With foaling season fast approaching, Dr. Barbara Delvescovo, clinical instructor in large animal medicine at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, shares on overview on what to expect when your mare is expecting, including things to look out for both during birth and after.
In all cases, owners should be in close contact with their veterinarian. “Talk to your vet even before you decide to breed your mare, but especially during pregnancy, because the vet exam can highlight and detect high-risk pregnancies.”
Delivery occurs in three stages: uterine contractions; rupture of the water bag; and, once the foal is born, the passage of the placenta. If there are unusual delays in any of these stages, intervention is necessary. Birthing issues owners should look out for include malposition and a ‘red bag’ – when the membranes surrounding the foal appear red, signifying a premature rupture of the water bag and a loss of connection to the mare’s blood and oxygen supply.