Animals

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Memorial Avenue, Pomona

Come in & “Meat” us shop @ the store with a door • Chemical Free • Antibiotic Free• Stress Free • Hormone GrowthPromdant Free Environmentally Friendly For all the crazy horse lovers

THE time is nearly here for our mares to foal down. This is a very exciting time and has been long-awaited: 330 days/11 months is the generally cited gestation time, with 320-380 days considered normal.

It is best to bring the mare into a close yard or paddock about four to six weeks before her foaling date. This way you can keep an eye on her to make sure she isn’t in any distress and how her udder is bagging up. See next page for several things that can be done to look after your mare at this stage.

Surrendered cats for adoption

Mouse

BREED Oriental cross SEX Female AGE 2 years old PERSONALITY Best suited to a quiet household with no other animals and definitely no kids. DETAILS Desexed, vaccinated and microchipped COST $199. AVAILABILITY Available for adoption now.

Mr. Whiskers

SEX Male AGE 13 years old PERSONALITY Grey and very calm and peaceful boy. He would suit an older couple. He is very affectionate. DETAILS Desexed, vaccinated and microchipped COST $100. AVAILABILITY Available for adoption now. Can live with Miss Bella or alone.

Miss Bella

SEX Female AGE 12 years old DETAILS Desexed, vaccinated and microchipped COST $100. AVAILABILITY Available for adoption now. Can live with Mr. Whiskers or alone.

Contact Sunshine Coast Vets, Pomona.

Phone (07) 5485 0088.

1. A tetanus shot is a good idea so that both mare and foal will be covered should any injuries occur during or after foaling. 2. If the mare starts to leak from the udder in weeks before she is due to foal, this is a concern as the first milk contains the colostrum that is very important to the foal. The mare only produces one lot of colostrum, so if this leaks away before the foal arrives, you will have to source some from another mare or purchase some frozen colostrum from a breeding or veterinary centre. 3. Have your veterinary’s phone number handy in case you need to call them in an emergency. 95% of the time mares are fine to foal down without any human intervention, but when there is a problem, the timing for the mare and foal can be a matter of life or death. The quicker your vet can be on the scene or to talk you through while they are on their way, the better. 4. Signs that the mare is going to foal any day are that: her belly drops and has almost a point; the rump flattens and softens in the hind muscles; her teats have waxy caps on them meaning the colostrum is there (it’s a clear sticky substance); and the mare may start eating less and generally be irritated and a little uncomfortable for a day or two. These are the beginnings of labour. 5. It is most common for mares to foal down in the early hours of the morning, anytime between 2.00 – 5.00am and this can be very easy to miss if you are wanting to be there for the birth. Keeping her in a quiet, clean, grassed area in her own environment will make her feel more relaxed at this stage. Having a remote camera or foaling alarm is also a great way to keep an eye on the mare without having to disturb her too often. 6. Foaling is generally a quick process, if all is in the right position. 15-30mins and the foal should be out! If your mare is taking longer than this, call your vet, as the foal is most likely not in the correct position. Two front hooves and a muzzle is what you should be able to feel. If the mare becomes stressed and tired, it is detrimental to her and foal! Do not try to pull the foal too quickly or against the mare’s contractions! 7. Once the foal is out, make sure that the sack is broken, and the foal’s head is clear of membranes. Once foaled, the placenta will usually be expelled 30mins to 3hrs after birth. If this does not happen, again call your vet! All the placenta needs to come out cleanly and intact as infection will occur if this does not happen, and will cause laminitis and infection that could kill the mare. If the mare retains even a small piece of the placenta, she will need to be leveraged (flushed out) and given antibiotics! Please call your vet!

To be continued next month...

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Thursday nights are our local’s 250g prime rump steak night, served with fries, coleslaw and green peppercorn sauce. Usually $28 reduced to $24 Available for Lunch from 12pm and Dinner Kids meals available $12