03/28/2024
Madigan Squeeze Technique
Full disclosure, I hadn’t heard of this technique until fellow breeder, Julie Matthys, made a comment about it a year or two ago in a group I admin. I actually had a tab opened in my phone since she mentioned it… yes from way back then! Little did I know, this would be a true lifesaver.
This kid was born big, full term, nose and toes normal delivery but was off. I couldn’t get him to drink and he had zero suck reflex even with extra doses of vitamin E. We resorted to tubing him colostrum but he was weak and couldn’t stand. I then remembered a bit about the Madigan Squeeze, found some links, YouTube videos, and TikToks. At this point we had nothing to lose and decided to try it. I won’t say we are experts or that we even did it perfectly (maybe use thicker rope??) but the result is a kid who started to get a suck reflex almost right away, to drinking well from a bottle, is now on the lambar, and stands and walks around. 🤯
Moral of the story: Always, always be open to learning new things and listen to trusted breeders. Big thanks to Julie for sharing her wisdom and knowledge… this has been fascinating to learn and we’re grateful for a positive outcome.
More info:
https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/neonatal-maladjustment-syndrome-foals
