Has anyone here used Domperidone before foaling? Does it normalize everything? Will my mare do what she does every time she foals or are all bets off? (ie will she wax? Have high calcium levels? Foal around her due date?) Does it prevent red-bags?
TIA
[QUOTE=Molly Malone;6458417]
Has anyone here used Domperidone before foaling? Does it normalize everything? Will my mare do what she does every time she foals or are all bets off? (ie will she wax? Have high calcium levels? Foal around her due date?) Does it prevent red-bags?
TIA[/QUOTE]
Define “normalize”. I think that way too many people reach for it because they are hung up on that 340 day “due date” so if a mare isn’t bagging up what they deem as appropriately, they give it. In my experience, all bets are off. They dont’ typically wax and the calcium levels spike sooner. There is NO such thing as a “due date” and I’ve seen mares go several weeks past that 340 mark. And no…it does NOT prevent red-bag deliveries.
Additionally, when domperidone is used prior to foaling, there is a MUCH higher incidence of failure of passive transfer.
Hope that helps!
I have not found waxing a good predictor (and I check at least twice a day as time approaches). This year (again) none of 5 waxed except one, who waxed up about 6 hours pre-foaling. Even my 22 year old, who went to day 357, did not wax. Perfect foaling, placenta passed within one hour, baby up and nursing quickly. I can’t recall her ever waxing. A sneaky mare.
I used it for my mare, as short of putting her in a small dry lot (high energy mare, did not want to do that), or sending her off somewhere with a not much larger dry lot), I had no way of taking her off my (short, stubby Winter) pasture, nor guaranteeing fescue-free hay (even though it should be only orchard grass).
We started about 15 days out from Day 340.
She went at 365, and everything about her bag and milk progressed pretty textbook.
Because of the problem with the colostrum it causes, I had some frozen that we thawed and just gave, no questions. My vet tested the mare’s milk and it was borderline - within the normal range, but on the low side. It was just so much easier and mind-easing to know that tested high colostrum milk got into my foal, instead of waiting the 8-12 hours to find out he was low and still having to do something. And yes, of course, we still did the IgG but it would have to have been a problem with his absorption for it to have been low.
So, if you’re going to use Dom (now FDA-approved and labeled Equidone), then have colostrum to give
This will be my 5th foal with this mare. Every time she starts bagging up about 6 weeks before her due date. She waxes the night she foals.
But they were all spring foals. I am at day 300 with her and not even a hint of a bag, so naturally I’m freaking out. My vet suggested if she doesn’t start making a bag in the next 14 days we start DP. I’m expecting a red bag delivery, but was rather hoping I’d have some warning of foaling.
I will expect a plasma transfusion then. Can this be done at home or do we have to go into horsepital? How soon do they need the plasma? (oh, I guess as soon as the IG test shows low levels - duh!)
Kathy - if they get the DP, do they also carry longer?
Thanks JB - good idea - I’ll get some colostrum sorted
MM - we’ve always done the plasma at home. If its nice out, we get the foal laid down on the grass, the mare grazes close by, the vet gives the plasma and I hold the foal down, we chat, the foal usually sleeps and then its done. Its always been really simple and low key
How long has she gone the last 5 times? Even then, there is nothing that says she will/has to go that long this time.
My vet suggested if she doesn’t start making a bag in the next 14 days we start DP.
Why??? That makes it day 314. That’s 26 days before “average” foaling, and 56 days before MOST mares foal.
I’m expecting a red bag delivery, but was rather hoping I’d have some warning of foaling.
Why are you expecting a red bag?
I will expect a plasma transfusion then. Can this be done at home or do we have to go into horsepital? How soon do they need the plasma? (oh, I guess as soon as the IG test shows low levels - duh!)
Kathy - if they get the DP, do they also carry longer?
There is zero reason to expect a plasma transfusion if you do the colostrum, test early, plop in more colostrum, and test again. You might still have to do plasma if you just can’t get the IgG number up to at least 800 by the time you’re approaching 24 hours.
Has this mare been grazing endophyte-infected fescue all Spring and Summer?
I have a mare who has often leaked out her colostrum before she foals. This year, it occurred to me that I should buy colostrum rather than use plasma. Stupid me, I didn’t order the colostrum, she leaked all hers out, and $600 later, the foal has been infused, quietly in her foaling area, after the IgG snap test showed low levels. So, if you know in advance you may have failure of passive transfer, get frozen colostrum and have it on hand. It is a fraction of the cost of plasma. Good luck; I really hope for you that this foaling exceeds your expectations.
JB - sorry I wasn’t being clear - if the mare shows no sign of bagging in the next two weeks, we will assume that we will have to use DP, not will immediately start. She’s gone 340, 340, 345 and 342 before. I am not “expecting” expecting a red bag, but I am high alert for one and am preparing more mentally for one as the incidence of one is higher. Has she been grazing on infected grass? I don’t know actually - I was told we didn’t have it in this area, but because she hasn’t started a bag it was my first reaction. My hay is local (as in next door) so I would have expected to have had problems before if we were infected (they would have been on hay and then pasture for 6 weeks before foaling in spring).
I phoned around for colostrum and I have one more place to try, but no one has banked any - a lot of people cut back on foaling this year I guess.
My mares have “waxed” (milk tested for high calcium levels, and gotten sticky) within 3 days of foaling every time, and I have foaled out over 100 mares.
The one that was on domperidone false waxed 2-3 weeks before foaling. I won’t use the stuff, as I can’t stay awake for a month. I need accurate signs that I need my eyes open.
MM, contact UC Davis veterinary hospital about the colostrum. I think it was through the CEH (Center for Equine Health). They have it banked and will overnight it. I can get the phone number for you if you want to check. I think it would have been $150 for enough frozen colostrum.
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