Breeders: Anyone use Foal Response?

Veterinary, horse care, and training issues.

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magic code
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Breeders: Anyone use Foal Response?

Postby magic code » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:26 pm

Looking for feedback and thoughts on this product.
This site has the best description (but not the best price. )

http://www.kyhorse.com/store/supplement ... sponse.htm

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Postby freshman » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:54 pm

These products should be taken off the market.

No matter what they claim to do, none of them work. Even worse, many well-intentioned people use them, beleiving their claims to replace colostrum, and do not contact vets until their foals are visibly sick. Many times these foals are too sick to save at any price.

The only replacement for real mare colostrum is equine plasma. If you have any doubts about your foal's status, call the vet and have them perform an IgG test to determine whether it has received and absorbed enough antibodies. Many folks do this routinely whether they have reason to suspect failure of passive transfer or not.

Plasma transfusions are expensive but much cheaper than the intensive care needed to treat a septic foal or wose, treating it and losing it anyway. Most vets will come out to check the IgG and do a well foal exam within 12-24 hours without an emergency fee no matter when the foal is born.

If the foal does need a plasma transfusion, it is much cheaper to do so before it becomes physically evident that it is sick. In most cases it is possible to stabilize the foal with a plasma transfusion, antibiotics, etc for $400-500. A bargain compared to spending $2-4K on treating a septic baby.

Don't waste your money or, worse, be lulled into thinking that this product or other similar ones work. At all. Period.

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Postby magic code » Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:55 am

Oh, if my foal needed vet care, he'd get it. Someone on another forum recommended this product they use routinely on every foal they have. Just wondering if it's really worth the slight extra cost.

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Breeders: Anyone use Foal Response?

Postby LKR » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:30 am

The only thing we use that I feel is a must is E.Colicin. E. It is a paste that you administer at birth. It is Escherichia Coli Antibody. We feel this is very beneficial. As freshman stated, plasma transfusions are the only way to go if there is a colostrum issue.