Postpartum management of mare After Foaling Management of Mare

2. Care And Management Of
Postpartum Mare
Dr. Muhammad Awais

3. Care And Management Of The
Postpartum Mare
 Mares require close observation for
approximately 10 days after birth.
 This will ensure that any
complications arising from the
foaling will be dealt with promptly.

4.  Mares should be allowed to rest quietly for up to one hour after foaling.
 This allows the mare a rest period after birth and prevents premature
breaking of the umbilical cord.
 When she does rise, she should be allowed to bond with her foal with
minimal intervention.
 The mare should also be checked for foaling injuries.
 Providing that there is no evidence of complications, the mare can be
examined by a veterinarian at the 24 hour neonatal check-up.

5. Placenta Expulsion
 Most mares expel the afterbirth within 1 hour after delivery.
 If the afterbirth has not been expelled after 3 hours, get your veterinarian
to treat the mare.
 Retained afterbirths can cause colic, founder (laminitis), or septicemia in
the mare.
 You should never pull on the afterbirth, because this can tear it and leave
small pieces in the mare.
 Never cut off the expelled portion of the afterbirth or tie it up to the
mare’s tail, because its weight helps gradually to pull it away from the
mare’s uterus.
 If the mare is bothered by the afterbirth swinging around her hind legs, tie
the afterbirth in a ball with a piece of twine until she delivers it.

6. Paddock Management
 Mares housed in paddocks can be grouped with either
one or two mares or be left by themselves.
 The number of mares in the paddock should be
minimal to decrease competition among the mares for
food and space and to allow the mare to bond with
her foal.

7. Vaginal Discharge
 A small amount of odorless, blood stained discharge
during the first 24 hours is normal.
 whitish discharge usually indicates a problem that
may require veterinary care.
 The mare should be monitored for any abnormal
discharge for 10 days postpartum.
 These would include a heavy, bloody discharge or a
foul smelling discharge.

8. Milking Management
 Mares should be checked
for adequate milk
production; the udder
should be full and milk
easily expressed from
teats.
 Watch the foal suckling to
ensure that he is finding
the udder and sucking
normally.

9. Mastitis
 Mastitis is an infection in the udder that can cause the
mare to become quite ill.
 If the mare refuses to allow the foal to suck, the udder
should be checked for signs of infection.
 These include a hot and painful udder and milk that
appears abnormal.

10. Exercise
 Exercise during the postpartum period is important as
it encourages the uterus to shrink to normal size, and
stimulates appetite and bowel movements.
 If the mare will leave the foal, she can be exercised
lightly for about 20 minutes, 3-4 hours after foaling.
 Mare and foal can be turned out the day after delivery
in a small paddock for a short time.
 Gradually increase turnout time to a full day by the
end of the first week.

11. Nutrition Management
 For the first 2 days after foaling, the mare should be
fed a laxative diet such as bran mashes to avoid
constipation.
 Good quality hay and unlimited water should also be
offered.
 There are special nutritional requirements for the
lactating mare.
 Care should be taken to ensure that the diet is
supplying adequate nutrition.

12. Deworming
 The mare should be dewormed 2-5 days after foaling
with a product suitable for a lactating mare.
 This will protect both mare and foal from a heavy
worm burden that may occur near 10 days
postpartum.

13. Caslick’s Operation
 Mares with a history of a Caslick’s operation as an essential
part of infertility management should be resutured as soon
as practical.
 If performed within 15 minutes of parturition, local
anesthesia is not required.
 If the mare tears the dorsal commissure of her vulva and it is
not sutured immediately, it is best to keep the area clean
until it is sutured in 3 to 4 days.
 If it is sutured when inflammation is maximal, 24 to 48
hours after parturition, it will likely dehisce.

14. TREATMENT OF MARES WITH
POSTPARTUM COMPLICATIONS
 Postpartum mares that are ill will usually exhibit signs of abdominal pain
or depression.
 Examination of these mares must include a complete physical, transrectal
palpation of the reproductive tract and manual vaginal examination.
 Transabdominal or transrectal ultrasonography can be used to identify a
ruptured bowel or uterus, the presence of free blood or feces in the
abdomen, or peritonitis.

15. Postpartum Hemorrhage
 Hemorrhage from a uterine artery is common in older mares and is a
cause of death in a significant number of aged broodmares.
 Hemorrhage from the artery is not always fatal.
 It may slowly dissect into the broad ligament or between the myometrium
and the serosa of the uterus, forming a hematoma.
 Rx
 The most successful treatment consists of confiningthe mare to a dark,
quiet stall, using mild sedation if necessary.
 Administration of naloxone (8–32mg) or formalin (10ml) in 500ml of
saline intravenously mare, but the efficacy of these treatments is not clear.

16. Rupture of the Uterus
 Mares that rupture the dorsal aspect of the uterus during second stage labor
frequently stop active contractions during the delivery.
 These mares quickly become depressed, are cold to the touch, and sweat.
Some will exhibit signs of colic.
 Abdominocentesis is most helpful in confirming the diagnosis.
 Rx
 Immediate treatment for hemorrhagic shock or dehydration is indicated.
 Antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs should be given to
control sepsis.
 The best treatment for salvaging both the life and breeding potential of the
mare is laparotomy and surgical repair of the uterine rupture.

17. A New Foal Checklist
Several simple post foaling management practices will help ensure the health of your
mare and foal. A checklist follows.
✓ Make sure the foal is breathing.
✓ Put iodine on the foal’s umbilical stump.
✓ Make sure the foal (including orphan foals) receives colostrum soon after birth.
✓ Make sure the foal is protected against tetanus, either through the colostrum or by a
tetanus antitoxin injection.
✓ Make sure the foal passes the meconium and treat constipation or diarrhea promptly.
✓ Check the umbilical stump for several days for the presence of urine.
✓ Check that the foal’s eyelids and lashes are turned outward.