Red Bag??
- Thread starter zoey829
- Start date
Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:
Lucky-C-Acres-Minis
Well-Known Member
I have not had a red bag delivery, but have read up on it with several books and articles..
First thing you want to do is cut the bag open.. I've heard that the bags can be very tough and hard to rip open bare handed, so you'll need something with a sharp edge, whether a knife or others on here have talked about taking a craft/popsicle stick and cutting it to make a sharp edge (but won't be as sharp as a knife)..
After the bag is open go in and check position of foal, correct position if needed and start pulling downward toward her hocks, keeping the legs of the foal staggered like a normal birth.. Once baby is out clean out passages and rub with a towel and make sure he/she is breathing.. Of course, when you notice a red bag I'd definitely get a call into your vet as you go to work..
I found this online by Pat Elder, worth listening too
:
Red Bag Delivery
First thing you want to do is cut the bag open.. I've heard that the bags can be very tough and hard to rip open bare handed, so you'll need something with a sharp edge, whether a knife or others on here have talked about taking a craft/popsicle stick and cutting it to make a sharp edge (but won't be as sharp as a knife)..
After the bag is open go in and check position of foal, correct position if needed and start pulling downward toward her hocks, keeping the legs of the foal staggered like a normal birth.. Once baby is out clean out passages and rub with a towel and make sure he/she is breathing.. Of course, when you notice a red bag I'd definitely get a call into your vet as you go to work..
I found this online by Pat Elder, worth listening too
Red Bag Delivery
Magic
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2002
- Messages
- 4,462
- Reaction score
- 3
I've foaled out three red-bag babies, and all three survived and went on to be totally healthy, normal foals. Whew! IMO, the most important thing is SPEED in getting that red bag ripped open and the foal out so it can breathe. It helps to always have your foaling kit right at hand, I keep blunt-tip scissors in mine n case of a red bag. Watch when the "bubble" appears, and if it isn't the normal white, but instead a velvety red-- cut it open immediately and help deliver the foal as quickly as possible.
hhpminis
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2003
- Messages
- 1,733
- Reaction score
- 2
Just cut and pull.
Time is of the essence here. The more of the placenta that has released from the wall of the uterus the less oxygen the foal is getting so you must get it out.
I have had a few, I have always been able to break the bag with my fingers but having something sharp handy is a good idea. Reach in and pull down toards the hocks.
I go in and feel before I see the bubble. If it is smooth and satiny all is well as you are feeling the amniotic sac. If it feels rough and bumpy it is the placenta and you can break it then to speed things up.
Wanted to add, I have delivered all but one red bag safely and they turned out fine. The one I lost was a 276 day foal and would not have made it even if delivered normal.
Time is of the essence here. The more of the placenta that has released from the wall of the uterus the less oxygen the foal is getting so you must get it out.
I have had a few, I have always been able to break the bag with my fingers but having something sharp handy is a good idea. Reach in and pull down toards the hocks.
I go in and feel before I see the bubble. If it is smooth and satiny all is well as you are feeling the amniotic sac. If it feels rough and bumpy it is the placenta and you can break it then to speed things up.
Wanted to add, I have delivered all but one red bag safely and they turned out fine. The one I lost was a 276 day foal and would not have made it even if delivered normal.
Last edited by a moderator:
I've had a number of red bags, all have lived and been normal healthy horses. It's not necessarily a terrible outcome, but time is of the essence. Once you realize you have a red bag, you need to get that foal out and breathing. We do have one mare who may have been a little compromised by oxygen deprivation at birth - one of our first foals, I didn't know a red bag from a paper bag LOL and the vet did not elaborate when I described it. She's been a healthy mare, has given me some nice colts too, but she's never been just quite "right" mentally. Very sweet but very slow and I've wondered if it had to do with birth circumstances. Just a guess, since her dam & siblings are very quick, alert horses.
Jan
Jan
RobinRTrueJoy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2002
- Messages
- 2,442
- Reaction score
- 5
Do NOT waste time to call a vet. Get to work right away, tear the red bag open with your fingers or sharpened popsickle stick. Position the foal and get the baby out right away.
Robin
Robin
Keri
Well-Known Member
Wow! That's a great article! I always worry about the red bag. I have seasoned mare. So I hope it never happens. But its good to be prepared just in case! Thanks!
Field-of-Dreams
Well-Known Member
Yes, it is but you can pull HARD when she has a contraction. It will only take two or three pulls and that baby will be out. REMEMBER to pull DOWN toward her hocks.
Lucy
Kitty
Well-Known Member
I have had 2 red bags. First one at Little King and I didn't know what it was at the time. Was a valuable learning experience.
2nd one last year and I knew it right away and was her 5th foal. Break the bag- which is thick, check position and work with contractions. She needed alittle repositioning but can swiftly once she was. You don't have time for a vet.
Both cases were fine here also
VERY SCARY is foaling sometimes.
2nd one last year and I knew it right away and was her 5th foal. Break the bag- which is thick, check position and work with contractions. She needed alittle repositioning but can swiftly once she was. You don't have time for a vet.
Both cases were fine here also
Similar threads
