04/05/2025
๐จ ๐
๐จ๐๐ฅ ๐
๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฒ: ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐
๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ โ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ญ ๐
๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ
Foaling season brings excitement, but with it comes the responsibility of knowing when things go wrong. A Red Bag Delivery is one of the most serious emergencies during foaling, and it requires immediate attention!
๐ด ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ?
In a normal birth, the placenta remains attached to the mareโs uterus, supplying oxygen to the foal until it takes its first breath. In a red bag delivery, the placenta prematurely separates, cutting off oxygen before the foal is born. Without fast intervention, the foal can suffer severe oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) or stillbirth.
๐ด ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ :
Instead of the normal greyish-white amnion, a thick, dark red membrane (the chorioallantois) appears first. This means the foal is trapped inside the placenta and needs immediate help.
โณ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ? ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฏ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐, ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ:
1๏ธโฃ Rupture the red bag immediately with your fingers or scissors.
2๏ธโฃ Locate the foalโs front feet and assist in delivery by gently pulling downward.
3๏ธโฃ Stimulate the foal once delivered: rub its chest, check for breathing, and use oxygen or resuscitation techniques if necessary.
4๏ธโฃ Monitor the foal closelyโsome foals appear normal at birth but may develop neurological issues (โdummy foal syndromeโ) within 48 hours due to oxygen deprivation.
๐ด ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ?
Premature placental separation can be caused by placentitis (infection of the placenta), fescue toxicity, stress, or other unknown factors. Placentitis, the most common cause, develops over days or weeks and may be indicated by a vaginal discharge or mild bleeding before foaling. Mares grazing on fescue pastures are also at risk due to toxins in the grass that interfere with normal pregnancy and foaling. In some cases, there is no clear cause, making careful monitoring of late-term mares essential.
Recognizing and responding to a red bag delivery immediately can mean the difference between life and death. It is always better to have an action plan and a good standing relationship with your veterinarian before an emergency arises! If you have any questions about foaling preparation, contact us today!
๐ธ: Colorado State University
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