sweetys offical foaling thread

[cassie]

love your little man like nothing else!! n your beautiful Sweety!

its so sad that this has happened, but keep positive! I'm sure he will be fine

can we see some more pics of your gorgeous little man?

 

[lucky lodge]

 

[lucky lodge]

will take some more photos today i think yous have allready seen these photos

iam trying not too get to attached to him but is so hard

 

[lucky lodge]

Oh the weather is crap here today and i have a big stress headache

:No-Sad

:No-Sad

 

[Wings]

I really feel for you, Also can't blame you for not wanting to be attached.

I'd be the same.

 

[JAX]

Im sorry you are having to go through this. Oh my he is a cutie! I think I would start a new thread on the mini horse forum with this one. I think it just gets more eyeballs on it there and maybe someone there has dealt with this before???? I hope someone can tell you that they had the same and it turned out ok.

The more eyes on a question like this the better!!!!

 

[lucky lodge]

thanks jax will start a new thread now

 

[lucky lodge]

View My Video

little man having a run... what do use think about his legs ??

 

[anyssapark]

What a darling boy

I can see what you mean about him favoring it, he short steps quite a bit, but it isnt as bad as i imagined either.

I definately think give it some time. Speak to other people, and other vets, and gather all the info you can.

Has he been like this since he first got up and walked?

 

[Lindi-loo]

Im no way an expert in all this but in my oppinion this little guy will turn out just fine..as youv seen with the other newborns. legs are most deff a problem..a combination of very soft ligaments being scrunched up certainly plays a huge part im sure..we worry ourselves silly over the tiniest of problems

even though they are huge to us at the time..I watched the video and I seriously think given time that lil Beau's legs will strenthen and be just perfect within weeks..Vets have to label everything for our benefit maybe I dont know but surely its way to early to be considering surgery or even writing him off the breeding program..hes a stunning little guy gorgeous head and a beautiful colour

I agree with Anna too about not letting anyone manipulate the joint in fear of weakening it further

try not to worry and blow this all out of proportion in your mixed up thoughts at the moment we all have a million thoughts and worries bouncing around when someting isnt "normal" but you'll see he will turn out to be just fine..hes a gorgeous little man

 

[AnnaC]

Oh Jenny he is absolutely gorgeous and I can see no reason why he shouldn't be given the time to improve. His leg appears to work more or less as it should - he just caught his toe for a moment as he entered the barn/stall. Any time now his other leg will naturally strengthen and this will help take a little of the pressure of walking from his dodgy leg.

Just a few suggestions that may help - they may not be possible with your 'set up' as I am not familiar with it, but if any of them can be organised then give them a try. Remember to keep loads of bedding down for him. Sweety looks a bit stressed - might it have been you taking the video? If not, she needs to be somehow 'calmed down' so that she is more settled, which in turn will stop him having to run after her all the time. Has she got grass to graze? If not can you spread a few hay piles around on the ground so she is just wandering slowly about 'grazing'. Is she fretting for a companion? Have you anyone there who can be relied upon not to interfer with Sweety and Beau, who will quietly graze the hay/grass? Any thing that you can do to keep Sweety happy and relaxed will help Beau - apart from not wanting him to be continually on the move following her, he is picking up on her anxiety. But at the moment he does not want to be out with another mare and foal - foals play and pounce on each other!

Can you take Sweety's headcollar off - it really is most dangerous for baby to have a Momma wearing a headcollar. But most important of all is to stop feeling sorry for little Beau, he doesn't know that there is anything wrong, and he needs your love and companionship. While Sweety is quietly grazing, get in there and sit down and let him get used to you and when he is ready, approach you. Be careful not to worry Sweety - mares are very clever at knowing something is not quite right with their foals and can be very protective, so choose your moments so as not to stress her. I think that his birth plus the vet having to come, visit and 'manhandle' her new baby, may well have made her more protective over him.

Two years ago we had a filly born with both hocks that completely rotated when she moved. Now I cannot even remember which filly it was and looking at all our two year olds, there is nothing to show on any of them as far as rear leg conformation or movement! So think positive, get in there and make friends with little Beau and give him the time that nature needs to get him 'repaired' to the best of her ability.

((((HUGS))))

 

[lucky lodge]

THANK YOU everyone iam a mess thinking i might have to put him down as my husband would never alow me to spend that sort of money

i truely hoping he comes good... i rang the vet today and hes doing lots of resorce on it and will let me no in a couple of days but he said to see how beau gos in the the next 4 weeks...so everyone can you cross your fingers and pray for tne little man

I wish you all lived closer bc i need a really big hug .

 

[lucky lodge]

more problams he now has diarraha

what do i do about that omg it cant get any worse

:No-Sad

:No-Sad

 

[Wings]

Fingers firmly crossed and a GIANT virtual hug.

And try to find some comfort in knowing you will do right by him whatever the outcome. Breeding horses puts us through the emotional wringer and unfortunately it's your turn to take a battering, but dig deep and you'll find the strength you need to get through this.

 

[Eagle]

Stop worrying, take a deep breath and relax. No one is putting anyone down. Listen to Diane and Anna, they know their stuff and have seen enough foals born between them to fill a stadium.

Now diarrhea will just be mums milk changing, it usually happens on about the third day if I remember correctly. (feel free to correct me anyone)

Just treat him like every other foal, this should be a wonderful time so don't let this stop you loving him.

I had to sell a pregnant mare last year, a month before she foaled to pay for Britt's surgery and I was very said but now when I see Britt out playing I am so sure I did the right thing. The horse I sold had a lovely filly and they are both happy too. Sometimes things seem worse than they really are

Chin up

 

[cassie]

he is absoloutly gorgeous Jenny!! n doesn't look that bad to me, but I have still VERY new to all of this... did you see the pics Diane n Anna put of their foals on my thread? those poor babies and they turned out SO good in the end!

like I said before, love him without holding back, even if (though I don't think you will) have to put him down at least you will know that he had the best start possible

n that you loved him with your whole heart!

I know it hurts! but it will feel better in the long run, trust me, I do all this as a job its SO hard but really helps,

hang in there Sweety! (you not your mare lol though she needs to hang in there too LOL)

all will turn out well i am sure,

you have been given brilliant advice, I am just here as moral support keep up the great work you will be rewarded in the end!

oh n I agree with Anna bout taking Sweety's halter off, Finn is already climbing all over Suzie, I would hate to see what would happen if she had a halter on...

if you have to you can put a halter on to bring her in lol but Suzie doesn't have a halter on pretty much 24/7 now...

good luck,

hugs n kisses for your little man!

 

[lucky lodge]

thank you guys what you say does really means a lot to me

 

[Minimor]

Did the vet actually say 'stifle' or kneecap/patella? Never heard of a dislocated stifle - hip, yes but not stifle.

Yes, stifles actually can be dislocated--it is called luxation of the patella.
I am not familiar with it in newborn foals, only in older horses when it occurs due to serious trauma.

If the vet is correct & Beau's stifle is dislocated--it will not go back into place on its own. I assume--as this is what happens with horses who dislocate a stifle due to injury--that the leg will develop a false joint.

When a horse dislocates the patella due to injury, it is best to have the leg fixed as soon as possible, because over time the joint fills with connective tissue, which will then make it harder to put the patella back into place, and which makes it less likely that the patella will stay in place.

Now, for this problem in a newborn foal--several years ago someone on the forum had a foal born with this problem in both hind legs. I can't remember for sure who it was--Meadowridge Farm maybe? I remember her posting on the forum about taking the foal into one of the people hospitals for x-rays, or a scan of some sort? Her foal went in for surgery but sadly died while under anesthetic.

There was also someone in Ontario who had a foal in for surgery for this--I think that was the issue, but I don't remember if that was a problem that existed from birth or if it was an injury. I don't remember how that one turned out.

If the vet is correct and Beau's patella is dislocated, you may wish to follow his advice--exercise will not fix this particular problem. If surgery truly is not an option, do discuss with your vet what the options are--ask him what will happen if the foal is left as he is, with the patella dislocated--ask if he will be able to compensate for the luxation and if he can live comfortably long term if the stifle isn't fixed surgically.

 

[MeganH]

I pray for the best for your little guy

Don't know how much help I can be. I have a dog with a luxating patella- and the hospital I worked at we performed several surgeries on dogs with luxating patellas- some with good outcomes and some did not fix the issue. The dog that had at least 2 surgeries was a VERY overweight pug and it just could not be fixed with him in the condition he was. My dog on the other hand is at a very healthy weight (she is a 50lb mutt) and it does not cause her pain so I did not opt to haver surgery on her. Hers pops out almost everyday.. it can pop in on its own mostly and i will help it sometimes. She runs like a madwoman outside around with our other two dogs. It doesn't hurt her. You will see her hold it up sometimes and then she puts weight on it and it will go back in.

Horses I know will probably be a bit different. With him being so young I really would hope it could progress in a better direction and would think if it was going to it would be much sooner then later. So if you watch him and see a difference in the right direction there is hope. But I don't know for sure of course.

Really praying for this little man! HUGE (((((HUGS)))))

 

[AnnaC]

Minimor, sorry if I explained it badly. Yes the stifle is a joint between two major leg bones, the patella or kneecap is a seperate bone that 'floats' in front of the stifle running in its own grove, protected by cartlidge and held in place by ligaments - exactly like our own knee joint and kneecap. The luxation of the patella is one thing that often happens with minis, as we all know, but personally, I have never heard of the actual stifle joint being dislocated at birth, so that is why I asked Jenny whether the vet had meant the stifle joint itself or simply the patella being 'unattached'.

Jenny has already explained that surgery is not an option for her, which is why we have all been suggesting that as little Beau seems to be perfectly happy the way he is, then the only option right now is to allow him time to see if nature alone will help him. There is no need to make any decisions as to his future at the moment.

Jenny, he could be having the 'runs' due to stress, or maybe the vet having given Sweety something for her milk, plus tubing him has meant that he is getting or has been getting a bit too much to drink. If he is still having a problem tomorrow then may be someone on here can give you an idea of what to use to help, but be careful - if you have to 'manhandle' him yet again to give him a remedy, try to do it as quietly and gently as you can to avoid too much stress. I'm sure someone will tell you what to safely use - no need perhaps to call the vet again before it is necesary (dont want to annoy hubby with a large vet bill!)

By the way a mare does not generally come back into season until 5 to 10 days fter foaling, so not too sure if this could be another reason for the 'runs' or not.

Sending love and huge ((((HUGS)))).