Page 105 - June 2022

EQUINE HEALTH
“If a person is several hours away, the veterinarian may need to supply that client with certain drugs and make sure they know how and when to administer them.” – Dr. Kristina Lu
may need to supply that client with certain drugs and make sure they know how and when to administer them.
“Here in Lexington, we may be only 15 minutes away, so the veterinarians have all kinds of supplies in their trucks. We are prepared for emergencies and any unusual situations,” she says. But in other instances, the owner may need to be more prepared if the veterinarian can’t get to the farm quickly enough in an emergency.
BASIC FOALING KIT
“First you need to include the things necessary to get the mare ready for foaling. These would be a tail wrap and a mild,
gentle soap (such as Ivory) for cleaning her up. Select a bucket to designate for clean items—not a container that may have had something already in it. Some people just line that bucket with a clean trash bag, and then whatever is inside of it will stay clean. You can yank it all out of the bucket when you need it. Include a clean tail wrap and obstetric sleeves. You don’t necessarily need sterile sleeves, just the new clean ones out of the box or package—not something that has been collecting dust on a shelf,” says Lu.
The only concern with J-Lube is that if it gets into the abdominal cavity, it can cause severe peritonitis. This might happen if there is a hole in the uterus,” she explains. Don’t use J-Lube if there is any possibility that the mare might need a C-section delivery.
“Some clients swear by J-Lube, and it is
a really good lubricant, but can be a serious problem if there is even a tiny hole or tear in the uterus. I generally just tell clients to have some kind of basic user-friendly sterile lubricant that you could get at any pharmacy. If the client
has a high skill level with foaling problems and might have to try to resolve a dystocia on their own because their veterinarian is an hour away, we might have a different conversation about lubricants,” she says.
“If the mare has a Caslick’s or might possibly red-bag (placenta coming ahead
of the foal), I like the client to have some lidocaine. If the mare is foaling ahead of expected date and the Caslick’s has not been opened—and the client has to quickly open it before it tears—the lidocaine will make it less painful for the mare,” says Lu.
“In my opinion every foaling kit should have scissors. If the mare
red-bags, you can’t
veterinarian. You must cut the placental tissue open so you can get through it to reach the foal.” If the mare has a placentitis, this tissue may be very tough and nearly impossible to puncture with your fingers. It’s best to have
a pair of scissors in your foaling kit to poke through the placenta so you can reach in and get the foal out.
“The foaling kit should also include soft towels for drying the foal. You can never have too many! I usually make sure people also have something to tie the umbilical cord if it bleeds. Whether or not the cord is tied otherwise depends on the client and veterinarian. I feel that if it’s not bleeding you should leave it alone. In some situations, however, you do need a clamp or something to tie it, to halt bleeding. Talk with your veterinarian and have whatever the veterinarian recommends for doing this,” says Lu.
“You also need some latex gloves. The kind of gloves, however, would depend entirely on the skin allergy of the human. I also like the client to have a bag (like a clean garbage bag) to put the placenta in. If the bag is there in the foaling kit, this helps as a reminder to save the placenta for your veterinarian to examine.”
It’s a good idea to have some lidocaine, especially if the mare foals early and has a Caslick’s that hasn’t been opened or if she might possibly red-bag.
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“I like my clients to have a lubricant to apply to the sleeve. Ideally it should be a sterile lubricant. The type of lube selected may be somewhat regional and skill level dependent. During foaling season, I carry copious amounts of lube in my truck. Some people keep the powdered
J-Lube that you simply mix with warm water.
wait for your
If a mare has a placentitis, it’s best to have a pair of scissors to poke through the placenta to get the foal out since this tissue may be very tough and nearly impossible to puncture with your fingers.
Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse