FOOD FOR THOUGHT

...OF MARES AND FOALS AND SUCH

Written by Lois Schwartz
Burntwood Ranch

We lost our mare, La Belle, this Spring-retained placenta-which caused toxic shock syndrome. We have given much thought to what we could have done differently. We know these things happen and blame no one. She got the best of care, but we wonder what went wrong. I would like to share some thoughts in the hope of creating dialogue with you. Perhaps I am imagining cause and effect where there was none. What do you think?

To start at the beginning, after La Belle was bred last year, the vet did an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. It showed a tipped uterus. The vet suggested a progesterone based medication to prevent the mare from slipping the foal. We began the medication, but were so uncomfortable with the idea that we soon weaned the mare off it. Why were we uncomfortable? well, how could we know that this tipped uterus was something new? It would seem that she had carried her other five foals with a tipped uterus too...we just didn't have her ultrasounded. Also, if a mare slips, it is generally for a reason. Is intervention the best choice?

In any case, the pregnancy ran its course and appeared to be normal. She foaled unexpectedly in the airstrip the day before I was going to move her to the foaling pasture. I found her about 6 AM and brought her to the barn to clean her, feed her, and care for the foal. While I was involved there, the cowboys brought a herd of cattle down the airstrip and the placenta was destroyed. It was the first time I missed examining a placenta. It was also the only one that urgently needed to be examined.

Later I noticed she seemed to be a little down and off her feed. She even wanted to be in a stall, which was unusual for her. About 48 hours later, I noticed an ugly discharge and immediately called the vet. The vet did extensive uterine lavage until the water finally drained clear and gave her oxytocin, which helps the uterus contract and hopefully expel the placenta. The rest of the treatment was vast amounts of antibiotics. She seemed to respond to the treatment. She perked up and began eating well.

Since I was leaving for a while, we sent the mare to the breeding farm in the belief that she was clean. We also felt, that if she had a problem, she would get better care in Ocala, where the vets were very seasoned with so many breeding farms. We were right about the care, but wrong about her being clean.

She continued to have discharge and the vet in Ocala repeated the uterine lavage. Then he was faced with the antibiotic dilemma and finally decided that the antibiotics had to be reduced. We concurred completely. In spite of all his efforts, she died-fourteen days after her delivery.

We were sorry to lose her and so sorry it happened at someone else's farm. We wondered if the problem could have been related to the progesterone. Could it have made the placenta adhere too tightly to the uterus? we can't help wondering. What do you think?

Fortunately the foal is super. He found an adoptive mother or rather she found him. She was already dry after losing her foal and couldn't nurse, but she cared for him, mothered him and taught him to be social. Meanwhile, the folks at the farm were getting up several times during the night to give him buckets of milk and caring for him like one of their own. Thanks to all of that, he is a striking foal. You would never believe he was an orphan. We have great hope for him and will keep you informed of his progress. He is definitely a keeper.

After having lived for a half a century, I tend to think in terms of "If it's not broke, don't fix it!" We were put in the position of having to make a decision to use this medication based on the fact that we could now see a tipped uterus. If she hadn't had that ultra sound, we never would have known, and based on her history she had no problem carrying foals to term. It is hard not to want to "do what is best" but remember that we are always learning something new and the scientists are continually changing their opinions as they learn more about the mysteries of the universe. Our scientific knowledge must be tempered with practical application. Medicine has made great strides and saved many humans and animals. But mother nature is powerful too and for centuries has managed to heal us...sometimes spontaniously...so use a grain of salt and remember that non intervention may be the appropriate treatment in some instances. We really do miss La Belle-she was a pushy dominate mare who gave us some very special foals! I'm sure she is munching in that great green pasture in the sky! R.I.P.

Editor