# Our little miracle @ 411 days gestation...



## Opie (26 June 2010)

Wanted to share our recent event, the arrival of a filly born at 411 days gestation.
The mare started to run milk at 274 days along with all other signs of impending abortion, it was suspected that she had placentitis as the vet was confident that it was a single pregnancy and not caused by twins. Treatment started with double dose of regumate antibiotics and anti-inflamatorries. The regumate was decreased by 2mls at 310 days and stopped at 320 and she remained on the antibiotics and anti inflamtorries.... we waited.. and waited... we reached 365 days and thought surely soon... 380 days ... 400 days.... and eventually she reached 411 days and went into labor at 145am on Wednesday. She delivered a very small dark buckskin filly with assistance as was determined to get that baby out as quickly as possible.. the vet came immediately and mum was given a shot of oxitocin and she passed the placenta again with assistance as it appeared to be stuck behind the vulva.. upon examination it became clear as to why... a twin, the size of a small dog/rabbit in a somewhat decomposed state, not a pleasant sight  The continued antibiotics had obviously suppressed infection... and the regumate had supressed abortion..

The vet felt little could be done for her, her hind limbs are so contracted but I insisted that we give her a chance as new just how advanced neonatal care has become these days when in the right place, so she was given a shot of oxyitetracyclin and bandages applied, arrangments were then made to have her transferred. 

There was no way that she was going to be able to stand, so stomach tubed her. Two hours later she accepted the bottle and I stayed with her feeding on demand... at 9am we hitched the trailer and transferred her to the Royal D-I-C-K veterinary hospital, she had x-rays taken to establish if her bones had ossified sufficently... on a scale of 4 she was a 3 and the vets felt prognosis was good. She was showing signs of being a dummy, head flailing a little and red mouthed... IgG taken and it was 400 so she was given a plasma transfusion... anyway to cut a long story short... she is making remarkable progress now able to stand on her own and nurse. The vets at the hospital feel that she has passed the "failing" stages and it is likely that she will be coming home shortly... 

she truly is a little miracle...


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## holiday (26 June 2010)

I so hope everything goes well, what a miracle and well done!!!!  I thought we were bad this year at 386 days!!!!!  Good luck and hope she goes from strength to strength xxxxx


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## Waterborn (26 June 2010)

Congratulations, seems you've had a traumatic time...thought we had waited too long when the milk ran for two days!


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## Opie (26 June 2010)

holiday said:



			I so hope everything goes well, what a miracle and well done!!!!  I thought we were bad this year at 386 days!!!!!  Good luck and hope she goes from strength to strength xxxxx
		
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The safe arrival of your little one gave us hope.... hope he/she is thriving now??


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## hobo (26 June 2010)

Well done to your incredible dedication to your mare and foal and good luck to the future will look forward to more pictures later.


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## Ilovefoals (26 June 2010)

What a worrying time for you! I'm so glad to hear the wee one is improving and all credit to you being so dedicated! Good luck and congratulations!


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## toffeesmarty (26 June 2010)

What excellent news! Congratulations to all concerned. Looking forward to updates in the coming weeks.


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## dozzie (26 June 2010)

She is so pretty. Well done for persevering and I hope all continues to go well with her. Definitely worth fighting for.


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## chrissie1 (26 June 2010)

I think it is wonderful that you are giving her every chance, many would have said it wasn't worth the effort, she looks so cute and I really hope that with your dedication she makes it.


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## xena_wales (26 June 2010)

Best wishes for you and for little foalie xx


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## stolensilver (26 June 2010)

Goodness, no wonder you call her a miracle! I hope she continues to do well and that you can have her and her very patient mum back home very soon.


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## Sarah Sum1 (26 June 2010)

What a little angel  Congratulations!


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## wonder (26 June 2010)

Glad she has pulled through I have been following your mare as ours is now on 408 days and not foaled I hope we get ours ok.  Good for you for giving her a chance.


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## FlorenceBassey (26 June 2010)

She is super super cute, sounds like a fighter i really hope she makes a complete recovery. good luck and keep us posted please.


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## gadetra (26 June 2010)

Aww she is adorable. Well she seems to be a little fighter so best of luck to you and her xx


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## eventrider23 (26 June 2010)

Congrats!!!!  Am soooo thrilled for you!!


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## lindsayH (26 June 2010)

411 days, blimey! She is absolutely adorable, I hope she continues to go from strength to strength.


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## cruiseline (26 June 2010)

WOW 411 days bless her, she is just a little poppet, I hope she continues to thrive as she definitely has the will to survive.

Good luck


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## Simsar (26 June 2010)

Amazing congratulations! x


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## Holly831 (26 June 2010)

What a lovely little poppet, and glad she has an owner that will give her a fighting chance - well done you xx


Would love it it you would keep posting pics on her progress 

I hope others reading this realise what problems twinning can cause and think again before knowingly allowing a twin pregnancy to continue.


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## todd1074 (26 June 2010)

I hope she goes from strength to strength.
Would love to see more pictures and hear how she gets on.


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## devilwoman (26 June 2010)

Congratulations and ditto all the above, hope she continues to improve and look forward to more piccies x


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## Springs (26 June 2010)

A realy big well done.


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## tikino (26 June 2010)

congradulation on the arrive and well done for your dedication. she is in the best place as you wont get much better than the dick


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## imafluffybunny (26 June 2010)

Totally amazing, congratulations on your dedication and perseverance. Everything crossed for her and please keep us updated.


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## whirlwindhorses (27 June 2010)

Congratulations and well done. Will look forward to more pics


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## micramadam (27 June 2010)

OMG 411 days - is that a record? 
Anyway congratulations and fantastic that you are giving her a chance when so many other would just have PTS without even trying. Life is precious (any life human or animal) and should be given every chance. 
I hope that she goes from strength to strength and will be a testament to your perserverance. Good luck and let us know how she gets on.


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## jaypeebee (27 June 2010)

She is a gorgeous little filly.  Congratulations.


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## mellissa (27 June 2010)

I just had to post to say congratulations- bless her she is gorgeous! I nearly cried looking at the pictures of her. 

Please do post with updates, fingers crossed and all the very best wishes in the world. She is beautiful xxxx


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## fruity (27 June 2010)

Fingers crossed she keeps getting stronger and stronger,updates please. xxx


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## Crazy Friesian (27 June 2010)

awww. She is gorgeous. Fingers crossed she continues to improve and thrive. Hugs to you.


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## mle22 (28 June 2010)

She is beautiful - I hope she continues to do well - you and her deserve it x


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## SSM (28 June 2010)

Lovely foal  and I hope she continues to go from strength to strength


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## S_N (28 June 2010)

411 days??!!  Surely that should go in the Guiness Book of Records?  Am so pleased that the foal has come out fighting, fingers tightly crossed for steady positive progress!


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## mellissa (28 June 2010)

Hello there, i just wondered if there was an update on the little filly?

Fingers crossed for her x

ps i also think you should call her Koala- she looks like a little koala bear with the chestnut hair coming out of her ears!  The sweetest thing bless her x


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## Opie (28 June 2010)

wonder said:



			Glad she has pulled through I have been following your mare as ours is now on 408 days and not foaled I hope we get ours ok.  Good for you for giving her a chance.
		
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Wonder... hope all goes well for you, any indications as to why she may be so late?

Update is that the little one health wise improves every day, up and suckling on her own and no signs of failing now. The bad news is that her hind limbs are not improving, the tension in her extensor tendons particularly the left hind is rigid and not responding to the oxytetracyclin. The x-rays of her joints and bones are all good. It has been suggested to perform a complete discection of the extensor tendons but as this procedure has not been carried out before there are no guarantees that this will be successful. So we have three options, have her PTS, have the surgery carried out and then possibly still have PTS, bring her home and do what we can with splints and physio and still maybe still have to have her PTS.. I'm going to sleep on it but having had so much onhand experience with Robert Jones bandaging and physio with foals and youngstock I think I am going to go with option three. She is not in any distress and is well in herself but would rather have her home with us before making any decisons regarding her future, so plan at the moment is to collect her tomorow.


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## Opie (28 June 2010)

S_N said:



			411 days??!!  Surely that should go in the Guiness Book of Records?  Am so pleased that the foal has come out fighting, fingers tightly crossed for steady positive progress!
		
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S_N as far as I know the longest recorded gestation period with a live foal  born is 445 days...


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## Flash_28 (29 June 2010)

Good luck with your little Foaly. She is beautiful and I hope her hinds improve x


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## Tempi (29 June 2010)

Congratulations - shes gorgeous   please keep us updated on her progress x


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## kerilli (29 June 2010)

Very best of luck with your beautiful filly, praying that she comes right, please keep us updated. So glad you are giving her every chance.


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## lozziehumphreys (29 June 2010)

Lots of luck for you and your lovely little miracle xx


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## holiday (29 June 2010)

Wishing you all the luck with her little legs, I know you can only do the best and im sure will do whatever the outcome.  Good luck and huge positive thoughts coming your way!!!!  She does deserve to keep on and get through this!!!


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## Opie (29 June 2010)

holiday said:



			Wishing you all the luck with her little legs, I know you can only do the best and im sure will do whatever the outcome.  Good luck and huge positive thoughts coming your way!!!!  She does deserve to keep on and get through this!!!
		
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Thanks Holiday and everyone else too... 

After a good night sleep and a lengthy discussion with her primary carer we decided to bring little fixation home, it was great to see her again and to see hown much she had filled out and totally floored at how agile she is despite her condition...

Having had lots of time to spend with her today, theres defintely suffiecient mobility in those joints, so will work away steadily with support bandages and physio on a daily basis, have consulted with friends and fellow colleagues the length and breadth of the UK and received a great deal of positive feedback with similar cases of severe hyper extension of the fetlocks in neonates... 

In the meantime theres a lot to love... Even if she does weigh less than 25kgs she is determined to escape her stable as soon as the door is open, she's not being propped up but held back.. :* mum is just a superstar, totally dedicated to her little one and so, so careful not to knock her over or stand on her... really glad to have her back in her stable too... 

so here she is a few days older stronger and brighter...


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## emlybob (29 June 2010)

I wish you all the luck in the world.  She seems a little fighter and she is so lucky to have you fighting for her.  What a sweet little filly


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## tmsmorgan1 (30 June 2010)

AAAH well done for your dedication and I hope your foal continues to go from strength to strength


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## CILLA (30 June 2010)

She looks adorable and very interested in your Airdale. Have you named her yet ? All the best and keep us updated.


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## Daffodil (30 June 2010)

I rarely post in Breeding, but she's utterly gorgeous.    Feel quite teary reading all this!!    Lots of good luck to you all for her to go from strength to strength.


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## Holly831 (30 June 2010)

Lovely to see new pics, she just looks adorable

I for one think you have made absolutely the right decision and I have everything crossed that she continues to improve.

Not the same I know but I am amazed at what can be done with foals limbs using non invasive methods. My Louies front leg is miles better with some remedial farriery and gentle physio and it looks like he will be sound and rideable albeit not the eventer I was hoping to breed but a lovely horse non the less.

Good Luck


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## hobo (30 June 2010)

Love the new photo's good luck and keep us posted, i think she asking where the dog got the perm!


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## ColourFan (30 June 2010)

All the best wishes for her continued improvement.
Love the attitude in the photo's!  Once she gets going you will have your hands full!!


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## Serenity087 (30 June 2010)

Oh she is so gorgeous!  You should be so proud!

lots and lots of photos please!!


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## jazmineduke (30 June 2010)

Hi Opie,
Great news about the little one you must be so proud of her determination, glad cappi is being such a great mummy, Lots of work ahead with her but it will all be worth it.


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## Opie (1 July 2010)

CILLA said:



			She looks adorable and very interested in your Airdale. Have you named her yet ? All the best and keep us updated.
		
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hehe Cilla my airdale is a Standard Poodle... just brought her back from the almost dead too as has been diagnosed with adisons and nearly lost her.... she will look like a standard by tonight though as is now well enough to get her off to the parlour for a clip..


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## Opie (1 July 2010)

Holly831 said:



			Lovely to see new pics, she just looks adorable

I for one think you have made absolutely the right decision and I have everything crossed that she continues to improve.

Not the same I know but I am amazed at what can be done with foals limbs using non invasive methods. My Louies front leg is miles better with some remedial farriery and gentle physio and it looks like he will be sound and rideable albeit not the eventer I was hoping to breed but a lovely horse non the less.

Good Luck 

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That's great news Holly! 

we are looking into these as well...

http://www.dynasplint.com/divisions/veterinary/equine/


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## Opie (1 July 2010)

jazmineduke said:



			Hi Opie,
Great news about the little one you must be so proud of her determination, glad cappi is being such a great mummy, Lots of work ahead with her but it will all be worth it.
		
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Thanks Ally x


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## amy_b (19 May 2011)

A little random...but any chance on an update on this little one?! 
(as twins is such a hot topic at the moment!! )


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## millhouse (19 May 2011)

Beautiful foal, and Mum. Well done!


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## Gucci_b (19 May 2011)

congrats on the safe arrival of your foal, am sure all will be well in time. Lovely looking foal


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## Opie (19 May 2011)

amy_b said:



			A little random...but any chance on an update on this little one?! 
(as twins is such a hot topic at the moment!! )
		
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Regretably she didn't make it Amy and had her put to sleep at about three months of age. Loved her for every day that she was with us but alas it wasn't to be.


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## magic104 (19 May 2011)

Fantastic news & fingers crossed she carries on making good progress.  I just cant get over the amount of twins we have read about this year.


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## JosieB (19 May 2011)

How very sad. She looked and sounded adorable and it must have been very hard to let her go after the battle she had put up to live and all the care and love you gave to her to give her a chance.


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## magic104 (19 May 2011)

Opie said:



			Regretably she didn't make it Amy and had her put to sleep at about three months of age. Loved her for every day that she was with us but alas it wasn't to be.
		
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Sorry Opie read this after I had posted, teach me to read through ALL the posts.  How sad as she looked so lovely.


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## Willow1306 (19 May 2011)

Sorry


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## xena_wales (19 May 2011)

That's so sad Opie   You gave her every chance though.


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## fruity (19 May 2011)

ah so pleased she's pulled through,and well done to you for all your dedication and determination x


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## tikino (19 May 2011)

fruity said:



			ah so pleased she's pulled through,and well done to you for all your dedication and determination x
		
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Fruity this post wAS LAST YEAR AND FILLY DIED


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## Maesfen (19 May 2011)

devilwoman said:



			Congratulations and ditto all the above, hope she continues to improve and look forward to more piccies x
		
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Ditto this.

Amazing and so pretty too.  Best of luck with her.


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## Crazy Friesian (20 May 2011)

Such sad news Opie. She was beautiful. xxx


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## Tempi (20 May 2011)

Deleted!


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