Retained Placenta - IT'S OUT! IT'S OUT!!! :)

[Signature]

Hi all - just a quick question for you guys. We sadly had a mare abort undetected twins on Friday morning, about 255 days along (crazy because we checked her numerous times with u/s and did not think she even double-ovulated.... so we were floored, but anyway). Of course, the more viable one was a beautiful jet black filly with white. She was in foal to Pablo.

The bad part is that she retained the placenta, and some of it STILL has not passed!!!:eek::no: She has been flushed 2-3 times a day and is being treated with oxy protocol as well, but there is still a small portion left. We are doing all we can to make sure she stays with us, and she's now at the vet's new clinic (first patient in the new barn!) under intensive care. Luckily she is still bright, eating well and no signs of founder... yet. She's had 5 previous foals effortlessly with no problems. This was number 6, and she is 19 this year.

What is the longest you've ever had a mare retain? We are just looking for encouraging stories. I mean, it HAS to come out eventually, right??? :mad: Any secrets we should try? Ugh. Hopefully the rest of the foaling season will be better!

[Oakstable]

I had a mare in the hospital for 14 days, if I recall correctly.

She had a dystocia, foal had to be removed, and the placenta stuck around for 10 days. Then she stayed for a few more days until she was released.

The equine hospital staff just kept flushing and would not remove it manually ... said it would leave too much scaring.

The mare got back in foal but lost it somewhere along the line. I need to try again this spring or risk permanent retirement of a valuable broodmare.

[Home Again Farm]

I am so sorry for your loss, Signature. I lost undiagnosed twins in 1999. :cry: Jingling like mad for your mare. She is in good hands. Hoping all is right very soon.

[3Dogs]

jingling as well! I am so sorry!!:no

[Justbay1]

My fingers are crossed for you all. She is a lovely mare and that is so sad what has happened.

I have had 2 situations. One mare retained and foundered even with treatment and the other was fine after having 2 fullsize term twins last year. She was treated aggressively and got in foal for 2009.

Hopefully Abby is a fighter and will be okay. I hope so. My prayers are with you.

[TWF]

Jingles for you...I lost twins (Roemer full sibs of Fairfax my 1989 DAD Champion) to one of my best mares..we had been US and I had a seasoned vet...and still missed the twins..it happens. The mare loved her foals and took it hard.

If you are in breeding long enough...this can happen. Back in the 90's, I lost a maiden Dutch mare to retained placenta. Just couldn't clear the placenta. It was absolutely the hardest thing I had to see a mare go through. She foundered in about 8 weeks. The foal made it and is retired to breeding after a great dressage career.

Hoping your mare pulls through.

[Signature]

Thanks, everyone. I mean, how long can this go on? Reports are about the same tonight. What happens if the cervix closes after foal heat and it's not all out? :confused: It HAS to come out, right? You'd think after the tissue dies it would just let go... fingers crossed that it's recitified soon.

[eyesontheground]

Jingles for you mare, Signature.

And a hug for you and your partner, monami.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Here is a link to a good article. Not sure if this will help. http://www.wwvc.net/ern/archives/ern1-5.htm

Hope your girl is ok soon. Sorry for the loss of your babies.

[Home Again Farm]

Sending more jingles today.

[Signature]

Thanks, everyone. The report is still the same. We're at about 72 hrs out now. The flush this am was less pink/bloody tinged but still kind of gross (not surprising). No further chunks or pieces have come out. Our vet is the obsessive type and is calling around everywhere to try and get other ideas or angles. For now she is just treating with oxy and flushing every 8 to 12 hours, as well as using Banamine, Ace (I did not know it was a vasodialator) and SMZ's, etc. So, we'll just keep on going...

We appreciate all the PM's and links for articles to try and get any further insight as to what to try. Thanks for your help and support - fingers are still crossed.

[pintopiaffe]

Good luck... so sorry about the filly and twin, that's so hard. :cry:

I'm coming to this late, my girl went 3 days with the whole thing in there. Long story but a truck fire (with mare and 48+ foal in the trailer behind!) stopped us from getting to the vet... we got home via two tows, unloaded, put her up... and while I was having a huge breakdown on the phone with my (completely non-horsey) Mum, it plopped out.

I was super agressive with antibiotics and bute... did MSM and Aloe 20 mins before the bute (20gm MSM) and she was fine. Due to circumstances beyond MY control, she actually ended up only getting one flush the day after expelling the placenta.

I know it wasn't as long a time, but certainly due to location, wasn't nearly as agressive care as your girl is getting. I share the story because she came through with flying colours and had two more gorgeous, healthy foals for me (even though she was 'retired' after retaining ;) She came out of retirement. :yes: ) Different circumstance, but still, *hope* for you I hope!

[jennywho]

I had one retain for 5 almost 6 days following a fetotomy. She developed a case of MRSA once we finally got the placenta out, but she recovered 100% with no founder.

Good luck, it's a scary wait, but they can pull through.

[Sunnydays]

Best wishes for a complete recovery - You must be a basket-case with worry. I had no idea (where have I been??) that this could go on so long.
You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

[Fairview Horse Center]

Signature, Kathy and Jos, as well as Dr Nie are both available for consulting. Sometimes they approach things differently.

[Oakstable]

I faxed my records on my dystocia/retained placenta case so they can see what was used and how long it took.

My mare did not founder.

She got pretty nasty about needles, tho.

[Signature]

I heard about that, thank you SO SO much. It is so helpful to hear what has worked and our vet is confident and aggressive yet very open to any advice or theory. She has to be the most wonderful person in the world - Dr. Shanna French at the Oaks Equine and Farm Services in Smithfield, VA. She even drove out to a friend's hay field today and picked a large bag of fresh orchard grass for Abby this afternoon!! Who does that??? She also went shopping and picked up some apples and carrots. I think she is devoted full-time right now to monitoring and caring for her. She has been going in the middle of the night to flush and treat her. It's really incredible.

We were a bit frightened this morning as the report was Abby was not as perky, not wanting to eat, and not looking so good. Her flush was a bit more yellow and smelly, so the vet was worried. However, after the am flush, they ran a big of IV fluids and her antibiotic was changed this morning, and she is much more bright tonight, eating much better and acting a lot more normal. Her flush even looked better tonight and the vet is cautiously optimistic that maybe, just maybe, we are getting somewhere. I'll keep you posted but thanks everyone so much for advice, help and the well-wishes and prayers. We really appreciate it!:yes:

Oh and Abby has a catheter so luckily she is not getting too traumatized by needles since she does not feel them each time. I am thankful for that because I can't blame them when they go through constant poking like that!

[genevieveg17]

Sounds like you have a very dedicated vet. Gotta love that! Glad your mare is improving.

[Home Again Farm]

Sending more jingles today.

[clint]

Many jingles coming to you and your mare from CA.

[Equinoxfox]

Hey there Signature..
so how is Abby ? Do tell . I am jingling like crazy for you here. Best of luck.

[Signature]

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words. We are waiting for an update this morning; the vet said she would call me after her staff meeting this AM which she would attend directly after the morning flush. I am ASSUMING that no news is good news at this point. She is a "communicator" and so I know would call if there was anything really alarming. Or so I hope... we're hoping for that good update soon!! :)

[3Dogs]

jingling away!!!

[Oakstable]

Signature,
Did your vet find any different protocol in what I faxed from Chino Equine Hospital here in SoCal?

[ticofuzzy]

Jingles for you.....

[Signature]

Oakstable, I think she did use some ideas from what you sent and we thank you so, so much for doing that!! :) I can't believe how nice and caring people can be.

Waiting for the morning update but last night the second gallon was running clear on her flush still. She was feeling kind of bad yesterday morning but our vet tubed her with some water and calcium, since she said they can easily get calcium depleted due to the contractions/uterus using so much through the oxytocin treatment (I had no idea!). Last night she was eating much better and she's on a different antibiotic now so still keeping fingers crossed. Vet thinks we're doing well by the uterus but just making sure the rest of her is ok. No heat in the feet or increased pulse so praying that stays calm.

Thanks everyone for your continued jingles!!

[Signature]

Ok, just talked to the vet! :)

This morning she looks the best she's looked. Gum color is returning to a nice color, she's eating, and her flush was the best it's been. She only used two gallons and the second flush is still running clear, while the first was much less cloudy. Also, her bloodwork came back really good from yesterday. So, let's please please hope we are nearing the end here... fingers still crossed!! :winkgrin:

[3Dogs]

yay I say quietly - and JINGLES are LOUD :yes:

[Home Again Farm]

Such good news!!!! :):):):):) Continued jingles!! :yes:

[genevieveg17]

Thank you for the update. So glad to hear she is doing so much better.
I will keep jingling for continued improvement.

[fish]

Sorry to be so late to this thread. Many jingles to Abby.

[monami]

It is just amazing how wonderful our vet is. She has bought our mare and her buddy that we brought with her for company carrots and apples, has handpicked hay, brought a blanket from her own home last night because she thought she may be cold, has had her assistant ride the other mare (our mare SPS Wivienne) so she would get exercise. Calls BOTH Jen and I even though she knows we talk to each other all day because she wants to tell us herself... I could go on and on. She has practically dedicated herself to this horse all day and night. If we ever lose her I think we are going to quit breeding. I just hope that everyone is lucky enough to have their own Dr French

[Signature]

We are ecstatic!! The vet just called and just said "OH . MY . GOD" and I said "good or bad???" She said, "we just got it out, a big ol' hunk, the entire end of the horn, it came out!!!" :D

They did not flush her last night at the suggestion of Rood and Riddle, and this morning what she feels is the rest of it started clogging the tube during the flush! So, we are so excited and hoping she can start to recover now. It seems so far we've averted major illness so perhaps she will come through ok, god bless her. We've had her 8 years and she's never even needed Banamine (knock on wood), so being sick is something foreign to her for sure!

THANK YOU everybody for your prayers and jingles, we feel blessed for that and our insanely wonderful vet, and all the help from people we don't even know. It's been amazing. Fingers still crossed that she starts to recover without incident. Hopefully we can pick her and her buddy up tomorrow evening or Saturday. :D

[Edgewood]

That is super news!! Still jingling for a full recovery:)

[VirginiaBred]

Yay!!!!!

[Sunnydays]

Absolutely wonderful news. Hope she is 100% soon and back home with you. Your vet sounds like a sterling individual.

[Quinn]

Fabulous news!!!

http://community.webshots.com/user/ballyduff

[clint]

That is such wonderful news!!!!!! :)

[3Dogs]

great start to my day!

[nsm]

Jingles for your mare--

Nancy

[onqhanoverians]

Thank you for the great news! I can finally exhale....been holding my breath for 6 days! Vet does not think any damage to uterus and cleared for another breeding? After going through an almost total uterine inertia for 2008 in my old gal (21) I guess worried too much. BUT with a GREAT vet we delivered with foal and mare perfect which was a miracle......just 3 people pulling and one holding mare up. And it sounds like you have a great vet. My old queen-lady is now the farm nanny for the weanlings since she so loves the babies and is done.

[Tasker]

YAY! Wonderful news that it is out! Jingles that your girl continues to improve!

[Fairview Horse Center]

Absolutely wonderful news!

[Home Again Farm]

That is such wonderful news!!!! :):):):):) Jingling that she is right as rain in the next few days. What a superb vet you have! :yes:

[Lesley Feakins]

Oh thank heaven. Great news!

[abbydp]

Whoohoo! I think Shanna and I may have a placenta party!

[MagicRoseFarm]

great news, and best for a continued speedy recovery

[CathyKb]

Just wonderful news!!!! HAPPY DANCE!~HAPPY DANCE!:)

[Sugarbrook]

Its the news I have been waiting to hear and I have checked back often!!! So happy for all involved.

[Signature]

Whoohoo! I think Shanna and I may have a placenta party!

LOL!! Only us crazy horse people would think about having parties over such weird stuff. We'll join you, we couldn't be happier!! We are still in amazement at the lengths Shanna and many others went to help this sweet mare. :cool:

PS We're picking her up tonight, so we are really excited! She can get her remaining flushes at home so it's better for her to be as happy and comfortable as possible now.

[Signature]

Abby came home last night and seemed to be happy to call to her friends and catch up on the latest farm gossip, or "Hays of our Lives" as we call it. :)

Early this morning Dr. French came and flushed her again, and it was PERFECTLY CLEAR!! We are psyched! So let's hope this is the end... thanks so much again to everyone and we will never, ever repay our vet for her incredible dedication to this case. If anyone has a problem with retained placenta this foaling season please PM me!! :)