A difficult birth can be life-threatening for both mare and foal if not handled promptly and properly. | Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

“Time is of the essence in dealing with a dystocia,” said Michael Spirito, DVM. “Ten minutes can be the difference between an excellent result and a dead foal.”

Spirito, a practitioner with Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s Davidson Surgery Center, in Lexington, Kentucky, described ways veterinarians can resolve dystocias at the 2016 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Orlando, Florida.

He said there are four ways veterinarians can try to reduce a