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ASSESSING YOUR NEW BORN FOAL

(The ApHC UK would like to thank the Appaloosa Journal and Sushil Dulai Wenholz for allowing us to use parts of her article from the March 2003 edition.)

For eleven months you've watched and waited and found yourself growing increasingly anxious.  Now the big day has finally arrived. She's ready to foal.  But the foal's arrival does not mean you can breathe easy - a foal's first few hours - even minutes - are critical.  As the foal's body adjusts from the full service safety of the mare's womb to the serve yourself environment of the outer world, much can go wrong.

Simply being there or having another knowledgeable person on hand when your mare goes into labour is an essential step in safeguarding your foal's health.  In most cases your presence may not be needed, but if it is and you are not there, the consequences could be fatal.

Stages of labour:

  1. As labour begins the mare will get restless.  This should not last any longer than four hours without some progression.
  2. As the foal begins to push its way through the placenta, the allantoic fluid is released.  If the foal is not born within 30 minutes of the "water breaking" you need to call a vet.  Foals can get trapped in the pelvis, cutting off their blood supply.  Since the foal is still receiving oxygen through the blood at this stage, the result can be suffocation.
  3. Once the foal arrives, the mare should pass the placenta within four hours.  If she does not, you need to call the vet.  Also, save the placenta in a bag or bucket for your vet to inspect later.

Many people wonder just how much to help a mare and foal during delivery - experts agree that minimal interference is best, as long as the process is going smoothly. 

Once the foal is on the ground and out of the sac, some experts recommend going in and towelling dry the foal.  Dip/spray the umbilical cord with iodine or similar product (check with your vet).  Some vets will also recommend giving the newborn foal an inoculation that includes penicillin.

It is important for the new born foal to pass the meconium (first manure) or it could colic. Diarrhea however can also be dangerous for newborns as they can dehydrate so rapidly.

As with labour, there is a timetable that a normal, healthy foal should follow, starting from the time it is born:

  1. Within five minutes of being born, the foal should be able to right itself, sit up on its sternum and look around.  If the foal just lies there it is not a good sign.  The foal should also have a weak suckle reflex at this stage, and it should strengthen over the next hour.  In addition, normal respiratory and cardiovascular rates should be established within a minute or so of birth.

  2. Within 30 minutes of birth the baby should actually be making attempts to stand. Within two hours it should be standing.

  3. Within three hours the foal should be nursing - sucking in that essential colostrum and all those antibodies a foal does not get in the uterus.  Without this vital first milk the foal may be initially healthy, but by the time it is six hours old it could be infected.

  4. Within four to five hours of birth the foal should have its first bowel movement and should urinate.  The foal should also be able to lie down, stand up and suckle easily.

The above timetable gives the outside limits and will obviously vary from foal to foal - however if in any doubt CALL YOUR VET.

Along with the above timeline you can use the APGAR system to help evaluate your foal's health. APGAR stands for Activity, Pulse, Grimace, Appearance and Respiration.  Perform the APGAR evaluation between one and five minutes after birth.  Score the foal 0, 1 or 2 for each parameter.  A total of 7 - 8 - signifies a normal foal.  A score of 4 - 6 indicates potential trouble.  A score of 0 - 3 indicates a crisis and you should call the vet immediately.

APGAR EVALUATION CHART

Parameter  Score 

0 1 2

Heart & Pulse rate:  undetectable < 60 bpm   >60 bpm

Respiratory rate/pattern:  undetectable slow, irregular 40-60 bpm regular

Muscle tone:   limp, lying on side lying on side, some muscle tone   Able to maintain sternal position

Nasal stimulation reflex (tickle nostril with piece of straw) no response weak strong

A word of caution : remember that even a typically sweet mare may become aggressive if you enter the stall and attempt to handle the foal.  It's a good idea to work in pairs, with one person holding the mare, as the other evaluates the foal.

Mucous membranes should be nice and pink. Respiratory rates can vary but anywhere in the 60 - 100 breath per minute range is OK.  The foal should breathe in and out with no abdominal push or great respiratory effort.  The chest should inflate and deflate gently.  Heart rate should be greater than 60 beats per minute.  Muscle tone is judged by the way a foal lies down. A sternal position - with the foal resting on its stomach and chest, head up - is normal and healthy.

Once the foal is standing you should be able to evaluate its skeletal structure.  It is not uncommon for foals to be born with contracted tendons, excessively lax pasterns or crooked legs  - none of which are usually considered critical and can be addressed if needs be within a couple of days. However, anything that prevents the foal from getting up and nursing is a problem.

At least as important as all these detailed evaluations is simply stepping back to assess the foal's overall attitude.  A "bright and alert" foal is the key attribute to look for.  "Depression in a foal is a sign of illness".

In general, evaluating your foal's health is a fairly simple and straightforward task.  If this is your first time though you may be a bit nervous or worried - if you find yourself in any doubt call the vet.  The best thing that can happen is for the vet to come and say the foal is fine - the worst thing is for you not to call the vet and for there to be a problem.  Don't wait to make that call either.  The difference between a live foal and a dead foal is the timeliness of when the animal is taken care of.  You cannot say "let's wait to see what happens in a couple of hours" It'll be too late. 

The more you educate yourself about what to expect, the better equipped you should be to meet whatever comes your way.  You have already invested so much time and money in this endeavour, it only makes sense to take those last few steps to ensure that your foal gets the best possible start in life. 

CAUSE FOR ALARM 

While any deviation from normal is a cause for concern, the following signs are particularly alarming in a newborn foal and warrant a vet's immediate attention: 

  • Depression
  • Inability to Stand
  • Loss of suckle reflex
  • Milk in the nostrils
  • Disorientation
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever
  • Lameness
  • Swollen joints
  • Jaundiced or blue mucous membranes
  • Laboured respiration
  • Straining to urinate
  • Colic
  • Ulcers or cloudiness of the eye
  • Draining, swelling or moisture on or around the umbilical cord
  • Seizures
  • Haemorrhage of ears/mucous membranes
  • Foal makes a "barking" sound

Sushil Dulai Wenholz can be contacted on sushildw@netscape.net .

Address: 15375 Queen Court, Lakewood, CO 80232 USA.

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