381 days now.....

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Fri May 22, 2009 1:35 pm

i found this at equine-reproduction.com. I know I'm supposed to provide a link, but I can't figure out how to get the reader to the correct thread. Moderators, feel free to mark up if this is inappropriate.

I had to induce one of my mares almost 2years ago due to health problems with the mare. I would not ever do it inless it was a last resort. My mare had a lot of problems she was an older maiden mare. The foal was in position and was ready to go. The mare had so much edema that her belly was spliting open and her legs were very swellon here is a picture of her that was taken shortly before she was induced http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j179/ ... 0_0738.jpg she was moved to my vets to be induced it was the worst thing I have ever been threw. She was not the same after it did a lot of damage to her both her and the foal lived however that is rare. here is a shot of her shortly after having the foal http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j179/ ... 0_0783.jpg. here is another shot of her about a month later http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j179/ ... 0_0910.jpg We could never get weight to stay on her and she always had a bloated look to her belly. She never moved right behind after either. We lost her this past summer I think if we had never bred her and had to induce her she would still be here and would not have had any of these problems. I should add that she never push once during all of her labor the foal was pulled out and the vet had to do CPR on him to bring him back to us. The mare dropped and I thought that she had died but she was just worn out. Never elect to do this to your horse.

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Sat May 23, 2009 8:27 am

karenkarenn wrote:Yeah but this situation is very unique... Petocin, it makes the contration harder and yet the body does open the cervix. Im wondering i would have taken that horse long time ago just to see if that cervix was ready. I mean if we can go to have a doc shove fingers up our s why not your mare.
Karen

Karen, the pitocin does not "open the cervix". The cervix must be soft and effaced first before it can dilate. There are drugs that do that for women, and then they are induced. With pitocin, the contractions are harder, and longer, and often, there is little or no break between them. Horses contractions are hard and strong to begin with, so to induce with Pit would be a nightmare for the mare. It is never a good idea to induce a mare, too many things can go wrong. Yes, it has been done successfully in some cases, but is generally avoided if at all possible.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Sat May 23, 2009 8:28 am

Human mothers are nothing like mares. I have one mare right now who is usually quite punctual but is at day 369. She is bagged, relaxed and looks ready - could be any time now. A mare's body goes through a LOT of changes to prepare to squeeze out that big foal. All of the muscles around the tailhead relax to a jelly like form in preparation for the spreading of the mare's birth canal and hips to let the head and the shoulders go through. The cervix slowly relaxes and stretches out. The mare's body seems to spend about a month making that special foal formula, with colostrum at the bottom of the bag. I call all that "knitting booties."

Pitocin induces labor in humans, who are in a HOSPITAL so if the mother's body doesn't respond and soften and open the cervix, they can just step up the epidural and do a c-section. These things are ONLY done if it is determined the fetus is in distress, in my experience.

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Sat May 23, 2009 6:29 pm

madelyn wrote:Human mothers are nothing like mares. I have one mare right now who is usually quite punctual but is at day 369. She is bagged, relaxed and looks ready - could be any time now. A mare's body goes through a LOT of changes to prepare to squeeze out that big foal. All of the muscles around the tailhead relax to a jelly like form in preparation for the spreading of the mare's birth canal and hips to let the head and the shoulders go through. The cervix slowly relaxes and stretches out. The mare's body seems to spend about a month making that special foal formula, with colostrum at the bottom of the bag. I call all that "knitting booties."

Pitocin induces labor in humans, who are in a HOSPITAL so if the mother's body doesn't respond and soften and open the cervix, they can just step up the epidural and do a c-section. These things are ONLY done if it is determined the fetus is in distress, in my experience.

Yes, Madelyn, you are right that human mothers are nothing like mares! However, the birthing process, no matter the species is very similar. I like the "knitting booties"

analogy, it is quite appropriate!

When women are induced and subsequetly sectioned, it is due to fetal distress (right again)! Epidurals are a modern day wonder that were not available when I had my babies! How I wish...

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Sun May 24, 2009 11:35 am

Having been through and induced labor (myself) I would not ever induce a mare....EVER EVER EVER....I would send the mare to the hospital for a section first.

Only a man would suggest inducing a mare-Honestly, just because we can does not mean we should.

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Sun May 24, 2009 11:36 am

madelyn wrote:Human mothers are nothing like mares. I have one mare right now who is usually quite punctual but is at day 369. She is bagged, relaxed and looks ready - could be any time now. A mare's body goes through a LOT of changes to prepare to squeeze out that big foal. All of the muscles around the tailhead relax to a jelly like form in preparation for the spreading of the mare's birth canal and hips to let the head and the shoulders go through. The cervix slowly relaxes and stretches out. The mare's body seems to spend about a month making that special foal formula, with colostrum at the bottom of the bag. I call all that "knitting booties."

Pitocin induces labor in humans, who are in a HOSPITAL so if the mother's body doesn't respond and soften and open the cervix, they can just step up the epidural and do a c-section. These things are ONLY done if it is determined the fetus is in distress, in my experience.

Or if the OB gets bored or tired..don't get me started on knife happy OB's-and I am very educated on child birth & human physiology ect...as I was prior to my last child being born...

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Wed May 27, 2009 5:27 am

Anything yet?

zinn21 · Postby **zinn21** » Wed May 27, 2009 7:00 am

Tell me this poor mare has foaled a healthy baby..

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Wed May 27, 2009 11:41 am

nope. And to top off my day my friends draft mare just colicked and died leaving a 2 month old filly here at my house.

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Wed May 27, 2009 12:59 pm

oh crap... I"m so sorry!

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Wed May 27, 2009 6:39 pm

I am so sorry skipit. One of my mares did that last year, but the colt was 3 months old. Barely old enough to wean. I sure hope that things get better for you and your farm, and that you soon have a healthy babe on the ground! Best wishes to you and your friend.

TrueColours · Postby **TrueColours** » Wed May 27, 2009 7:15 pm

Oh shoot skipit. When it rains it pours ... huh?!

I HATE seeing these threads with those "big" numbers - 350 - 360 - 370 - etc - etc ... :shock:

My Puchi Trap mare is at Day 324 today and I am PRAYING that she goes early (and she does look like she might ...) so she can have her very first ever MAY foal instead of foaling in June all the time. I keep trying to back her up a week each year but she has always gone on time - or late. Never early ...

And then I read threads like yours and wonder if she is going to foal in July instead ... :shock:

Can you please send the toilet plunger my way once you are done with it ... :wink:

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Thu May 28, 2009 6:37 am

Of course I will...but it may be to worn out to serve any real purpose!

Mare is being hauled to the vet clinic in the morning. Im going on my vacation dang it!!!! (Only a 15 minute haul by the way, maybe stimulate something!!!)

Mood Swings · Postby **Mood Swings** » Thu May 28, 2009 9:36 am

Good for you for going on your vacation!! On a side note, perhaps of you ship her during a thunderstorm that will also spur things on :lol:

You'll have to tell the vet to start posting updates on your behalf so wecan follow her progress

TrueColours · Postby **TrueColours** » Thu May 28, 2009 10:21 am

On a side note, perhaps of you ship her during a thunderstorm that will also spur things on

Make sure there is also a full moon happening and then you are virtually 99.9% assured she will foal for you! :roll: