[ellied]

Rabhan foaled around 6am after I'd been getting up diligently through the night..  Foalie appeared to be suckling but midmorning I realised it was a con, she was licking but not latching on so teats were damp but not clearing.  Bit of a dash to milk off colostrum and syringe it before the 6 hour point, but she's now cracked drinking properly on her own at least, so I look forward to a good night's sleep.

[Bionic]

Oh, she is sooo sweet 

[bloomer]

Its such a shame i have to work at Ellieds tomorrow obviously foal watching is now a priority activity...

[Rosemary]

Bonny foal 

[sabrina]

A wee beauty !

[ladyK]

Awww, what a cutie!!!

[mowhaugh]

Congratulations, she's lovely.

[ellied]

Still a little worried about the wee one.  She is drinking fine and regular now, getting up and down normally etc, not glassy or wobbly or anything I can quite put my finger on.  But she seems a little quiet for a newborn so will get the vet this afternoon I think to test her IGG to be sure of her immunity levels, plus check she hasn't got an infection from the stump or a chill from getting soaked or isn't mildly constipated with the late start on proper sooking or.. paranoia sets in but if I ignore the feeling and something was wrong that's worse than unnecessary vet bill I guess.

[sabrina]

Always best to trust yourself when it comes to your animals. Do hope your foal is OK.

[mowhaugh]

Sorry to hear that, I think you've enough experience to trust your judgement!!!, as you say, an unnecessary vet's bill is better than a really poorly baby later.  Hope she perks up soon, L xxx

modified for poor spelling

[kelly58]

She is gorgeous   

[ellied]

She's a bit better in herself now but the vet took the blood test and I hope to hear tomorrow, otherwise it'll be Monday and I'd rather it was sorted.

I'm having a nightmare day one way and another, so I could do without a plasma transfusion or an unnecessary bill but I'd rather be told I'm a wuss than lose a foal right now or, more likely in a few months without warning when it has no immunity and needs it.

[ellied]

The dam has now developed an infection so that was a second vet callout yesterday, around 8pm just as I was thinking last quick look and get to bed..

IV painkillers and first of 3 daily AB jags, I get the rest to do unless they get adverse IGG result today and come to do the plasma transfusion for her foal, in which case they can do it.

All relatively quiet this morning, pony wise, mare and foal a little subdued, really need to see them out in a field today but that may not happen til Tuesday depending on other things that need to happen first.  Having sold and sent 2 ponies away to a lovely new home yesterday morning I thought fewer ponies would mean less to go wrong, instead of which I seem to have more to deal with, pretty much all of them affected in some way

[ellied]

Better news, foal's IGG is over 8 so I did enough within the 6 hours thankfully and she didn't need a plasma transfusion     Mare has had 2/3 AB shots, I've one more to do tonight and then hopefully all clear.  Both mares and foals are out with the stallion again and all seems back to calm including bringing them all in for feeds and an hour or two hay as that paddock doesn't have enough grass but it's getting the wee one used to coming in and out so not all bad.

Meantime I have managed to bring the other 3 home from over the road onto the lush field and 2 of them are oldies with big guts so I hope they're ok but they had nothing left where they were and I was dragging hay over 3x a day the last few days til I got it sorted so it's a relief and a worry.. but good to have them closer and back on my own property.

No more hens lost, tho I'm counting and double checking.

[Bionic]

Good to hear that things seem to be on the up ellied