EQUINE EMERGENCY SERIES
THERE are many conditions that can affect a mare while pregnant and around the time of birth (periparturient). Thankfully, the majority will carry their foal to term uneventfully. But what if that is not the case?
To grasp what can go wrong at and around the time of foaling, we must first understand what is “normal”.
Foaling can be broken down into three stages:
● First-stage labour. This is characterised by the development of coordinated uterine contractions. The increased uterine pressure pushes the chorioallantoic sac (the fluid-filled sac in which the foetus sits) against the relaxing cervix so that continual, gradual dilation occurs. Clinical signs of first stage labour vary, but typically may look like signs of mild colic.
This is marked by the rupture of the
