My mare has hyperlipemia

[sammyelle]

My gorgeous little 29 inch mare Jaffa foaled on friday morning a tinychestnut colt,

she seemed fine afterwards and was eating normally etc on Sunday she went off her feed so we had the vet come out, and he gave her some pain relief and parrafin oil as she was acting a bit colicky.

She started trembling this morning and breathing fast and shallow and she still hasn't been eating well,

so we have taken her up to a well respected equine clinic and they just called and told us she has hyperlipemia

We lost another little mare earlier in the year to this after doing everything we possibly could for her she just could't get through it.

I am so sick with worry about my little girl I am prayering so hard she will get through this, but I know the survival rate is very poor

Should I bring the foal home and start bottle feeding him to give her a better chance at pulling through this with out him dragging her down?

Please any advise and prayers would be much appreciated.

This is my beautiful girl on the day she had him.

 

[dgrminis]

Sorry I cant offer any advice as I havent had any experience with this but I wanted to send best wishes to a full recovery for her and say that the picture is cute.

 

[REO]

I'm so sorry. I hope and pray the vets can help her and that she'll get better. Very scary! {{{hugs}}}

 

[Jill]

I am praying she will be okay!

 

[sammyelle]

Thanks for your prayers I really appreciate them

Unfortunetly I dont have a happy update

my beautiful little girl passed away shortly before I got to the clinic tonight

I am devastated and I now have her gorgeous little bub depending on me,

he has taken to the bucket really well and he loves the di vetelac.

I am not sure how much to feed him as the instructions say 1.6 liters a day for his weight but that doesn't seem like enough?

Any advise would be much appreciated

 

[Jill]

Oh no

I'm so sorry!!!

For the advice, I'm sure others will be able to help. I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am to read your news.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

Prayers for you mare and you.

 

[Kathy2m]

So sorry to read about your mare, I'm sure someone here who has experience with orphaned foals will chime in soon. Kathy

 

[shelly]

So VERY Sorry to hear about your mare

My prayers go out to you and your precious new baby!

 

[OhHorsePee]

Sammyelle, I am so sorry for your loss. I had a foal that I had to bottle feed 2 years ago. I can not remember the exact amount I gave him per feeding but I do not see any way that 1.6 Liters a day would nearly be enough for him. It was probably near that per feeding that I did with mine. He was fed every four hours I think it was. I would be scared to do less. It does take a while for them to get it down but I bet he will suck it up.

Good luck!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

I am so sorry, there are so many here who will help with the wee one.

 

[Hosscrazy]

I am so sorry for your loss. My best horse had, among other things, hyperlipidemia and I lost him too. It's the worst... I am so, so sorry...

Liz R.

 

[Miniv]

I'm so very very sorry.........

Our little guy was 2 weeks old. We bottle fed him every 2 hours at first and then pushed it gradually up to every 4 hours when he was 4 to 5 weeks........The amounts varied with what he wanted. At first it was only about 2 ounces a feeding, and then it bounced up to 4 ounces. We just played it by ear and he told US how much he wanted.

By the time he was a month old we were also offering him hay and grain with milk pellets in it, but continued bottle feeding too. Hopefully you won't be doing this all by yourself. Fortunately there was the two of us to give each other relief........especially during the night.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I am so sorry you lost your mare. I lost a mare this spring to the very same thing. Her foal was 9 days old when we brought her home and started bottle feeding her. The advice I was given was to feed her as much as she wanted, that she would not over eat since her stomach would only hold a certain amount. By the time she was a month old she was taking 18cups a day of the milk replacer (mixed amount) and when she was about 3 months old she began to leave some at every feeding so I began to decrease it gradually from there. Of course she was also started on a foal feed at 3 weeks and had free choice alfalfa hay and grazing. Now at nearly 4 months she is thriving and down to only 4 cups once a day and within the next 2 weeks she will be weaned entirely from the milk replacer. I hope your foal thrives for you too. The one other piece of advice I would offer is try to get him horse companionship as soon as you safely can and don't under any circumstances allow yourself to become his playmate. It will seem cute when he first tries to play with you but remember that he will be a grown horse before long and you don't want him to hurt someone or be punished for dangerous behaviour that was once considered a game. Again my most heartfelt condolences on the loss of your mare, loosing them is one of the most difficult parts of having animals in our lives. Good luck.

 

[barefoot]

So sorry.

Emma

 

[Mercysmom]

Oh no - I am very sorry to hear of your loss but you have the little guy to keep you going... please keep us updated as to how he is doing!

Hugs and best wishes...

Denise

 

[Minimor]

but I do not see any way that 1.6 Liters a day would nearly be enough for him. It was probably near that per feeding that I did with mine.

Fran, a foal that young/small could not possibly drink 1.6 litres per feeding! I'm not sure 1.6 litres is enough for the entire day. My only experience has been feeding goats milk, and that was all-he-could-eat, which at less than a week old that's not a lot, but they like to eat often. I can't remember how much milk we'd go through in a day. I'd offer it every 2 hours then stretch it out gradually.
I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your mare!

 

[Connie P]

I am SO SO sorry you lost your mare. I will pray for you and your filly. I hope she continues to thrive for you. (HUGS)

 

[Miniv]

I am so sorry you lost your mare. I lost a mare this spring to the very same thing. Her foal was 9 days old when we brought her home and started bottle feeding her. The advice I was given was to feed her as much as she wanted, that she would not over eat since her stomach would only hold a certain amount. By the time she was a month old she was taking 18cups a day of the milk replacer (mixed amount) and when she was about 3 months old she began to leave some at every feeding so I began to decrease it gradually from there. Of course she was also started on a foal feed at 3 weeks and had free choice alfalfa hay and grazing. Now at nearly 4 months she is thriving and down to only 4 cups once a day and within the next 2 weeks she will be weaned entirely from the milk replacer. I hope your foal thrives for you too. The one other piece of advice I would offer is try to get him horse companionship as soon as you safely can and don't under any circumstances allow yourself to become his playmate. It will seem cute when he first tries to play with you but remember that he will be a grown horse before long and you don't want him to hurt someone or be punished for dangerous behaviour that was once considered a game. Again my most heartfelt condolences on the loss of your mare, loosing them is one of the most difficult parts of having animals in our lives. Good luck.

Reinmaker is very right, IMO.......We also left our little guy with other moms and babies, so he knew he was a HORSE. (We brought him into the house for visits only.) Hopefully you have a possible friend for him?

 

[sammyelle]

Thank you all for your advice and prayers

I am so sorry for those of you who have also lost horses to this horrible condition

The little man is doing quite well he is drinking 150mls every couple of hours,

and he is running around and playing lots

I have another mare due next week so I will put him in with her after she foals,

she is a great mum and loves all babies.

Until then he is sharing a yard with my gelding who loves him

My sister and I are taking turns through the night feeding him which is a great help.