Tiergan's Birth
Foaled April 14, 2005, about 2AM
Luckily, I was monitoring through the night and went to the barn as soon as she went into labor. That's where the luck ended.
One foot presented, then a nose. She was working VERY hard, I knew something was quite wrong. Got her to her feet, I pushed the foal back and looked for the other foot. I couldn't find it.
She went down again, this time pushing harder, the same foot and nose again. AND a second sack. Oh Lord, she has two in the birth canal.
Called the vet, he jumped in the truck, still an hour away.
Kept looking for the second foot, praying I was wrong about the second sack. I wasn't. She pushed again, and we had one foot, two noses. Tried getting her up, impossible, couldn't push anything back. I knew both were dead or soon to be (the first one nostrils did move so I did clear the sack out of habit), so my only concern was for Djinn. Next contraction, both Denny and I put traction on the on the one foot (since I knew the shoulder was already clear on one side) and delivered the foal. I then could find the feet on the other foal and delivered it.
But then I noticed the first foal was breathing. It then raised up it's head and nickered. It can't be! It can't be alive after that birth. So, we started rubbing it with towels and sure enough, it was fighting. I milked Djinn and stuck a bottle in his mouth. He sucked! By then the vet arrived, we met him at the barn door and told him we had gotten the foals out, one stillborn, one still alive. "Do you want me to put it down?" "Not as long as it's fighting that hard!"
Of course, he explained that the foal had no chance. 305 days is too early, even for a single, let alone a twin. Then he walked into the stall and saw him. Up on his sternum, bright eyed, ears perked, nickering. "Well, I never..." So, he put a feeding tube in because we don't know how strong his suck reflex is. So, we're giving him a shot. Milking Djinn, feeding him every hour.
At 7:30, I went to feed him. He nickers as soon as he hears the stall door open. I feed him through the tube, then give him the bottle to teach him how to suckle. When I get up to leave, he gets to his feet! He can't stand, his legs are too weak and he has contracted tendons in the leg that was back. But he got up. Twice.
So, he's fighting. I know he doesn't have much of a chance, but I feel like we owe it to him to help him as long as he has that much will.
Mom watching over.
Blood work came back today - everything is fine. IgG was 2850!
Managed to pull out his feeding tube, insists on getting up, has started looking for the "milk bar"
Radiographs taken 5/4. He's developed enough bone in his knees to have several hours per day without splints.
May 13 - Couldn't resist taking nursing photos! We're so thrilled that he's on the teat! We're still offering the bottle before we go to bed, he usually refuses, but some nights is hungry. Djinn's milk supply seems fine, but he's a vigorous eater.
May 13 - We're slowly increasing the length of time he spends without the PVC part of the splints. He has a difficult time getting around, but he's starting to build strength. He's usually quite happy when we duct tape the PVC back on.
May 18 - Another round of radiographs. This one of his front shows bone! It's amazing how much change there has been in a few weeks. He is out of splints entirely on his fronts. He was quite excited to be without splints. The first thing he did was take of the itches on his legs that had been bothering him. After about 15 minutes of scratching, he decided to try out his legs.
May 18 - This shows his hock, which also has enough bone for him to be weaned off the splints. We'll wait a couple of days for him to adjust to being splintless on the front, and begin weaning off the back.
May 20 - Two days of being without splints on the front. Photos shows that he still has problems with his knees, but he's gaining strength and getting straighter. The PVC portion of the hind splints have been removed, we're leaving the padding on for another day or two while he adjusts to using his hock joint.
May 20. He's actually playing tonight, bouncing a little bit and trying to be a real foal. It's hard to look at his crooked little legs and be optimistic. While he's much better than when he was born, it seems like he still has so far to go. It's hard to imagine that his legs will be able to grow normally. But then I am reminded that we never dreamed he would be able to live, and here he is. So, perhaps there is hope for his legs.
May 21 - Splints off all four legs! His back legs are adjusting quickly and he's quite excited to jump and buck.
May 21 - His legs are still quit weak, but the exercise is helping. He's playful this evening.
June 1: His legs get straighter each day. His eyesight suddenly improved during the last two days. It was almost like he took off a blindfold - things that he was apparently unable to see...he now wants to investigate. He's playing a lot more now. He's still kept in the stall (which is 14 x 28), but he is now going out for short walks on the lead rope. He's interested in sights around the farm...especially Norton who Wonka (evolved from Willy to Willy Wonka to Wonka) thinks is fascinating. The big guy likes Wonka, too.
He's growing very rapidly now - almost like he's trying to make up for being early and a twin.
June 7: Being a bit of a brat to his Momma - photo caught him in the act of a kick. Little devil!
Sticking out the tongue - he is having one of those nights!
July 30: Wonka still has that wonderful "heads up" view of the world - he always seems so enthusiastic about everything.
July 30: The little miracle that just didn't know he couldn't be.
(RID)
(Jockey Club TB, APHA)
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