Va Tech – the first 24 hours

On Saturday June 16 at 12:30 in the afternoon, dad and I were met by a team of 5, waiting to take Cori and her newborn into emergency care. One of the 5 took me to the front office to leave my credit card number (ah, modern medicine). The other 4 immediately began taking the baby’s vital signs and getting a history. He was already so much improved since the morning that he was walking very steadily – even bucking a little.

Dr. Tan was assigned to our case. As it turns out, she was also the primary vet for our foal Tsjemme, who came to Tech last year. “Dr. Tan”, I said as I shook her hand, “we gotta stop meeting like this”. She smiled and immediately went to work on the foal.

When Cori came out of the trailer, one of the tech’s said “my goodness, that is a beautiful mare!”. Of course, I swelled with pride. Cori became a little agitated if she could not see her foal, but otherwise she was, as usual, an angel. While Dr. Tan and two assistants did an evaluation on the baby, one tech held Cori, who quietly munched her hay, while the other started milking her. After these two saw what a sweetheart Cori is, they relaxed. The tech milking Cori just got down on her knees and milked, milked, milked. She stopped after getting more than a liter (think of the size of a liter bottle of soda pop), and this was because she simply got tired of milking. That’s my mare!

The baby already has a distinctive personality. He is strong and athletic and smart. Two techs could hardly hold the 12 hour foal, and when they tried to do things he did not like, he cleverly evaded them. I bred him to be a competitor, and I think he is going to be just that.

There were some very good signs that day – the foal was moving very well – an amazing improvement from 12 hours before. All his tests were perfect – IgG (thank you Dr Cassell, the emergency vet. You really saved him), blood gas, fluids, temp, tests for septicemia, pulse, ultrasounds, etc. Physically he is doing extremely well. No problems whatsoever. The vet put in an IV and NG tube (as seen in the picture above). The NG tube is to feed him until he can nurse. The IV tube was initially for fluids, and later for some antibiotics (he does not need it, but the vet wanted to make sure he did not get something from the germs in the hospital).

Dr. Tan feels her job is mostly done. He needs to be monitored, but his health is quite good. It is up to the vet techs now to feed him and help him learn how to suckle from his mom.

Today, Sunday, I visited Cori and baby at 9am. Cori is bored, but being so good. She is a hospital favorite I think. The baby was sleeping. Looking at his chart I saw that his pulse at 8am was much higher than normal. A note was beside the measurement, stating “this is because he is running around”. Ha! My little athlete.

I gowned up and went in to see him. I made him get up so I could monitor his interaction with Cori. He still did not see her as his momma, but at least he was no longer in a panic and avoiding her. He would even touch her with his nose every now and then. She was streaming milk, so I ushered him over and moved him closer to the teat., The streaming milk came into my hand and I rubbed some on his gums. At first he moved away, then smacked his lips as if to say “hmm – that is good!”. I then put a finger in his mouth and he ever so slightly sucked on it. I cheered with joy! If we can get him to suck, we can get him on a bottle. And if we can get him on a bottle, we can lure him to a teat. And once he understands that momma is where food comes from, he’ll be back on track.

Tomorrow is Monday and the hospital will be fully staffed with experienced, long term vet techs. I am hoping the lady who worked with Tsjemme will be there. One day at a time.

I’ll write more tomorrow.