Hi Everyone!
I’m new to COTH and have really enjoyed and learned a lot reading many of the posts. I have a mare that was recently diagnosed with placentitis (at 298 days - she’s now at 305 days). I have read many posts about having the mares on the regular banamine! Antibiotics and regumate. I’ve been giving my mare banamine twice daily and the antibiotics but vet suggested not giving regumate as she’s this far along. My question to all of you with experience with this treatment is do you switch to Previcox and continue with that rather than the banamine? This is what my vet has suggested but I cannot find any research or posts of others experiences than have switched to Previcox from banamine. Thank-you so much for any help you can give me! I’ve really learned a lot reading many of your posts about placentitis and red bag deliveries. Everyone seems to be very supportive on here! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a safe delivery and healthy foal! Good luck with everyone’s foalings!
When my mare had placentitis once I stopped the banamine I didn’t start anything else. I know nothing about previcox.
When we stopped the regumate it was tapered down VERY slowly. Not a sudden stop but my mare was on it during the entire pregnancy. ( She foundered from salmonella early in the pregnancy.)
Is your vet experienced with pregnant mares and problems? My vet is but was still consulting with the local university along the way. There are a LOT of medications that can do severe damage to an unborn foal so MAKE SURE that what ever you give her isn’t one of them.
I did have a partial red bag delivery after placentitis so the threat of a red bag with placentitis is very real. Do all you can do to BE THERE when she foals. I highly suggest marestare. You DO NOT want to miss the delivery with a high risk foal. And as a heads up… if you do have a red bag/partial red bag, watch the foal very closely afterwards. Mine couldn’t swallow properly (the only symptom of being a dummy, all else was fine), and ended up muzzled for a week at the local university until she could swallow properly. (She is more than fine now).
in addition, do your research on red bag deliveries. Once you see the velvet red, the foal needs to be out within minutes. You will probably have to assist. Make sure you know the proper way to pull a foal AND how to open the bag. Scissors/knife/etc… to get the bag open so be prepared. Watch online videos. There are some good ones on youtube.
I’m dealing with a similar situation, but previcox not a part of the meds here. I’ve done countless searches on the subject since this happened a month ago to my mare, and I’ll bet you are doing the same. There doesn’t seem to be one size fits all treatment regimen that everybody agrees on. I know how nerve-racking this is, and I just want to wish you and your mare/foal all the best.
Back in the saddle - thanks a lot for the info! I’ve been doing tons of research as I’ve foaled out many mares but have not had any with placentitis. I’ve had 1 abort at 9 months but have never had problems this close to a foaling date and have not yet had a red bag delivery. I’ve got my futon all set up by her stall and a camera going to the house as well, so I’m all set! Now just hoping she’ll keep hanging on!
Indy-Lou - I want to wish you and your mare all the best as well!! I too have been obsessively researching! That’s why I was a bit concerned with the switch to Previcox when banamine seems to be the drug of choice. I guessing Previcox is a newer way of treating as it is easier on them longer term, so fingers crossed! How far along is your mare?
Givenchy, my mare is due May 8th, and she bagged up suddenly on Feb 17 (260 days), but has never had a discharge. The vet exam with a portable u/s (trans rectal not trans abdominal) was WNL. We decided to treat in case it was early placentitis, and see how it goes. We had scanned 4x times to 60 days for twins, so that seems a remote possibility. We’re a month into this and nothing has changed. We’re currently taking a medication break from antibiotics and pentoxy, but maintaining regumate (6 days into break, and no change) and monitoring constantly. Since there isn’t a clear diagnosis of placentitis in my mare’s case, I am opting to be as conservative as possible with medications, as she has a much longer distance to travel time-wise than your mare if we are lucky enough to make it full-term. Other than the premature udder, my mare has seemed otherwise normal. I do bring her into the barn at night to a bedded stall, and she beds down every night, which I think helps reduce stress, but you’ve probably already been doing that with your mare at her stage.
Others on this forum have suggested to me to source some colostrum in advance, and also make certain your vet has plasma on hand. Good luck to us all.
At 305 days your vet is probably right not to bother with Regumate. My mare was much less along than yours when she developed it so she was put on Regumate along with the Banamine and antibiotics.
The reason my vet really wanted her on the Banamine is not only for the antiinflammatory effects, but also it’s anti-endotoxic properties. When there is stress on the pregnancy due to the infection, it can increase cortisol levels which have a tendancy to induce abortion. The banamine provides some countering to this effect.
Isn’t your mare on antibiotics like SMZ? She should be!
The foal will be fast-forwarding in development now because of the placentitis, so don’t be surprised if it is born early and also be on the lookout for red bag delivery as it tends to follow placentitis.
Good luck and jingles!
I agree with the vet about the regumate. It’s generally stopped, in mares that have been on it, at 310 days. I have a mare here that has been battling placentitis her entire pregnancy. We weaned her off Regumate a couple of weeks ago and has reached the fantastic milestone of 320 days TODAY!!! 
She is bagged up pretty good, but her milk just went from clear to amber within the last couple days, so I’m hoping we get a few more days out of her, but very happy that she’s hung on this far. Her vet has never prescribed regular banamine and we’ve stopped the antibiotics now too.
One thing to be aware of is that a mare with placentitis is at high risk for a red bag delivery. I’m pretty much counting on that with this mare. Hopefully, I’ll be wrong. If anyone cares to send some, jingles would be appreciated.
I agree with the vet about the regumate. It’s generally stopped, in mares that have been on it, at 310 days. I have a mare here that has been battling placentitis her entire pregnancy. We weaned her off Regumate a couple of weeks ago and have reached the fantastic milestone of 320 days TODAY!!! She is bagged up pretty good, but her milk just went from clear to amber within the last couple days, so I’m hoping we get a few more days out of her, but very happy that she’s hung on this far. Her vet has never prescribed regular banamine and we’ve stopped the antibiotics now too.
One thing to be aware of is that a mare with placentitis is at high risk for a red bag delivery. I’m pretty much counting on that with this mare. Hopefully, I’ll be wrong. If anyone cares to send some, jingles would be appreciated.
Major jingles for all of you!
Hi all, thanks for all the info!
She is on antibiotics and will be right through til foaling. Vet popped out this am and we are going to alternate between banamine and Previcox. Banamine is stronger so she wants her on it as much as possible but will alternate with Previcox due to some of the longer term effects of the banamine. Made sense to me! Good luck to everyone as well!
One of my girls last year had severe placentitis. Diagnosed at 297 days… my R&R vet put her on Regumate (until day 320), SMZs and Banamine. His mantra was banamine, banamine, banamine. Several scares, but she made it to day 333 and foaled a healthy colt, which was amazing considering that 60% of the placenta was severely compromised. Vet said the colt should either be dead or a 40# midget.
In addition to the mds, we also were very methodical with her pre-foaling vaccinations. They were broken up and spaced out so as to not overload her immune system all with one shot.
One other thing that is worth mentioning drug-wise and I just quizzed my vet yesterday again about it… they are no longer using pentoxifylline for placentitis b/c a recent study has found that it actually limits blood flow rather than the intended increase.
As far as actual foaling, you should also make sure you and your vet are prepared for possible dummy foal. Although he showed no signs, we gave my colt a dummy cocktail just in case given the severity of the compromised placenta. My mare also retained her placenta for a worrisome duration so you should have oxytocin on-hand so you can dose her per your vet’s instructions if necessary.
Good luck with your mare!
Best wishes and jingles to all you mare-owners dealing with placentitis. Pulling for safe deliveries and healthy foals.
This thread has been educational.
foal cant get up
Hi Everyone,
I’ve been treating my mare for placentitis. She had a colt tonight (311 days) - red bag, i had him out with in a few min. He`s a warmblood and huge with VERY long legs. He was active after birth, is drinking from a bottle very well, tries to get up but is nowhere near able to. We lift him up and he can stand with a lot of support. Vet is out in the am and we are watching for dummy signs. Has anyone had a foal that is extremely slow to be able to get up? It’s been 3 hours. We are bottle feeding him every hour and holding him up to try to strengthen his legs. Thanks for any feedback!
Hi Givenchy,
My vet had told me that two hours is the max you give them to stand on their own. Longer than that is a sign of a problem. How close is the nearest equine hospital? He may need plasma, vitamen e treatment, etc. Have you tried supporting with a big towel under the belly (one person on each side) to try to get him to walk a little?
Why didn’t the vet get out there ASAP?
[QUOTE=Givenchy;6216379]
Hi Everyone,
I’ve been treating my mare for placentitis. She had a colt tonight (311 days) - red bag, i had him out with in a few min. He`s a warmblood and huge with VERY long legs. He was active after birth, is drinking from a bottle very well, tries to get up but is nowhere near able to. We lift him up and he can stand with a lot of support. Vet is out in the am and we are watching for dummy signs. Has anyone had a foal that is extremely slow to be able to get up? It’s been 3 hours. We are bottle feeding him every hour and holding him up to try to strengthen his legs. Thanks for any feedback![/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Givenchy;6216379]
Hi Everyone,
I’ve been treating my mare for placentitis. She had a colt tonight (311 days) - red bag, i had him out with in a few min. He`s a warmblood and huge with VERY long legs. He was active after birth, is drinking from a bottle very well, tries to get up but is nowhere near able to. We lift him up and he can stand with a lot of support. Vet is out in the am and we are watching for dummy signs. Has anyone had a foal that is extremely slow to be able to get up? It’s been 3 hours. We are bottle feeding him every hour and holding him up to try to strengthen his legs. Thanks for any feedback![/QUOTE]
My mare had placentitis during her last pregnancy (2008 foal), so I brought her to VaTech to foal out (and lived in the parking lot myself during the last week). Your colt sounds similar to mine. I am very grateful that I was allowed to stay with him and his mom 24/7 for the 3 days it took him to be able to stand on his own. After an initial dose of colostrum (from a bowl) that we’d collected from my mare as she streamed pre-foaling, he was able to nurse well when we got him up, but could not get up on his own for days. My mare was very upset, and I was very glad I was there to protect my colt from being hurt by her pawing in efforts to to get him up “on time” to nurse. For 3 days, I’d call for help to get my big colt up when my mare insisted it was time. During those days, he gradually gained strength, though we also struggled with contracted tendons (finally resolved at 2+ months). The 3 of us went home when my colt was 5 days old, able to stand, nurse and play outside like a normal guy.
He’s now 4 years old, quite buff 
and very correct. You can see him (Nemo) on my website (under TE foals and Congratulations).
Nemo has a new owner, but still lives here
His placenta, BTW, had a huge area of infection. Luckily, the delivery was normal.
Thanks for the info Fish and glad to hear everything worked out with your guy! Although so much can happen its nice to hear positive although tough experiences.
So far so good with my little guy. I’m not sure why the vet didn’t come out ASAP, I spoke to her on the phone and she planned to come out 8 am which she did. It did make me nervous thinking that things could go downhill very fast and she wasn’t going to be there. I bottle fed him every half hour and we got him up just to stand and strengthen every other feeding. He drank/sucked really well all night and kept getting stronger. It took a lot longer than it should, but he got up on his own finally at 7 this am. I kept bottle feeding him and he tried to nurse and finally mid morning nursed. Vet said everything looks great but to keep taking temp and watch for dummy behavior etc as well as antibiotics for him. She’s out tonight to draw blood so hopefully won’t need plasma but certainly a possibility. Every hour that goes by he’s stronger and nursing on his own without a problem. Here’s to hoping the progress continues and that the weak legs prevented that should be quick rise to his feet! Even his legs have straightened out way more than I would have expected as the day goes on. Tough little guy!
So happy to hear he is doing well. I worried about him all night.
So glad also that he’s strengthening and doing so well. I hope you have people to spell you, though-- those every half hour nursings get pretty tough
after a while! My guy was pretty big, so I needed help just to get him up for the first couple days. Can’t imagine what it would have been like if I’d been alone.
Thanks so much for the support Kimberley farms and fish! I really does help so much hearing different experiences. The bottle feeding Is over as long as he continues as he’s going. Strong and up nursing often. Blood work just came in, it’s greater than 800 so no plasma! Seems to be doing well so far, so hope he continues. Not out of the woods yet but looking promising. I had help as well getting him and holding him up, I don’t know how people do it all alone, kudos to them!
