Please say someone else has experienced this...

[Evenheaven]

My mare foaled a beautiful tb filly early Friday morning in what appeared to be an easy foaling. The foal was weak and I had to help her stand and nurse. Things didn't seem to be improving so we tubed her and milked the mare. Blood work came back fine but, she was still having a hard time standing w/o assistance. We kept working w/her every 30 minutes to stand and nurse and she appeared to be getting stronger. She was trying on her own to stand, but she kept hanging her head - like she could not pick up her neck or head. We kept with her every 45 minutes, but things just didn't seem right. She would only go to the bathroom while lying down. We worked with her all day and night Friday with no improvement. She would actively latch on and nurse, but needed to have her head held up to the mare's teats. We did this until 3:30 this morning when I made the decision to put her down. If gas wasn't 3.79 a gallon, I didn't have a night w/o sleep knowing I had to work all day and the university wasn't 2 hours away, I might have taken her there but I really don't think there was anything that could have been done. The farm vet palpated the neck and back and nothing "seemed" abnormal. Without a full exam, we'll never know and I just buried her. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? I'm so beside myself with grief. My poor mare is just so down...

[Mood Swings]

I am so sorry

Was she full term? Is it possible she was dysmature?

It is possible that although the foaling seemed normal she may have suffered some degree of hypoxia. I have seen foals that were very weak at birth but many of them usually recovered within a few days of intensive nursing. RIP little filly

[Evenheaven]

Thanks Moodswings. The foal was full term - 341 days. The entire situation was so weird. At first, my hands were helping me to get her up and nurse and then when the vet arrived, she was doing the same as we were and we thought things were getting better. The filly would stand on her own and walk around. But, she was never able to lift her head or neck: it was like it was just hanging at the shoulder. Because we tube fed her and was getting her up every 40 minutes or so to nurse, she was getting very strong. After all day and most of the night, she would get up and walk around with her head all but dragging on the stall floor. When I helped her to nurse, she very readily nursed, but I had to hold her head up. If I let her head down, it would go back to the hanging position. I have seen dysmature foals and dummy foals and she didn't meet any of these symptoms. My vet called Purdue University and Univ. of Illinois and they didn't know either. The vet really didn't think the clinic could do anything for her either.
All I know, is it just doesn't get any easier... you think you are doing ok in this foaling business and then you get a cheap shot to your stomach.
All I can say is that she didn't suffer and is in a better place.

[nferro9925]

Evenheaven - My heartfelt condolences to you and your mare.

Not much can be said other than I am sorry.

[madelyn]

Oh no, how sad! I wonder if somehow something in her spine was out of whack from the birth experience?

[henthorn]

So sorry! The baby must have had a neck injury during the birth process, or some internal anatomic problem not obvious from the outside. You did the right thing. Many of us have lost foals , so we know what you are feeling.

[tammysinnett]

I am sorry for you and your mare....