Posted 2008-05-16 7:02 AM (#84058) Subject: Sick Foal?
Member
Posts: 10
Location: Porter, Texas
Hello, My mare finally had her foal, and he is a spotted draft!!! Yea!!! Anyhow, what is a normal poop for a foal and what is it supposed to look like? On the second day, I went into the barn, and he was asleep with poop just runing out. He has had diarrea for 5 days. He is on antibiotics and powder meds since day2. I took the mare off alfalfa because the vet said her milk was too rich. Anyone have a suggestion? He is running around and doesn't seem to be stressed. Also, he is a grulla color now, anybody have an idea what color he might be? Sire is a blk/white overo, and mare is black. Thank You, Lorena
Posted 2008-05-16 2:35 PM (#84081 - in reply to #84058) Subject: RE: Sick Foal?
Regular
Posts: 88 Location: beaumont texas
my mare was over a month late having her baby (which was last july.) after reading books on the birthing process, i decided to take her to a near by vet clinic that has a barn just for that purpose. thank goodness, too. baby had problems; had to have 3 or 4 bags of plasma the first couple of weeks.
the baby had major diarrhea, we put her on antibiotics (twice a day for over a month.) gave her the probiotics also. altho the diarrhea became more like a loose cow patty after about a month, she didn't get normal poops UNTIL COOL WEATHER. (and down here, that is in november.) i thought the problem was over but now that the weather is heating up again, her poops are getting loose again. any one ever have that happen?
my vet said that some foals just have diarrhea for a few months and then 'grow out of it' and it is not a problem as long as the baby isn't getting dehydrated. (we also had the mom checked for worms, but she was clear, so that wasn't the problem. and mom wasn't on alfalfa, either.)
i will try the probiotics again, several times a week. and, i hate to admit it, but i still haven't weaned the mom and baby, so it could be mom's milk, altho the baby only nurses after she eats (her twice a day meal of strategy.)
good luck with your baby. i am hoping once my baby is off her mother totally, the problem will clear up, but i have my doubts.
Posted 2008-05-16 4:46 PM (#84094 - in reply to #84058) Subject: RE: Sick Foal?
Member
Posts: 10
Location: Porter, Texas
Thank You for the info. I went to the barn this morning, and Gizmo is doing better. He was so bad that it was like I turned on the water hose. Today he is starting to make cow patties and he has been up running and trying to kick up his rear end. He was also dehydrated, but since I changed his antibiotics yesterday morning, he has made a big improvement. I have given him the probiotics, and when he was born, I gave him the foal response to get him going, mom stayed down for 2 hours getting the afterbirth out. Thanks, Lorena
Sick Foal?
