The live feed is back up. I feel Valeria is doing well enough for that. My vet is coming this afternoon so we’ll have a better idea of the road ahead of us.
Baby is thriving. A little too much. I guess that’s what happens when you are born the size of a linebacker, or as my vet said, a 6 week old foal. Seriously she’s a huge beast. Easily over 115lbs at this point.
Valeria, in her best judgement, decided to eat all the straw in her stall. It was literally a challenge, even though she had tons of grass hanging. This led to colic (IMO, cannot confirm for sure) Sunday night. My vet showed up and did the usual colic triage. Banamine is currently Land Hippo’s best friend.Monday morning I was not convinced that she was over whatever was ailing her. I had the vet out again, we hooked Valeria up to an IV and did a uterine flush (she did not pass her placenta and with our vet’s directions we assisted in removing it Saturday night but something must have lingered). She’s receiving antibiotics to fight the infection. I think we’re lucky to have caught it so soon.
Lastly, Valeria isn’t producing much milk. She’s getting injections of oxytocin for that and later today we’ll bust out the big guns and give her domperiodone. We’re giving the baby some milk supplementation. Originally goat milk but her palette is too refined so now we’re using milk replacer and hopefully teaching her to drink from a bucket.It does look like Valeria is on the upswing. I am hopeful but cautious. At least I’m to a point that my biggest stress is from watching baby chew on Valeria’s mane and tail (omg, I’m so sad about this). Even though I’m force to work because of deadlines, my entire block has stepped up to help feed Valeria every two hours and get some milk replacer into the baby. Small towns are nice and the horse community is even nicer.
Oh and in case any of you see Valeria going after Ben, she is more stressed when he is moved away than when he is nearby. She just doesn’t want the creepy old guy next door talking to her kid. Or something. She’s a weird horse. I’ve got a story about that for another post.
i’m relieved to hear she’s doing better! the foal is freakin adorable – i fully admit to checking in on their feed earlier in the day. they both looked peaceful and content 😉 fingers crossed Valeria continues to feel better and better!
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I’m feeling better about it all too. The foal is too cute for her own good.
I would have posted I had the feed up earlier but work was soooo busy.
Fingers crossed! I need them healthy for my sanity. 🙂
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I creeped on the feed earlier and your mare doesn’t want the cat nearby either it appears. 😉 Saw some people dosing the foal with a milk supplement (I assume) and thought, jeez, that baby has to be huge, two people are wrangling it! Glad things seem to be improving and sending good vibes for more milk from momma.
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Haha. Yeah I was watching all day. When baby doesn’t want to do something two people aren’t going to make a difference. Need to halted break her quick.
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Also, the cat has a death wish. He is so fascinated with the foal so he sits right outside the stall and watches slowly, cutely squirming his way in until we get nervous and shoo him out. Lol
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I’m relieved that she’s doing better. That baby is seriously gorgeous!
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Me too. The vet still has to return tomorrow (and every day until V’s uterus flushes clean. Let’s hope that’s tomorrow or Friday). Baby is a good looking mule but I’m bias. 😉
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Glad she is feeling a little better. Hopefully all will be well soon. My Lito was a huge one too. He was the biggest baby the day he was born than all the others on the property. His dam also hate her dams tail when she was a little one. Thankfully, Lito did not do this!
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This filly is just full of piss and vinegar. It’s funny and annoying. 🙂
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hehe!
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