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 Regular
Posts: 85
   Location: Alberta, Canada | On the 23rd of May, I received the call that no-one wants to get. My mare was in foaling distress. The sac was ruptured, and it looked as it if had been for a few hours. The facility owner called the vet, and I hopped in my truck to head that way. (I live an hour away). When I got there, the mare had been anesthetized, and the vet was working on her to stitch her back up, and ensure the risk of pro-lapse was diminished. The foal had presented breech, and had to be pulled breech. The foal was born not breathing, and the facility owner was rubbing her to stimulate the breathing. All in all, the vet said it was a miracle that the foal was starting to come around, and that they were able to save the mare. The foal took a long time to gain strength, and didn't try to stand for about an hour. When she did, it was heart-breaking. I have documented her progress from her birth (May 23rd) to this week. There has been vast improvements, though my vet is recommending a surgical consult which I have booked for Monday. I was just wondering if anyone has had any success with something like this? Of the most concern now, is the orientation of the cannon bone, and the pastern deviation towards the mid-line on the left hind leg.
Edited by gilliegirl 2024-10-23 12:43 PM
(Flit 2014 Birth - May 23rd, 2014.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 1.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 2.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 5.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 5 - Casts.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 11.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 11-R.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 11 - F.jpg)
(Flit 2014 Day 17.jpg)
Attachments ----------------
Flit 2014 Birth - May 23rd, 2014.jpg (82KB - 56349 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 1.jpg (65KB - 193 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 2.jpg (60KB - 179 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 5.jpg (53KB - 186 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 5 - Casts.jpg (56KB - 175 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 11.jpg (64KB - 171 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 11-R.jpg (63KB - 198 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 11 - F.jpg (35KB - 169 downloads)
Flit 2014 Day 17.jpg (73KB - 185 downloads)
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     Location: Montana | Had a filly who at day 2 looked her right front Pasternak was broken. She was big and tall. Vet did surgery, lots of wrapping, stall rest for 3 months. Then the other leg needed treatment. Now as a 2 yr old she is strong, straight and sound. Only issue is white hair from thr surgery.  |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
     
| It's absolutely amazing what they can pull through. All I can say is big kudos and hugs to you for giving your cute filly a chance! 
And a few prayers too . . . just because   |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
     Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I would also consult vet, but after seeing the progress, I really think your filly will come around. Amazing progress  |
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
         Location: Finally horseback again.... | Your baby is greatly improving!! I have seen Tb colts born this bad and worse. We treated with support bandages, A, D &E and stall rest. I noticed that the last pic the baby was outside. I would limit the amount of activity. The stall rest will also help with being windswept. The Vitamin AD& E helps immensely with allowing them to strengthen and stretch the ligaments and tendons. We gave a 2 ml injection IM once a week until they were corrected.
Most recovered and were completely straight. Also learned that adding minerals high in copper (and one other mineral I cant remember right now) to a mares diet three months before foaling helped reduce these issues. (I worked on a Thoroughbred breeding farms for over 10 year foaling out almost 200 babies a year. ) |
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 Veteran
Posts: 209
 
| What a precious little baby! We had one not quite as severe and had the vet out to do wraps for about a month and no turnout and he looked normal after it! |
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 Regular
Posts: 85
   Location: Alberta, Canada | Thank you for your replies. Yes, she is outside now.... It is a very small paddock. The facility owners are not keen to have her kept in a stall. But they do bring her in during inclement weather. I will look into the A, D and E. Thanks for the tips!! :)
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| Your baby and mare need to be turned out to strengthen his muscles and set up his ligaments to being active ... not sitting in a stall getting other diseases or no muscling going on ....
Look at treatment for humans ... instant activity ... no longer do they lay around in bed and decompose anymore ... and then look at horses ... the past few years is stall rest and more stall rest and horse going crazy and getting other problems in other legs and body ....
An injured horse left out will not do more exercise than he can do which keeps him from other problems ... a stalled horse is a vets dream horse ... means he has a 6-12 month long term patient ... Barbaro is a good example of this .. once the 10 million in insurance and donations ran out the vets decided he could not be saved ...
Also .. the problems your baby was born with and the ones he is still showing big problems with bone deformities .... do not believe all the good news on posts ... that baby at his best will be a trail horse and not fit for hard extreme activities like any kind of arena events .... that twisted pastern into his coffin bone may make him a pasture ornament his entire life ... accept the fact this was a seriously deformed baby and he will have a lifetime of problems with more vet bills.
When I get attacked for being honest with my years of experience and lack of political correctness ... offer them the baby for the past and future vet bills as his price and see if you have any takers!!
Even on new borns ... sometimes there are tuff decisions to be made before they ruin your financial well being with many long term vet bills ... and as a seller ... will you show these pictures to a future buyer ??
GOOD LUCK ...
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
           Location: Florida.. | precious baby.. you never know .. I am sure some champions havent shown photos of their birth and issues..and have made it .... continue on your journey and have faith.. hugs and prayers.. |
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  Champ
Posts: 19623
       Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | What a difference. That's amazing. |
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 Regular
Posts: 85
   Location: Alberta, Canada | BARREL HORSE USA - Thank you for your candid response. I am in almost 100% agreement with you. But this one got too far, too fast. (I had actually suggested euthanasia once she stood, but the vet was convinced to leave her for 24 hours... and then another 24 hours, and so on...) Now I feel like "In for a dime, in for a dollar". I will in fact share these photos with anyone who would care to view them, and will not sell her without sharing her story (candidly). Nor will she be sold as breeding stock. Ever. Having said that, the situation now "is what it is" and I am seeing it through to the bitter end. (Surgery). It is a financial burden, yes, but an opportunity to also learn and educate.
I am open to all opinions and responses, and would love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly! :) |
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  Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
        Location: Carpenter, WY | I'm glad you didn't give up on her. These babies are alot more resiliant than you think they are. Looking forward to seeing pics of her progress.
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
  Location: Four Corners Colorado | What was your feed program? My equine nutritionalist has me buy high copper and hi phos minearals for our area. |
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| gilliegirl - 2014-06-13 4:56 PM
BARREL HORSE USA - Thank you for your candid response. I am in almost 100% agreement with you. But this one got too far, too fast. (I had actually suggested euthanasia once she stood, but the vet was convinced to leave her for 24 hours... and then another 24 hours, and so on...) Now I feel like "In for a dime, in for a dollar". I will in fact share these photos with anyone who would care to view them, and will not sell her without sharing her story (candidly). Nor will she be sold as breeding stock. Ever. Having said that, the situation now "is what it is" and I am seeing it through to the bitter end. (Surgery). It is a financial burden, yes, but an opportunity to also learn and educate.
I am open to all opinions and responses, and would love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly! :)
*********************************************************************
Gilliegirl; I know how you feel on dime and dollar statement ... I have been sitting in that chair also...
even though I was born and raised on a cow, horse, mule ranch and we had to evaluate the cost of how much we spent on something vs the value of the livestock with a problem and not extend the financial burden any further than we should .... hope is a good thing .. it is reality that sucks!!
About 4 years ago I had brought one of my best mares bred to a $3500 stud.... who was an expensive stud for me... to the barn to foal out 3 weeks prior to her possible time. Meanwhile neighbors son brought a load of sale barn horses and put them over the fence from this mare... he is a sale horse jockey... . of course horses visited across the fence ...
I was present when mare foaled and the foal was completely blind ... snow white eyes but very strong and trying to suck anything she came in contact with ... healthy good looking baby. ... I did call the vet to make sure of what was going on ... his call was the sale horses brought in one of the HIV viruses and the foal caught it as her eyes were forming in the last week of gestation and blinded her.. .. permanently. Vet was very humane thinking I could give her to someone as a weanling or yearling .. etc etc etc ..
It was a tuff call but I decided to not become attached and gave her a nice burial under one of my large oak trees .....
GOOD BLESS YOU AND ALL THE EFFORTS YOU ARE MAKING ... WISHING YOU THE BEST !!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
       Location: Mountains of VA | Just curious............was this a maiden mare??
I do think good nutrition is a good thing, I also think so much has to do with how the foals lay in utero and how much room they have in utero.
I have a yearling here that I refused to take pics of as a foal because he was "twisted and crooked in the back end". You would never know it now. I never did anything to him other than leave him out in the field with his dam.
I personally think people tend to overfeed broodmares before and after foaling. Too much rapid growth in the foal is a bad thing.
Good luck with your foal..........I think she will make more than a trail horse. |
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 Regular
Posts: 85
   Location: Alberta, Canada | This was her fifth foal. Her third by the same stallion, and the first two were perfect. She was a very tall filly, and the vet feels she was too big for the womb. |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
          Location: Riding Crackhead. | Amazing progress. You deserve an atta' girl for trying. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1302
    Location: California | I have never seen anything like this but WOW what a difference already. It sounds like there is a high success rate for these kind of foals from the previous responses. Good luck and good job so far! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
      Location: Alberta | Where in Alberta are you located? What vet clinic are you using?
Have you considered contacting the UofC large animal vet program? I know they sometimes take on unusual/rare cases for educational purposes. Often times you have to sign over the horse to them but there might be an opening for some students to take on your case.
The improvement so far is incredible! Good luck and I hope if you continue with treatment on her that she defies all odds! |
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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
       Location: Georgia | The progress she is making is astounding! Don't let anyone tell you this filly cant be a champion. I would definitely look into the surgical options and give this little girl a great chance of doing great things in her life. Big hugs to you gilliegirl!!! |
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