How to Help a Mare and Foal After Delivery

The delivery has been a success. Now' s the time to take the final steps to aid and comfort your mare and newborn foal.

Instructions

1. Understand that normally the umbilical cord will remain connected to the mare until her movements cause it to rupture. DO NOT sever the cord yourself. Dip the stump in iodine several times over the first few days to prevent infection and help it to dry up.

2. Call a veterinarian if foal does not nurse within 2 hours of delivery or attempt to stand. The mare can be milked and the foal bottle fed 4 ounces of colostrum at a time until he gets up and nurses himself.

3. Observe for delivery of placenta accompanied by uterine contractions. This can happen anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 hours after birth.

4. Call veterinarian if placenta is not delivered within 3 hours.

5. The veterinarian should examine both the mare and foal within 24 hours of a normal delivery, sooner if problems are suspected. Save placenta in bucket for veterinarian to examine. It can be potentially life threatening if some of the placenta is retained in mare.

Tips & Warnings

• It is not necessary to tie the stump of umbilical cord unless it is dripping or spurting blood.

• Veterinarians recommend dipping umbilical stump in 3-5% tinctured iodine.

• Nursing is extremely important, since foal obtains 100% of antibodies from mare's colostrum, or milk.

• A healthy foal should be 10% of the mare's weight.

• Nursing releases oxytocin which causes the uterus to contract. It is not uncommon for the mare to get very uncomfortable when the foal nurses the first day. Contact your vet about administering banamine if she is very uncomfortable.