[katylynn06]

Originally Posted by luv2ridesaddleseat

Huh? Why won't she hear from them until Monday?

Blistering Winds, I love your posts!

I will hear something if something is wrong but if he goes to check her tomorrow and she is the same I won't hear. He will be doing the same as he has been doing since Thursday.

[katylynn06]

I didn't even think of the penicilin thing till just now reading the posts. He did load her up with penicillin when we first got there but I didn't see him do it tonight. I will def ask him about it on Monday. I plan on going to see her on Monday.

[katylynn06]

Oh yeah. The vet mentioned her weight loss and said she will have no problem putting it back on once the foal is out of her. Yeah. I'm so looking forward to riding her again. She is such a good horse. I couldn't of asked for a better horse for myself.

[Equine Repro]

I'm going to comment on a few things that have been posted here, more to try and clarify a few things. The information that is being presented is second hand at best and I suspect (hope?) that it's not entirely accurate. With regards to medications that are being given and "why", dosages and frequency will vary significantly depending on what the drug is. Penicillin is being bandied around but, quite honestly, straight penicillin just isn't used that often anymore. We have better antibiotics available to us and quite frankly, work in different ways. Penicillin is not particularly good at penetrating the equine reproductive tract via injection or orally. SMZ's work considerably better and is more often the antibiotic of choice when dealing with a uterine infection or placentitis. So, asking questions here about why or how often a particular drug is being given just isn't going to give anyone answers unless the attending veterinarian steps up and posts <smile>.

Next, oxytocin causes smooth muscle contractions. It can be given to mares that are pregnant and not in labor and, if given in small doses really won't do much of anything unless the mare is close to foaling. Large boluses of it, regardless of the status of the mare are a no no. And, this is something to remember for mares that retain their placentas. Less is more! Small boluses will have a much better result and there have been occasions when veterinarians have recommend giving a large bolus of oxytocin in order to get the mare to pass the placenta. You may very well watch as your mare prolapses her entire uterus which is NEVER a good scene. Make sure that you are dealing with a veterinarian that is familiar with the equine and not recommending what he woudl normally give to a bovine. Ask questions. Repeatedly.

In reading through the threads there were comments about the use of Betadine, it's done periodically as a lavage. However, in reading through the threads, it is repeatedly stated that the mare's cervix isn't dilated which leads me to question whether or not the Betadine flush was merely put in the vagina. So, again...all the questions are directed at individuals who don't actually know what's going on, including me. I scratch my head and wonder, but without actually being there and seeing what's being done, it's not worth speculating.

I don't normally respond to threads of this sort because there are so many questions and so much speculation. If I took everything that was posted on bulletin boards, in my line of business, at face value, I'd really question how many vets actually went to vet school <smile>...but more often than not, it is the poster who has not accurately interpreted what has been done or said and that creates mass hysteria. It's why hearsay isn't allowed in court <grin>. It is also why we so strongly advocate horse owners educating themselves. If you know and understand what is going on, you can also recognize when you're dealing with someone that is incompetent or if a recommendation will actually do more harm than good, or alternatively, is totally useless. Different drugs will have different reactions depending on the species, dosage, etc.

So, with that said, hopefully the OP's new vet is competent and is doing what is necessary to resolve the issues with this pregnancy. I have "my" thoughts on what is being done and why, but without being there and being directly involved, they are as noted above, merely speculation <smile> and quite honestly, I prefer dealing with realities!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
Equine Reproduction

[Dawn]

So basically what the original vet advised (or what was understood that he advised) would have done no good? The betadine was supposed to help 'break down' the foal allowing it to be removed. But it was only going into the vagina so that wouldn't have been possible?

Again, assuming that the vet explained what he was 'prescribing' correctly.

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Thanks Katy! I hope you are getting some rest. I'm so glad you love your horse. I can't wait until this nightmare is over for you and you are happily riding into the sunset......

[katylynn06]

Originally Posted by Equine Repro

So, with that said, hopefully the OP's new vet is competent and is doing what is necessary to resolve the issues with this pregnancy. I have "my" thoughts on what is being done and why, but without being there and being directly involved, they are as noted above, merely speculation <smile> and quite honestly, I prefer dealing with realities!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
Equine Reproduction

I'm curious as to what your thoughts are as I may have the same thoughts or maybe they are thoughts that need to be asked by me. I probably shouldn't have said he gave her penicilin b/c he did say it was antibiotics and it didn't say penicillin I just assumed penicilin not knowing there were other antibiotics to be used. So please do share your thoughts cuz now you have me curious.

[katylynn06]

Originally Posted by Dawn

So basically what the original vet advised (or what was understood that he advised) would have done no good? The betadine was supposed to help 'break down' the foal allowing it to be removed. But it was only going into the vagina so that wouldn't have been possible?

Again, assuming that the vet explained what he was 'prescribing' correctly.

I truly believe it was in the uterus b/c when I did it on Thursday I felt the foal and that is what made me question if I was doing the right thing or not cuz there was no way I was going to be able to continue on my own. The cow vet told me that if I ran my fingers around her cervix I could get it open enough to get the tube in and I believe I did. Thankfully I didn't tear anything and neither did he.

[Equine Repro]

Originally Posted by Dawn

So basically what the original vet advised (or what was understood that he advised) would have done no good? The betadine was supposed to help 'break down' the foal allowing it to be removed. But it was only going into the vagina so that wouldn't have been possible?

Again, assuming that the vet explained what he was 'prescribing' correctly.

Ahhh...now you see the crux of the problem. You're assuming that what was stated here was accurate. Ever played the game "Whispering down the Lane"? It's where I whisper something in your ear and you must whisper it to the next person and that person whispers it to the next person and the next person does the same, and when it gets to the end, that person states what was whispered in their ear. It's is almost NEVER what the first person whispered <smile>. It's not that anyone along the way deliberately attempts to mislead, it's that we often put our own spin on what has been said. That's my point here! I wasn't there so I have NO idea what the original vet's intent was. Was the Betadine solution to break down the fetus? Or was it supposed to help address an infection? Or was it supposed to help the mare pass the fetus? Or was it even introduced into the uterus? Was it supposed to address some sort of vaginitis and therefore just placed in the vagina? Betadine is quite commonly used as a uterine lavage for very deliberate reasons in very specific dilutions. But, it's ALL speculation at this point! I have no answers because I'm not there! Unless I'm dealing with the veterinarian first hand, I absolutely will not comment on what is being done other than to offer the kind of insight I have above. It's doing nothing but speculating!

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
Equine Reproduction

[katylynn06]

I truly respect your postion Equine repro and you comments. And it has been determined that the cow vet had no idea what the heck he was doing.