[babyruth]

My friend Jeff had a mare go down with what we think was some sort of spinal injury. The mare had a 5 day old foal and went down and could not get back up. She couldn't get her back legs up under her to stand, so she was put down.

The foal is nursing from a bottle and I also made one of those nursing coolers and took it over to him, but there is a problem. Because the last nursing that the foal did was from a mare that was down, she will only nurse from a bottle that is held at ground level. Even if she latches on to the nipple at a more natural level, she pushes it down before she will start sucking. So, she is not getting most of what she takes from the bottle because a lot of it is running right back out of her mouth and it also takes about half an hour for her to even take 10 ounces out of the bottle.

For now we have been just thankful that she was taking anything at all - but we really want to return her to a more natural nursing position. The cooler is up for her and at a proper height - but she is not going to it.

Does anyone have any suggestions to get this girl back on the right track?

I also suggested that he get a tube of that foal response to give her a boost - but I would appreciate any other advice to give this girl the best fighting chance possible.

Thanks!

[Arabians4ME]

Have you tried starting her on a bucket? Stick your finger in the milk and move it down to the pan. That is actually much safer for her than a bottle. I was not successful with my orphan foal but tried for a very long time, but have seen it work and do wonders for lots of others.

Good Luck!

[babyruth]

I think he only started her on a bottle and until I took the cooler thing, that was all she had been offered. I will ask him about the bucket when I talk to him tomorrow - he lives about 30 minutes away, but I told him I would come back and help tomorrow if he needed me to.

Afterall, one of his horses is Leila's daddy and I am so thankful for that little one that I will gladly help him in anyway that I can.

[Fire Chik]

I agree that a bucket might be your best bet. I had an orphan last year and I got her started on a bottle, then switched to a bucket and it was a huge difference. She hated the bottle and wouldn't take the milk with out a struggle, with the bucket as soon as I poured it in she gulped it down.

[Xiphias]

I agree, with trying to get her to take her milk out of a bucket....poor little foal, sorry it lost is's momma....

Cathy

[SKB]

My friend's mare just had to be put down and left a 2/3 week old behind. THey had the hardest time trying to get this colt to eat. He also had a blood transfusion a few days after birth)The whole thing has been a mess

I know your situation is different, but they searched around and finally found a mommy that lost her foal, but still had the milk. They put them both together and for the first few days, it was supper hard to get the mare to accept the foal. Now they are great together!! It was a blessing in disguise!

She is kind of like a lender mare and has to go back to where she came from (which is sad cause she is being taken care of better now then before)

I don't know if this is an option for you or if you are past this point... just wanted to let you know about it though!! Good luck with your baby!!!

[Fire Chik]

SKB, where do you live?
That story sounds exactly like my neighbors, I just stopped to talk to them last night and see how the foal was doing. He is doing great and loves his new mommy.

[RuthHound]

Yeah, the bucket would be the easiest. I had an orphaned calf that would not drink from a bottle very well. After I got her drinking out of a bucket, she turned into a pig...lol. Just be careful, because they LOVE to upset the milk on you...lol. (At least calves do.)

[babyruth]

Well she drank from the bottle fine...just not in the most ideal postion.

But sadly, despite all the efforts, she died Sunday night around 11 pm.

[shenanigans]

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of this mare and then the foal.