Pregnant or fat? (answer: PREGNANT)

[ernkinz]

[QUOTE=Color of Light;8717826]
Only problem is, if she has never had a foal, her milk might not ever come in (like, no bag, nothing to test)…until after she foals. I’ve personally had this happen before and know of a few others. Maiden mares, 340 days or greater, no bag to speak of what so ever, no foaling signs, no tail laxity, nothing. Big surprise…foal was there in the morning (or middle of the day in one case). Milk finally started coming in after birth. But most maiden mares typically do have milk prior to foaling.[/QUOTE]

Good call, can’t wait to at least have some estimate from the vet about how far along she is! The tail laxity thing is interesting, I though my that was a basically always thing to have happen! Good to know absolutely nothing is consistent from horse to horse with pregnancy

[ernkinz]

[QUOTE=Epona142;8717637]
Fun stuff.

I bought my Missouri Fox Trotter mare and she was vet checked as “open and unbreedable” and then four months after bringing her home, I had a Missouri Fox Trotter colt.

Oops. Previous owner fired that vet really fast hah. I had fun raising the colt and he went on to a great home as a four year old, because he was WAY too tall for me![/QUOTE]

Oh wooooow, I’d be… A bit irritated.

what made the vet say “unbreedable?”

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=Field of Dreams Mini Horses;8717336]
The pH strips are far more reliable. Once the pH drops below a 6, she’ll foal within 24 hours. Many times that night!

I slept with a mare that I did the calcium strips on for TWO WEEKS. They said go, she said no. :D[/QUOTE]

Oh, fabulous! I just knew it was some sort of strip and calcium sounded right. I’m glad you pointed our OP in a better direction

ern, can’t wait to see the foal!

[Epona142]

My mare was a twin and is stunted and the colt before mine was really hard on her, so the vet said she had a ton of scar tissue and couldn’t conceive anymore.

Yup, previous owner was super ticked off. Thankfully she was also way awesome and we’re friends to this day. Miss mare turns 21 next year, have to buy her a beer.

[Kyrabee]

[QUOTE=Ruth0552;8716345]
Yikes! Not what you were planning on but still so exciting!

Of course there’s no way to tell what she’s in foal to, since she was on a feedlot, but who knows- maybe it will have long ears!

Congrats?[/QUOTE]

I got one of those surprises…long ears and all.

Of course I will follow this thread until the day.

Susan

[Field_of_Dreams_Mini]

Note

I double-checked my notes, it’s 6.4 and under when she’ll go ASAP. Our girl last year tested under 6 and went that night.

[Laurierace]

[QUOTE=Field of Dreams Mini Horses;8718908]
Note

I double-checked my notes, it’s 6.4 and under when she’ll go ASAP. Our girl last year tested under 6 and went that night. :D[/QUOTE]
6.2 or below is the benchmark but I had a mare stay at that level for 80 hours last out.

[findeight]

OP, I forbid you from being one of those who posts a situation then disappears keeping us forever in the dark about the outcome.

Don’t you dare…we want updates and pictures. Shes a nice type mare and nice mares have nice babies, even if their ears are long. We could use some cute on here too.

[ernkinz]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;8718945]
6.2 or below is the benchmark but I had a mare stay at that level for 80 hours last out.[/QUOTE]

Thanks guys for the info, this is helpful for the non exact science of foaling time prediction

[ernkinz]

[QUOTE=findeight;8719038]
OP, I forbid you from being one of those who posts a situation then disappears keeping us forever in the dark about the outcome.

Don’t you dare…we want updates and pictures. Shes a nice type mare and nice mares have nice babies, even if their ears are long. We could use some cute on here too.[/QUOTE]

I pinkie promise.

…And also, if the vet has anything bad to say, I will share so that we can all cry together. But I’m confident we’ll get through the rest of this well especially since she was never underweight.

[ernkinz]

Guys! I know this is little but I’m excited! We have some definite udder changes as of today! Ivy is so beautiful and round and she just wants me to stand here and rub her forever today.

Udder and momma pics: https://imgur.com/a/vnGyo

[DJohn]

Exciting! Mystery baby!

I can’t wait to see what pops out

[Field_of_Dreams_Mini]

[QUOTE=ernkinz;8720622]
Guys! I know this is little but I’m excited! We have some definite udder changes as of today! Ivy is so beautiful and round and she just wants me to stand here and rub her forever today.

Udder and momma pics: https://imgur.com/a/vnGyo[/QUOTE]

My standoffish mare did that, just wanted rubbed and scratched when I turned her out. Not like her at all.

She foaled that night.

[ernkinz]

Interesting vet visit, would like to hear if anyone has experience like this/ need to share since I’m not sure what to think.

First of all she loaded to go to the vet like a charm, I’m loving the progress we’re seeing, good Ivy! Also very tolerant generally for vet care… Or at least better than we all expected

Vet couldn’t even find the uterus with a transabdominal ultrasound, proceeded to palpate. Found the fetus that way, though the bladder was full and in the way so that was a process. The placenta didn’t look good from this angle (“starry night” instead of just black) and she did not see a heartbeat or movement. We discussed what happens when a mare aborts a foal and what we need to do while she got the other probe back on for transabdominal again since she had located the fetus. She found a healthy heartbeat! And saw some organs. No head though since that was in a quite weird position… The foal is laying with its head facing her head and is kind of curved around. It is small, so she thinks we have at least a month left. I was send home with a lot of antibiotics since she thinks infection of the placenta.

I was really hoping to come home today with more answers than questions, but I couldn’t be that fortunate. The vet and staff were all wonderful and I made a connection with another local trainer, at least. Just need my mare to be healthy. I’m very glad we had this ultrasound and that this vet seems wonderful.

[mayhew]

Thanks for the update. I’m sorry to hear there may be complications.

[AKB]

Depending on finances, you may want to have her foal at a surgical facility. In our area, the vet school hospital foals out mares who are at high risk of complications. Most foaling facilities are not set up to do a c section. The vet school hospital offers 24 hour monitoring and the ability to do difficult or operative/c section deliveries.

Hopefully, everything on your mare will normalize soon. If not, you need to think about your options.

[ernkinz]

[QUOTE=AKB;8730842]
Depending on finances, you may want to have her foal at a surgical facility. In our area, the vet school hospital foals out mares who are at high risk of complications. Most foaling facilities are not set up to do a c section. The vet school hospital offers 24 hour monitoring and the ability to do difficult or operative/c section deliveries.

Hopefully, everything on your mare will normalize soon. If not, you need to think about your options.[/QUOTE]

Added to the list of questions to discuss with the vet that I of course came up with the evening after I saw her instead of while I was in the office… Thanks for the advice. UGA would be our closest/best, maybe they have something like this!

[findeight]

Well, there’s a reason why many owners don’t want to get involved with the breeding end of the business…and those that do increasingly prefer IA to protect the health of both mares and studs.

I agree you need to consider finding a place for her to foal out if it looks like there are complications. It will cost but a great relief for you experts are on hand, some of the vet schools work with nearby breeding farms, may not have to actually keep her at a clinic.

It does sound like you have some time to wait and see how this goes, hopefully the antibiotics clean things up and the fetus repositions. Feeding appropriately for two can’t hurt either.

Keep us posted, enjoy following this one.

[DJohn]

Thanks for the update, OP. Following with curiosity!

[ernkinz]

Unfortunately, Ivy aborted the fetus last night. It was clear that it would not be viable as its head was not developing properly. Worst is that she retained the placenta, so she’ll be at the vet for a few days. Hopefully a flush will take care of it and we will not have to resort to oxytocin to deliver it. I am updating as a nervously wait with her for the vet to get here.