand new to foaling for all the new stuff they're making me deal with.

Denise--yes he was. I just updated my website.

 

[Mercysmom]

Karla:

Hopefully Kennedy wants to show this year - if she does, Mercy will be happy to teach her the ropes!

Good luck with Chloe!

Denise

 

[barnbum]

Just to update for anyone else this happens to--Chloe is still pregnant.

Seems it must have been just part of the mucus plug.

From where the mares' udders are now, based on notes from 2005 and 2007, I think they're going to follow the same pattern. Both have good udder development, but not firm--and milk is yellow, but not sticky.

BUT I'm sleeping on the couch to watch the monitor on/off through the night just in case.

AND it looks like they'll foal just about when I have to head back to school after having a week off. Of course.