06/11/2026
Don't Toss the Placenta! 🐴🍼
After a foal is born, one of the most important health checks isn't the foal—it's the placenta.
Examining the placenta helps identify potential problems that may have affected the foal during pregnancy, such as infection, placental insufficiency, or areas where the placenta may have detached prematurely. Even if both mare and foal appear healthy, the placenta can provide valuable clues about what happened during gestation.
A complete placenta should be passed within a few hours after foaling and should be carefully inspected to ensure it is intact. Missing pieces can increase the mare's risk of serious complications, including infection and retained placenta.
Think of the placenta as the foal's report card from pregnancy—it can tell us a great deal about the health of both mare and foal and help guide any additional care that may be needed.
If your mare has recently foaled, be sure to save the placenta for your veterinarian to examine. That extra step can make a big difference in catching problems early and giving your new foal the best possible start in life.
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