rb3

Website by
Southern Heart Ranch
Joyce Manuel
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Red Bag Part 3

A bit about Red Bag as told to me by a vet that is easy to understand.

Think about the placenta as if the foal was encased in two socks. There's an
inner white sock that provides a cushion and protects the foal, and the
reddish sock has velcro all around the outer surface of the sock that attaches
to a surface on the lining of the uterus, through which nutrients, oxygen and
waste products are exchanged and then transported through the umbilical cord.
If the velcro prematurely separates, then all nutrient transport is stopped,
and that's why a previa placenta (red bag) is such a problem for foals.
During normal foaling, the white sock and foal push through a perforated area
in the red sock and then as the foal pushes through the pelvis, the white sock
rips and the foal is delivered free of both the socks. As the mare continues
to expel the placenta, the sock like structure turns itself inside out and
is presented in the shape of a mitten, as the pregnant horn is larger and the
nonpregnant horn of the uterus is much smaller. If you see the reddish
velcro life structure presenting before the foal is born, you're working against the clock, as oxygen transport has just been restricted.

The fetus develops within the "white" (i.e., amnionic membrane) sac and
it develops within the "red" (i.e., chorioallantois membrane) sac which
is attached to the uterine wall. Both are complete and closed sacs with
the "white" inside the cavity formed by the "red."

The pictures and information contained within this website are for reference only.

They are only meant to be a guideline to help you. By no means am I a Veterinarian. There are many views on this subject of birthing and Red bag deliveries in horses and this represents mine from my own experience.
I am sharing with you what my horses have been through. You must take full responsibility for your horse and your own actions. You must decide for yourselves what is right for you and your horse. I can share my experiences with you, but you are responsible for your own horse and should call a Veterinarian in case of any emergency. Also it is very important to be with your mare when they foal as anything can happen.
This mare is a maiden mare in the pictures below. I never expected her to have a Red Bag Delivery. So it can happen to maiden mares as well as mares that have had many a foals.

Mare at 341 days. 5 days before foaling

Notice the length of the vulva above.
It is starting to get more relaxed.

In this mare her bag was not too impressive as her bag stayed small, even up till the time she foaled and after. She has a good milk supply, but the bag was not big.

Bag right before delivery
still not impressive

Vulva right after delivery

The Cord had to be cut and tied. Please make sure you use plenty of iodine

I have noticed, on my foals, that the eyes are always red after a red bag delivery. But they clear up after a day or two.

This placenta is still inside out right after birth.
Note how red the inside is compare to the other side. You can see the string where the cord was cut.

I have in this picture turned the placenta right so that you can see what it looks like
Also you can see where the cord was cut.