The Complete Book of Foaling, Karen Hayes

288 pgs, Hardcover, 1993

Recommended for: For foaling attendant, veterans and neophites

Editor's Description: Author and veterinarian Karen E.N. Hayes takes the reader on an "odyssey of the normal foaling, from the earliest pre-labor changes to the moment when the foaling process is complete." Her advice is concrete and specific. If you think of the foaling attendant as a midwife and this book as a reference book for midwives, you will begin to appreciate the wealth of medical, nutritional and practical information that Dr. Hayes has interwoven into these pages. She takes us through the whole process step by step, from three weeks before foaling, through the new baby's first twelve hours. She even has a section on how to predict when the foaling will occur, so the designated attendant will be sure to be there when it happens. This book is intended for those committed to the responsibility and level of care which breeding demands. It's well written and clearly organized. The important information jumps out at you, so you can flip to a section at a moment's notice, if your mare is in trouble. It's the kind of book one would underline and write notes in the margin. So-called "Special Notes" from Dr. Hayes already appear in the margin where appropriate. She's also included a sample temperature chart, nutritional charts, plans of action in case of emergency and a closing section for quick reference. Karen Hayes, DVM, MS, has specialized in equine reproduction since she was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and returned to private practice in 1985. She contributes to equine magazines and is a frequent lecturer at clinics and seminars in the United States. (T.B.) HIGHLIGHTS - Being there: the arithmetic, shape changes, the milk, vulvar changes, rectal temperature - The birth canal - Preparation: choosing a vet, prefoaling vaccines, nutrition, the foaling stall, supplies - The four phases of labor - Baby's first 12 hours: colostrum, milk production, the aggressive mare, identifying the at-risk foal - Quick reference guide - Inducing labor