Molly, Little bit.

[ratzo155]

I tested molly's milk this am and the calcium is starting to go down. is this a normal thing to have happen? I know I read on another thread that the ph can go up and down but I wasn't sure about the calcium. She is looking the same but is really irritable she doesn't want me to check her where as before she really didn't care what I did. also i havent seen any change in the color of her vulva except it seems to be getting purple not red.

Here are some pics from this mourning.

Sorry they are not the best she was wanting to go out and not wanting her picture taken.

 

She is really looking soooooo good!! Baby looks to be in position -- at least it doesn't look like she's laying sideways anymore, and she's elongating nicely! She could foal with that udder -- so everything is looking VERY good!!

 

[Gone_Riding]

That one nipple has a nice fullness to it! She looks good!

 

[ratzo155]

Ok we have gone backwards. *sigh* She is round again and her bag shrunk overnight, her vulva is back to all pale pink too.

How long should I wait before I throw in the towel and call this a phantom? She is now at day 373 and not showing any signs of being really close. I would call the vet but I'm not sure he would be much help. he is a good vet but I don't think he knows much about minis. Everyone here is telling me it has been way to long and there is no way that she is expecting. I am getting frustrated to say the least and just not knowing what to do.

You have all been great here and I love reading the posts and watching the webcams and seeing all the new little ones, but I think it might be time for me to put Molly on a diet and go from there.

Thanks

Jennifer

 

[Gone_Riding]

I didn't realize she was so far along... Has she had a foal before? I don't remember...

 

[ratzo155]

I was told she had a foal before from the lady I bought her from but It was two owners ago (she bounced around homes for a while) so I have no way to contact them.

 

Personally, since her 365 date was on April 6th -- which is only 10 days ago, I'd say we wait out April and go from there.

 

[targetsmom]

We went through this our first year breeding (after paying a huge stud fee). An EXTERNAL ultrasound is pretty likely to give you an answer - that was how we found out our mare was no longer pregnant. Our mare had been confirmed in foal by internal US early on (while still at the stud's place). She must have lost the foal and then had a "false" or phantom pregnancy, with udder, milk and all the signs.

 

[ratzo155]

My vet doesn't have a portable ultrasound. I am not sure if he has one at the office that he can use on big animals or not. he is more of a small animal vet if you ask me. The next closest vet is 2 hours away I can only imagine the trip fee for him.

I will keep an eye on her for the rest of April if you think it would be a good idea.

 

[AnnaC]

I think you should still wait and watch - if she's not in foal, then no harm done, but if you give up now and she foals when you aren't there and something goes wrong, you would never forgive yourself.

Just asking - no chance she was ever in a field next to a stallion?? Thinking about those on here who have had a 'whoopsie' foal from a covering through a fence!!

 

[ratzo155]

Now that you said that yes. They were next to each other one or two times after I separated them. I put the stallion out with the calves a couple of times after I separated them but he was so mean to them I stopped doing it. I would think that one of them would have gotten hurt doing that,

but you are right it does happen.

I will definitely keep watching her I know I would never forgive myself if something did happen.

 

Many a "whoops" baby has occured through the fence!! I think it's just fine to be watching her and noting the changes!

 

[ratzo155]

Yes I am still hovering and watching. I hadn't even really remembered that he was in the pasture next to him until Anna asked. I am trying to get her up on a camera to keep a closer eye on her. I will let you know if I succeed. I would love to have more eyes watching her.

 

[ratzo155]

I think we are gonna float away here! 5 inches of rain in the last 24 hours. Ugh the mud is unbelievable.

With all the bad storms we were getting I was hoping Molly would change quickly and have a baby.

She did change but I don't think she does anything fast. Her vulva has changed from pale pink to streaked with some red.

Here are some pics from this morning.

 

[AnnaC]

Judging by her udder pic, she could hang on a little bit longer, but she could also fill that udder as she foals and storms can bring on foaling. I would certainly be keeping a VERY close eye on her! Time for the chair outside her stall, plus a thermos, choccy supplies, good book or whatever takes your fancy to while away the long night hours! LOL!!

 

[ratzo155]

This mourning her vulva is really red, not blood red but definitely not the pale pink it has been. Her milk is still really high in ph. Can that change quickly like the udder or does it go down slowly? I know it can stay down for a while before they foal and that it can go down and up too, just wasn't to sure how fast it can go down.

other than that she is still the same.

She did take off running and bucking today when I let her out of her stall. It has been an while since I have seen her do that, it is cold today so she is probably feeling her oats. She was even playing with squirt my full size mare.

I will test her milk again tonight and see if there is any change. Crossing my fingers.

 

Well our new baby born today here -- her momma went from 7.6 to foaling in 4 hours!!! How's that for "dropping" ???

Looking good!

 

[ratzo155]

Well we had more backward change...vulva back to pale pink and calcium in milk down to 0.

Not sure what that means but it really has me wondering.

 

Never tested for calcium -- so I can't even make a guess.

What is her pH? Remember -- changes can happen very quickly once they begin the plunge. I would bet you will be seeing another change by late day. Before the 4-hour plunge from yesterday, I used to use 7.0 as my gauge to REALLY start watching. But now, I've been shocked so when other things start "lining up" -- we just have to wait and see! Don't get discouraged - remember, it's not IF she'll foal....but WHEN she will decide! And we know they LOVE to keep us guessing!

 

[Gone_Riding]

My mare has been all over the place on vulva color. I still check it, but I no longer count on it at all as it's been changing due to pooping, rubbing, standing, walking... This is also my first time checking it and I'm dealing with a maiden, so I'm inexperienced at this whole thing. That's why I love this forum! It's nice to have all this great wisdom from others as I haven't a clue!

I was wondering the same thing as Diane... What's her pH?