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Basics ⬇

Outline

BASICS

Overview!!navigator!!

  • Uncommon
  • Mares may show maternal behavior for a foal that is not her own without preventing care by the foal's biological mother. Such mares may stay closer to the foal than other herd members (except for the mother) and may stand for the foal to suckle
  • Mares that are not pregnant and currently have no foals of their own occasionally produce milk for a foal they have spontaneously adopted, but this phenomenon is rare
  • Some mares may prevent the foal's biological mother from caring for it
  • Endocrine changes that prepare prepartum mares to care for their own foals may prompt them to steal the foals of subordinate mares. Maternal behavior is under neural and hormonal control, with estrogen, progesterone, and oxytocin being most significant; however, the exact neuroendocrine mechanism for mis-mothering is unknown

Signalment!!navigator!!

Mares that are dominant to most other mares in the herd are the most likely to be successful in stealing foals of subordinate mares.

Signs!!navigator!!

  • A mare other than the mother remaining near a foal and standing for the foal to suckle
  • In cases of true foal stealing, a mare remains between the foal and its biological mother and shows aggressive behavior (e.g. biting and kicking, or threatening such) toward the mother and may chase the mother away from the vicinity of the foal

Causes and Risk Factors!!navigator!!

  • Neuroendocrine mechanisms that prepare a prepartum mare to care for her own foal
  • Parturition by a low-ranking mare within 48 h of parturition by a high-ranking mare provides the stimulus of a neonatal foal to the higher ranking mare
  • Very timid, nonaggressive, low-ranking biological mothers are most likely to have their foals stolen
  • Very aggressive nonmothers that are hormonally ready to care for a neonate are most likely to steal foals

Diagnosis ⬆ ⬇

Outline

DIAGNOSIS

Differential Diagnosis!!navigator!!

N/A

CBC/Biochemistry/Urinalysis!!navigator!!

N/A

Other Laboratory Tests!!navigator!!

N/A

Imaging!!navigator!!

N/A

Other Diagnostic Procedures!!navigator!!

In herds that are surveyed only periodically and for which the actual birth was not observed, it may be superficially unclear which of 2 mares fighting over a foal is the biological mother. Examine both mares to determine which has recently given birth and which is still pregnant. DNA analyses can be done later to positively identify the mother.

Treatment ⬆ ⬇

TREATMENT

  • Isolate the foal and its biological mother from the mare attempting to steal the foal. Isolating the mother and foal from herd members not attempting to steal the foal may not be necessary, unless the foal requires medical attention
  • The foal that was stolen and/or the foal of the stealing mare, if the history suggests that, may be unable to get colostrum from its mother
  • If the foal is dry when the problem is discovered, try to find the placenta and determine if there is any moisture left in it. If so, smear it on the foal to trigger licking by the biological mother, as licking placental fluids off the neonate is part of the process of the mare bonding to her foal
  • Fluid therapy if dehydrated

Medications ⬆ ⬇

Outline

MEDICATIONS

Drug(s) of Choice!!navigator!!

N/A

Contraindications/Possible Interactions!!navigator!!

N/A

Follow-up ⬆ ⬇

Outline

FOLLOW-UP

Patient Monitoring!!navigator!!

Once the stealing mare has her own foal, she is unlikely to attempt to steal a foal again; nevertheless, both mares should be observed carefully once returned to the herd to ensure no resumption of conflict.

Prevention/Avoidance!!navigator!!

Daily monitoring of herds of pregnant and nursing mares. Watch for signs suggestive of possible foal stealing.

Possible Complications!!navigator!!

If a foal has been suckling a prepartum mare, it may have consumed her colostrum. Alternatively, its mother may have lost her colostrum during several hours of conflict with the foal-stealing mare, during which time the foal may have been unable to suckle. Be prepared to assess foals for dehydration and exhaustion. Provide stored colostrum, if available.

Miscellaneous ⬆ ⬇

Outline

MISCELLANEOUS

Associated Conditions!!navigator!!

Mares that steal foals may be more likely to engage in excessive aggression toward other herd members, regardless of the presence or absence of foals.

Age-Related Factors!!navigator!!

N/A

Zoonotic Potential!!navigator!!

N/A

Pregnancy/Fertility/Breeding!!navigator!!

Mares in late pregnancy have the greatest risk of this behavior.

Synonyms!!navigator!!

  • Misdirected maternal behavior
  • Mis-mothering

See Also!!navigator!!

Aggression

Suggested Reading ⬆ ⬇

Crowell-Davis SL. Normal behavior and behavior problems. In: Kobluk CN, Ames TR, Geor RJ, eds. The Horse: Diseases and Clinical Management. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 1995:1–21.

Crowell-Davis SL, Houpt KA. Maternal behavior. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1986;2:557–571.

Author(s) ⬆

Author: Sharon L. Crowell-Davis

Consulting Editor: Victoria L. Voith