Preparation of the Pregnant Mare & Foal

As with many other things, success usually follows good preparation. This brief article highlights the basics for preparation of the pregnant mare and foal. For more detailed and specific concerns, please consult your Veterinarian.

A pregnant mare needs to have her vaccinations up to date. She needs to have a rhinopneumonitis vaccine on her 5th, 7th and 10th months of pregnancy.

Rhinopneumonitis vaccination helps to prevent virus abortion. She also needs to have her annual shots (tetanus, rabies, encephalitis and influenza) on the 10th month (more correctly, 30 days prior to her due date). Scheduling these vaccinations on the 10th month serves two purposes. The mare receives her annual vaccines and, receiving them approximately 30 days prior to foaling, helps to insure a greater amount of antibodies against these diseases in her colostrum. Hopefully, this translates into more protection for the foal on its earliest days.

The mare should be on an increasing plane of nutrition during her last trimester and she should be dewormed on a regular basis ( once every 2 months ). A good de-worming rotation is Strongid- T , Ivermectin and Panacur.

Preparing for the foal entails, at a minimum, having an umbilical dip (navel iodine or nolvasan solution) on hand along with several fleet enemas. After the foal is born and the umbilicus breaks, the stump needs to be dipped to help prevent possible life threatening bacterial infections to the foal. A newborn foal usually is up and nursing and the mare has passed her placenta within an hour of birth. After the foal has nursed, it is helpful to administer a fleet enema. Fleets do a good job and are generally safe. An enema helps the foal pass any hard meconium that could otherwise get impacted and cause colic. When the foal is approximately 24 hours old, you should have your Veterinarian perform a complete exam that will include listening to the heart, lungs and intestines. The umbilicus, eyes, and gums need to be examined and the ribs need to be palpated to rule out any fractures being incurred during the foaling procedure. Blood samples will need to be collected for testing. The blood tests will ascertain if the white and red blood cell counts are normal, and will measure the level of colostrum that the foal has absorbed.

Joseph F. Weghorn, D.V.M., Associate Veterinarian, Braden River Animal Hospital 5012 SR 64 East, Bradenton, FI. 34208 (941)745-1513