Better information makes for healthier horses,
Horseadvice.com is where equine science and horse sense intersect.

Discussion on Mare bagging up - 314 days gestation - Extremely Big

Use the navigation bar above to access articles and more discussions on this topic.
Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Judy Henslee
Member
Username: judyhens

Post Number: 73
Registered: 1-2007
Posted on Thursday, Mar 8, 2007 - 3:24 pm:   Edit PostPrint Post

Just an uneasy feeling. We have a 6 or 7 year old Haflinger mare carrying a foal by one of our Andalusian sires. The vet who examines our newborns felt that the Andalusians are born more refined than the Haflingers (which is true) and that a cross should pose no problem. We have another Haflinger mare pregnant by the same Andalusian stallion and she looks like a normal, pregnant mare. The one I am worried about seems to feel fine. She is just absolutely huge. Now I am worried about twins. I think she only had one or two ultrasounds - (we typically do one to confirm pregnancy and one to confirm a heartbeat). I am worried about potential delivery problems, etc. As of last night you could not express any liquid from her teats, but she was definitely bagging up. My husband is going to the pasture to check her again today and bring her into the barn where we can keep a camera on her. Our other option is to take her to an area vet hospital for foaling out. It is primarily her extreme size that is worrying us. Can twins be felt at this stage? What is the chance of a foal surviving at 314 days? We are hoping she will go another week or so. Do some mares just get huge?

Any help would be appreciated.

Judy
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Chris Doyle
Member
Username: christel

Post Number: 256
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Thursday, Mar 8, 2007 - 5:18 pm:   Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Judy, if its any consulation, yes some mares just get huge, one of my mares is this way, poor girl has looked miserable for at least a month, she is due anyday. She only started bagging up a week ago, but in the past has bagged several weeks out- Im hoping she doesn't 'cook' this one for several more weeks- Im ready!!
Is this your mares first foal?
Hope there is nothing to worry about. If Im recalling correctly DrO made the comment on Joanie's mare that was carrying twins, there is nothing you can do now for twins, and really no way to find out if she is carrying twins at this point.
Best wishes,
Chris
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

cindy O'DELL
Member
Username: zarr

Post Number: 367
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Thursday, Mar 8, 2007 - 5:57 pm:   Edit PostPrint Post

Best wishes Judy , remember one mare that always looked like she had swallowed a VW.!! On the lighter side new Horse Illustrated arrived today full of beautiful Andalusians. Cindy
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Judy Henslee
Member
Username: judyhens

Post Number: 74
Registered: 1-2007
Posted on Thursday, Mar 8, 2007 - 9:54 pm:   Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for your encouragement Chris and Cindy. Good luck with your expectant mother also! I've got to get a Horse Illustrated!

This mare had one living foal. She was rescued by a friend 2 or 3 years ago, pregnant, nursing a foal, ill with strangles, and in a state where every bone was showing. Our friend asked her husband to purchase the mare, they built a paddock for her by his office so that she was isolated from their other horses, and embarked on months of treating the strangles and feeding her properly. She lost the foal she was carrying. She did fully recover and was deemed reproductively sound and had no infection at the time of breeding. This mare is totally loving, trusts and enjoys being around everyone. What a forgiving mare!

Still can't express fluid. Praise the Lord!

Judy
0 0
\_/
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

barbara
Member
Username: oscarvv

Post Number: 778
Registered: 10-1999
Posted on Friday, Mar 9, 2007 - 6:59 am:   Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Judy -
I have a TB who gets huge every year. She has never had twins but it is hard to believe when you see her even months before foaling. She just foaled and everything was once again fine.
-B
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro

Post Number: 17968
Registered: 1-1997
Posted on Friday, Mar 9, 2007 - 7:28 am:   Edit PostPrint Post

Often twins are not palpable at this point but they can be diagnosed with US as the two placenta walls can be picked up for more see Diseases of Horses » Reproductive Diseases » Problems During Pregnancy » Twinning & Management of Twins.

I too find the size of the mare a poor indicator of twins.
DrO
Post a Message to this Discussion
Posting
Instructions:
Full Service Members may post to this discussion and should address the orignial poster's concerns or other information posted here. New questions about your horse should be started in a new discussion. Use the navigation bar at the top of this page to return to the parent article and review the article and existing discussions. If your question remains unanswered "Start a New Discussion", the link is under the list of discussions at the bottom of the article.
Post:
Bold text Italics Underline Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image

Username:
Password:
Options: Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:
Home Page | Todays Discussions | Search | Top of Page Administration
  http://www.horseadvice.com
is The Horseman's Advisor
Helping Thousands of Equestrians, Farriers, and Veterinarians Every Day
All rights reserved, © 2009
BBB Reliability Seal