When you’re the supervising feline of a veterinary clinic, you know the amazing lifesaving things that antibiotics can do. You also know what a CATastrophe it would be if we didn’t have them. Plenty of things make a cat grumpy, but few things ruffle my fur quite like misuse of antibiotics that might lead to antibiotic resistance!

Let me explain how antibiotic resistance works and how we can avoid it. Antibiotic resistance doesn’t mean that your horse’s body becomes resistant to antibiotics, it means that the bacteria no longer respond to the antibiotics designed to kill them. They ignore the antibiotic treatment and continue to grow and reproduce, making your horse’s infection worse. When the bacteria become resistant, the antibiotics don’t work anymore, and your vet is left with few options to treat your horse’s infection. Infections caused by resistant bacteria are difficult or even impossible to treat.

Anytime antibiotics are used, it can contribute to bacteria developing resistance. Usually, the benefits usually outweigh the risks when the antibiotics are used appropriately. But if used unnecessarily or incorrectly, it increases the chance of creating antibiotic resistance. These mistakes are really common, so be careful you aren’t making them. And this stuff applies not just to your pets’ antibiotics, but also for the ones your doctor prescribes for you. We need our antibiotics to keep working so my docs can keep saving lives!

Mistake Number 1

One of the most common mistakes many horse owners make is not finishing the entire course of antibiotics that their horse is prescribed. Here’s how it often happens… your horse is prescribed an antibiotic by a veterinarian, and you give it very diligently for several days. Then, you start noticing that he is improving, and you think, GREAT, the antibiotic is working and my horse is cured. Here is where the mistakes begin. 

It is extremely common for owners to see their horse improving and decide to discontinue antibiotics before they have finished the full course. DO NOT do this! Antibiotics are prescribed for a specific length of time. During this time the bacteria are being killed, which is why your horse begins to improve.

What happens when you stop antibiotics early is that some of the bacteria have not died yet, but they have been exposed to the antibiotic. When you stop the antibiotic, they start to reproduce again and the next thing you know, your horse is showing signs of infection again. When you see the signs return, you might try to start the antibiotic again. But this time, your horse does not improve. You call one of my docs out and they recommend a culture and sensitivity test which shows that the bacteria are now resistant to the antibiotic that previously worked on your horse’s infection. 

By discontinuing antibiotics before the full course was administered, antibiotic-resistant bacteria or “superbugs” are formed, and now the superbugs are reproducing. The superbugs recognize the first antibiotic and laugh at it when you try it again, as they have developed superpowers to prevent the antibiotics from killing them. Now we have a superbug that needs an even stronger antibiotic. Hopefully, this time, you have learned your lesson and give the entire course of prescribed medication. But sometimes it takes you humans more than once to learn your lessons! So you repeat the above scenario with stronger antibiotics, and a super-superbug forms. It isn’t long before there are no antibiotics left that the bug is susceptible to, and now your horse has a resistant infection that cannot be treated. 

Mistake Number 2

Mistake number two may be even more common than mistake number one. Do you have old leftover antibiotics lying around your barn somewhere? I bet if I cat-scanned your farm I would find some!

Here’s how it goes… You notice your horse has an infection and think, well, I have some of that old antibiotic in the tack room, I’m sure that it would be fine to treat my horse with that and I’ll save a little money. Never administer an antibiotic to your horse willy nilly! Even if it was once prescribed for him. ALWAYS call my docs first. You might think you’re going to save money, but this sort of thing often causes expensive and difficult problems that could have been avoided.

Different types of infections are caused by different types of bacteria. The bacteria causing your horse’s lung infection may be a different species than the ones that infect a skin wound. The antibiotic that will treat one kind of infection may not touch another. If you choose the wrong antibiotic, it not only wastes time and lets the infection get worse but is a great way of causing antibiotic resistance. Chances are you don’t know the right dose for that antibiotic either. So DON’T use what you have laying around the tack room, and DON’T buy something random at Tractor Supply. Don’t even get me started on expired antibiotics!

Mistake Number 3

Yeah, I know that it would be easier if you could just dump the antibiotic tablets in your horse’s grain and he would eat them all up. You don’t like giving them directly in his mouth, and neither does he. But what usually happens is that the horse picks through his grain and doesn’t like the taste, so he only eats part of the antibiotic dose. The bacteria are not killed when they are under-dosed – that only makes them stronger and more likely to become resistant.

The best way to make sure he gets the whole dose is to syringe it directly into your horse’s mouth. My docs will show you how and teach you tricks to get it done. Many of the common antibiotics they use can be dissolved in a little water inside a big plastic syringe and given just like a dewormer. You can even add flavorings like molasses to sweeten the deal. But your horse must receive his ENTIRE dose to avoid problems. If you find that you really can’t administer the antibiotics that were prescribed, my docs will find you another way to treat your horse and avoid antibiotic resistance.

Mistake Number 4

Sometimes people call asking for antibiotics to treat their horse and yet my docs have never even seen the horse. Not only is this illegal for my docs, it’s also very dangerous for your horse. If my docs prescribe your horse an antibiotic for an ailment that they have not examined your horse for, they are risking their veterinary license. Not to mention you are putting your horse at risk for developing antibiotic resistance. 

A common misconception is that all infections are treated the same. This could not be further from the truth. Some bacteria thrive in an environment without oxygen, some thrive in an environment with oxygen, others have super strong cell walls that require stronger antibiotics, and others are more easily treated. Even further, some infections are a mixed bag of multiple different bacteria. The only way for one of my docs to have any idea of what kind of infection your horse has is for them to see your horse. And did you know that viruses NEVER require antibiotics? Giving antibiotics for a viral infection just wastes money and creates antibiotic resistance.

I never want to find out what it would be like to live in a world without antibiotics, and neither should you. A lot of these problems we’ve talked about are avoidable simply by making sure you have a veterinarian examine your horse prior to treatment, following your vet’s orders, and calling them if you are having trouble with the prescribed treatment. The future of equine healthcare, cat healthcare, people healthcare, and every other kind of healthcare depends on it!

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. Have you been to my YouTube Channel lately? I’ve got hours and hours of free horse knowledge waiting for you there. It’s way more beneficial than bingeing on Netflix, and easier to share with your friends: win-win!

Let’s talk about some of my favorite topics that help horse owners spend money needlessly. I like to call these the Urban Legends of the Horse World. Some have a bit of fact, and I emphasize, a bit, behind them. Some are wild tales meant to scare children around campfires at night. Either way, I watch a lot of horse people spend a lot of money or time on them for no good reason. Don’t worry, Tony’s here to help you out.

Colics and Walking

I’m starting with this one since it’s one of my life’s missions to get humans to stop walking colicky horses! If your horse lays down to roll, it will NOT cause their intestines to twist. In fact, it’s the other way around. Horses become intensely painful and roll because their intestines twisted. I know you’ve heard this one from me before, and I’m saying it again. Do.Not.Walk.Your.Colic! Okay, I’m ambling down from my soapbox now.

Hindgut Ulcers

I’m prepared to face the wrath of the internet on this one. Hindgut ulcers in the way you are thinking of them aren’t a thing. Yes, my Docs see hindgut ulcers, but it’s rare and is ALWAYS secondary to massive doses of NSAIDs like bute. For the most part these drugs are safe, but if given in too high a dose for too long, they quite literally destroy the hindgut. For some horses, this is one dose at a high level, for some it’s 4-5 days of high dosing, and for some it’s weeks of overdosing. These drugs are easy to use all willy nilly, but it’s important to check in with my Docs about best practices. Horses with hindgut ulcers are incredibly sick, and it can be life-threatening. They don’t experience a vague sense of unease, or balk at your leg, or pick up the canter incorrectly. They try to die. 

Okay, now for the tiny kernel of truth behind hindgut ulcers. The more all the amazing gut researchers out there learn about the critters that live in the GI tract, the more they know they don’t know. I think they should ask a cat. We know everything. Just ask us! Anyway, what is very clearly known is that the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa that live in there are all important, and are all delicate little flowers. Any little thing upsets them. There are a million solutions proposed for managing this upset. There are two that have science behind them: forage and Saccharomyces boulardii. That’s it. Not hindgut buffers, not magical hindgut happiness potion, not vaguely labeled hindgut supporters. Hay and maybe some yeast. Mostly hay. Want to keep your horse’s hindgut happier? Feed them more hay! 

Stomach Ulcers

What? Are you crazy, Tony? Are you saying stomach ulcers aren’t a thing?? No. I’m not actually saying that. I am saying that a bajillion of the things out there that say they will fix it, won’t. Stomach buffers will help the symptoms temporarily, but not long term. Many of the wonder cures out there are buffers. Treatment is aimed at first knowing what kind of ulcers you’ve got: squamous or glandular, then targeting treatment to the type, then modifying life and diet to avoid recurrence. Wonder cures which involve two pumps or scoops or packets of something random do not factor in here. 

Joint Supplements. Okay, Supplements in General.

Let’s evaluate the size of a horse. I’m going to be kind and say the average horse weighs 1100 pounds. Yeah, that’s right, I’m saying most of you humans have overweight horses. Let’s look at the average supplement: 2 ounces. That’s the size of the scoop. That’s 0.00002 pounds per pound of horse body weight. Chances are good that supplement isn’t doing much. For example, when my Docs recommend flax seed for itchy skin, they recommend 1 POUND per day minimum. Think about what is in your supplement, and then the quantity you are feeding before expecting it to do a lot. The other thing about supplements is that they are the wild, wild west of the nutrition world. This is true for human supplements, too. Pretty much as long as you don’t say your supplement treats a medical condition, you can say it. My Docs can help you evaluate supplement choices, but know the answer will be just don’t do it 95% of the time. 

There are a whole lot of urban legends out there in the horse world. For 99.999999% of the horses in the world the right answer is a good diet based on 1-2% of their bodyweight as roughage, only enough concentrate to supplement vitamins, minerals, and protein to support workload, clean water, and turnout and/or exercise to keep the body moving. The rest of it separates your money from your wallet. Horses do that well enough already! Talk to my Docs for help sorting out the urban legends from the truth. 

Until next week,

Tony

P.S. If you are thirsty for knowledge on the things I talked about here, you should go listen to the podcast my humans do. They have a whole lot more to say about this stuff than I do. To be fair, I’m limited to 1,000 words, and they can talk for 30 minutes to an hour. I’m not staying awake that long unless I’m blocking traffic in the Clinic parking lot. Anyway, you can find all 90+ episodes of Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth by clicking here, or subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll thank me later. 

It’s January, which means two things: it’s cold, which I hate, and Springhill Equine Wellness Program sign-ups, which I love, are in full swing. Let’s talk about the cold first. I have asked my humans repeatedly to make the temperature outside more to my liking. Their only offer to solve this problem is a horrible plaid jacket they attempt to make me wear. This is a completely unacceptable solution. Thus I sit at the front door and demand the repeated opening and closing of the door so that I may move inside or out depending on my minute-by-minute temperature desires. I feel it’s a solid plan. The humans seem to object, but I ignore them. On to the thing you probably care more about: the Wellness Program, in other words, your horse’s basic healthcare needs. What are they, and why do my Docs do what they do?

The Exam

Every horse should get a good basic exam every time they get a vaccine. This isn’t a fancy exam. It’s a heart, lungs, gut sounds, my Doc looking your horse over exam. It’s tempting to wonder what the heck they’re doing during this quick exam, and how much information they can gather. The answer is a lot. Giving a highly trained professional 5 minutes to look over your horse, take a listen, and talk to you about what you and your horse are up to will get you more information than all the hours you can put in with The Google Machine. 

During that time my Docs are assessing your horse’s heart rate and beat. Is it regular? Is the rate appropriate for the fitness level your horse should be at? They are listening for early signs of asthma, a ridiculously common Florida horse problem. Gut sounds tell them if there is a hint of sand, or too much gas, or maybe some impending diarrhea. All the while they are looking at all your horse’s other body parts. You may not realize it because my Docs are slick like this, but they’re evaluating feet, muscles, topline, haircoat, eyes, and a million other things in that 5 minutes, all while integrating the information you’re giving them about your horse’s eating, drinking, and exercise habits. I dare you to get all that from the Faceplace!

Vaccines

Serious Tony here. Encephalitis is EVERYWHERE in Florida, and Rabies is really bad. Vaccines are important! Every single horse in the United States should have Eastern and Western Encephalitis, Tetanus, West Nile Virus, and Rabies vaccines yearly. If you live in the swampy, mosquito-infested land of Florida, the encephalitis and West Nile vaccines should be given at least every 6 months. Do you know what happens when you guys try to keep track of this yourselves? It doesn’t happen every 6 months. Often it doesn’t even happen every year. These diseases are deadly, and heartbreaking. Eastern encephalitis carries a 95% mortality rate. West Nile horses rarely return to their previous level of competition. 

If your horse is around other horses, they should also be vaccinated for rhinopneumonitis and influenza. These are the respiratory viruses of the horse world. Horses get them from other horses. That means it’s not just for show horses. If you trail ride around other horses a lot, your horse should get these vaccines. 

There are other vaccines out there, like Strangles and Potomac Horse Fever. Some horses need these. Some don’t. The best person to determine this is your veterinarian. Not a random person you met at the feed store, not your farrier, trainer, or Facebook friend. TikTok should also not be a guide here. If they aren’t a vet, they don’t decide. That’s some Tony wisdom right there.

Know how to best ensure your horse gets the vaccines they should, when they should? Sign up for Springhill Equine’s Wellness Program. So easy, even a dog can do it. Trust me. You humans can’t keep track of this without some feline help!

Coggins

I’ve got entire blogs on why one should have a Coggins test, and how it’s spread. All the info you need on this. This week I’m here to say once again: sign up for our Wellness program so you’ve got your Coggins when you need it. “Emergency” Coggins really shouldn’t be a thing. If you think you might take your horse off property, get a Coggins on them when my Docs are there doing vaccines. It makes life much easier when you suddenly decide to take Flicka for a trail ride on Saturday, but realize on Thursday evening you don’t have a Coggins.

Dentals

Big old Tony soapbox here. Dental care should be performed by your veterinarian. Just this past week we saw a horse who had their dental care performed LAST WEEK by a lay dental floater who had missed a giant tumor on the jaw. I know. I know. That’s not how my random person with an internet certificate in dentistry works. But it is how they work. Your horse’s mouth should be evaluated at least yearly by a veterinarian. That means sedation, a speculum, and a bright light. That means a veterinarian. Sedation can only be legally administered by a veterinarian. 

You can tell this is a pain point for this cat. It’s because my poor Docs have to handle the repercussions of bad dental care. Often this means a horse not eating for days to weeks after a dental float, serious health problems from bad sedation choices, and missed issues often in the back of the mouth. Not to mention, you are out money for a service that was performed badly. 

Okay, I know that was a lot, but it’s enough to get my hackles up. Also, good, consistent dental care is the single greatest thing you can do for your horse to help them have a happy, long life eating normal food. As those teeth decline, feeding becomes a huge challenge. Take care of them early and often, and you will save a ton of money on feed over the lifetime of your horse. This doesn’t even include the benefit of improved communication while you’re riding them.

Deworming

Last but not least in the basics of horse healthcare is deworming. By this I do not mean place a deworming product in your horse’s mouth every month, six weeks, at the farrier visit, based on the lunar calendar, or some other crazy horse-person archaic deworming schedule. That’s right, I’m talking about you, horse people. Proper parasite management involves knowing fecal egg counts. This allows targeted deworming of the horse’s dropping the most parasites around their world, and NO one else. 

Let me also state right here that just because one horse is high doesn’t mean all the other horses on a property are. This is so 1990’s thinking. Be hip and modern. Use fecal egg counts to guide deworming. For Florida, this means check fecal egg counts once yearly generally during what counts as our Winter, Spring, or early Summer. Only horses with high egg counts are dewormed. In the late Fall, everyone gets dewormed with an ivermectin/praziquantel product. My Docs recommend Equimax for a variety of reasons. That’s it. See, I just saved you money, time, and argument with your horse over taking their dewormer. 

Know how to get all this stuff for your horse, save time and money, and have my awesome group of humans keep track of all of it for you? Sign up for our Wellness Program. Time is running out to get in on the plans. Signing up is easy. Just go here: https://springhillequine.com/wellness-sign-up-sheet/ and do the things. Now go back to perusing the internet for the thing it does best: cat videos!

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. If you aren’t subscribed to my YouTube Channel, you are missing out on a ton of free amazing video content. New videos go up all the time, so subscribe so you see my new videos as they are released!

One of the best ways to keep your horse healthy is to make sure he stays hydrated. Good hydration can keep him performing well, help his organ systems function, and reduce the chance of colic. But have you noticed that self-preservation is not one of your horse’s best skills? Many of them don’t drink enough water when they’re traveling, in a new place, or when the weather changes. Not that I blame them – my fine feline tastes make me picky about flavors too.

In the summer, your horse needs to drink to replace water lost during sweating and exercise. In the winter, he is probably eating more dry food material like hay, and less moisture-rich grass. Dehydration can result, because his food is naturally drier and there is less stimulus to drink when its cooler outside. My docs have seen a lot of colics lately with the weather changing. An average sized (1000 lb) horse should drink about 5-10 gallons of water a day, so keep a close eye on how much yours is consuming. Here are some tips to encourage him to drink more, whether it’s summer or winter.

1. Provide fresh water

Make sure your horse’s water source is always fresh and clean. Check all your water troughs, buckets, and automatic waterers daily. Replace the stale water and scrub all your water sources out regularly. Algae can grow quickly around here, and debris can fall into the containers and rot. Even worse, I’m sure you have all seen the dreaded pile of manure accidentally deposited in the water bucket – gross! Your horse is sure not going to drink that.

2. Think about the water container

Some horses are picky about what they will drink from. Some drink better out of a trough or larger bucket. If the bucket feels too narrow to him, he may not want to put his nose in. Make sure there’s no metal hardware or handle that might be in his way. Offer him several container options to keep him drinking well. But, it’s best to get him used to drinking from more than one type of container. If he only has a trough at home and you’re away at a show where he has no choice but a water bucket, he may not drink enough.

You’ll also want to provide at least 2 sources of water for your horse, in case something happens to one of them. For example, a bucket could tip over, an automatic waterer could break, or the dreaded pile of manure in the bucket could occur.

3. Flavor the water

Some horses can be encouraged to drink by offering flavored water. We use this strategy more for certain occasions like traveling to shows or on extra cold days, rather than on a daily basis. But when you need it, this can work great! Any time you are concerned your horse might not be drinking enough, you can give it a try.

There are a variety of flavorings that can be used. My favorite is to put 3 handfuls of whatever grain your horse loves in the bottom of a full water bucket – I call that “Sweet Tea”. Many horses love the taste of grain-flavored water and will drink the full bucket to get to the small amount of grain in the bottom. Other flavor options include Gatorade, apple juice, a little molasses, or even peppermint oil. Every horse will have different tastes, so experiment with what your horse likes. Always provide plain, unflavored water as well, in case your horse doesn’t like the flavored water. Check with my docs before doing this if your horse has any metabolic disease, insulin dysregulation, or history of laminitis and might not be able to tolerate extra sugar in his diet.

4. Bring water from home when traveling

Many horses get used to the flavor of their usual water at home, and don’t drink as well when the water tastes or smells different at a new place. An option is to bring water from home in a water tank or plastic containers so he can drink the same water he is familiar with. Another way is to disguise the flavor of the new water by getting your horse used to drinking water flavored with grain/apple juice/Gatorade like we just discussed in #3, and add the same flavoring to the new water. Hopefully he won’t be able to tell the difference.

5. Position the water near the food

If your horse must leave his food to go to his water source, he may be less inclined to drink. Most horses are all about the food! Make it easy for him to take sips while he’s eating by placing his water close to where he is fed. The food going through his GI tract will have more moisture in it, reducing the chance of an impaction.

6. Soak hay and grain

Wetting down your horse’s hay and grain can get extra water into your horse’s system. You don’t have to soak the hay for a long time before feeding it – even spraying it down just before feeding can help increase its water content. You can add a little water to your horse’s grain as well, to make it a mash or soup consistency. Bonus, this helps to decrease the chance of choke and suppresses dusty respiratory allergens too.

7. Warm the water in colder weather

Some studies have shown that in cold weather, horses will drink more warm water than cold water. If its chilly out, or if you live somewhere that water freezes (Oh the horror!), considering offering your horse warm water.

8. Supplementing with salt

Adding a small amount of salt to your horse’s diet can stimulate his thirst and encourage him to drink more. Start by adding 1-2 teaspoons of table salt (sodium chloride) to his grain 1-2 times a day. If you find that his water consumption has increased and he is better hydrated, you can slowly increase the amount of salt up to a maximum of 1-2 tablespoons daily. If he isn’t drinking more than before, stop the salt and try a different method.

There are a couple of situations where salt supplementation shouldn’t be used. Don’t give salt when your horse won’t have access to water for a while, like when he is traveling a long distance. That could actually cause him to become more dehydrated if he’s not able to drink. While diseases that require sodium restriction aren’t common in horses, it’s best to check with one of my docs before adding salt to your horse’s diet, especially is he has any existing health conditions.

Give these ideas a try and find out what works best for your horse. Then comment on my facebook post to tell us what your favorite strategy is! As always, if you have any questions, my docs are happy to talk. 

Until next week,

~Tony

 P.S. Have you been to my YouTube Channel lately? There are new videos going up every couple of weeks these days, with tons of great horse stuff. I know you humans are into that sort of thing, and I don’t want you to miss out. You’re welcome.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. I spent my weekend napping and recuperating from all my weekday napping. It’s a tough life, but somebody’s gotta do it. Anyway. Last week we talked about breeding your mare. This week I want to talk about the main event: foaling and foals.

Everyone loves foals! And what’s not to love? They’re absolutely adorable. Their disproportionate ears, long wobbly legs, fuzzy little tails, and tiny little feet make them almost irresistible. However, foals will break your heart in a split second. I’ve seen it firsthand. The act of foaling out is very dangerous and can be life-threatening for both the mare and foal. Luckily, most of the time foaling occurs without issue, but it’s important to be prepared for those rare times when foaling does not go as planned. 

Dystocia

Dystocia is an all-encompassing word for difficult birth. A dystocia can be life-threatening to both the mare and foal. Typically, a dystocia involves the foal being positioned inappropriately, therefore making it impossible for the mare to pass the foal through the pelvic canal. Once the mare’s water breaks the foal should be expelled within 30 minutes, 45 minutes max, before the life of the foal is at risk. If the foal is positioned incorrectly, it can put stress on the mare, leading to tearing and bleeding.

Your veterinarian will be able to assess your mare and foal to determine the severity of the dystocia. Sometimes it’s possible for your veterinarian to manipulate the foal into the correct position allowing for a normal birth to occur. However, if they can’t do that, sending the mare to a referral hospital may be necessary. When this decision is made, it’s extremely emergent and both the life of the mare and foal are in jeopardy. If you think about it, by the time the mare’s water breaks, you realized there is a problem, your veterinarian comes out, and the decision is made to refer, a big chunk of time has already passed. That’s why it’s always best to be prepared ahead of time, have a plan set up, and potentially even bring your mare to a facility to foal out where there is a veterinarian on staff should a problem arise.

Once at the referral hospital, there’s a possibility of your mare needing a cesarian section. A C-section involves general anesthesia which can be dangerous for the mare and foal. It has to be completed quickly and efficiently. Even if everything goes perfectly, it’s possible that the life of the mare or foal could be lost.  Dystocias can be very complicated and very dangerous, so be sure to talk with your veterinarian about the best plan for foaling out your mare.

Red Bag

The term “red bag” is well-known and heard throughout barns. But do you really know what it means to have a red bag birth? I did some research and found out that a red bag occurs when there is premature separation of the outer placental membrane from uterine wall. When this happens, the intact fluid-filled chorioallantois protrudes through the vulva. The chorioallantois is red in color and is what gives the term “red bag” its name.

Again, we all know that a red bag birth is bad, but why is it bad? Well, when the outer placental membrane detaches from the uterine wall before it is supposed to, there’s a rapid decrease in oxygen being transported to the foal. Thus, the foal can suffer from lack of oxygen and could even suffocate.

When a foal does not obtain enough oxygen during the delivery process, they can be born a “dummy foal.” Dummy foals can exhibit abnormal behaviors after birth, including sleepiness, ataxia, circling, weakness, loss of a suckle reflex, and disinterest in the mare. As you can imagine a foal who is not interested in the mare and does not suckle is a foal who is in danger. Dehydration, weakness, and illness can set in very quickly.

Your veterinarian may elect to perform the Madigan Squeeze on your foal if he is showing signs of dummy foal syndrome. This squeeze resets the foal’s neurologic system and often can alleviate the symptoms associated with dummy foal syndrome. However, if the foal does not respond to the Madigan Squeeze, hospitalization and intensive care may be necessary.

The good news about a red bag is, if you recognize it early, you can reduce the risks by sharply opening the placental membrane. This will allow the allantoic fluid to be expelled and the foal will be able to breath the ambient air. That being said, it would still be in the foal’s best interest to receive supplemental oxygen post-foaling.

It is highly recommended to have your veterinarian on the way if you notice any complications during the foaling process. And as I already said, it may be in your best interests, and the best interest of your mare and foal to have your mare at a facility to foal out where there is a veterinarian available immediately.

Post-Foaling Complications

We’ve made it through the foaling without complication, so now you may be thinking, Whew, now I can finally enjoy my new bundle of joy! And you can and should, but there are post-foaling complications that you should look for.

Immediately post-foaling is the 1-2-3 Rule: your foal should stand within 1 hour, should be nursing by 2 hours, and 3 hours post foaling the mare should pass the placental in full. A foal who does not stand, will not nurse. A foal that does not nurse will become weak and dehydrated quickly. And a mare with a retained placenta can become extremely ill, become laminitic, and can end up not being able to care for their foal appropriately. If any of these milestones do not occur, you will need to call in your veterinarian for assistance.

Post-foaling complications don’t always have to be life threatening. Complications such as contracted tendons or laxed tendons occur frequently. While these complications may not be life threatening, they can be career ending before your foal’s career even begins. It can affect their conformation and put them at risk for tendon and ligament problems in the future as well as hoof problems as they develop. And we all know the saying, no hoof, no horse. If you suspect you foal has a problem with his tendons, be sure to call your veterinarian as soon as possible, as time is of the essence to get the problem corrected.

Finally, foals are extremely accident prone. They are curious and excitable, which can lead them to finding themselves in precarious positions.  Ensuring that the environment for your foal is safe is essential to avoiding accidents and injuries.

Now, buckle up, because foaling season is right around the corner! Get with your veterinarian to come up with the best plan for you and your horse and let the foaling begin!

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. If you want more foaling information, you should go over to my Podcast Page and listen to my docs talk about this stuff. They have 3 or 4 different episodes about it, and one of them is an interview with a Board-Certified Internist who deals with new foals, so she has all kinds of great info to share on the subject. Go ahead and check it out, it’s free and painless!