It actually turned out fine, he is cranky but he will listen to reason and decided that I was o.k. even if not a mule person. He did try to rear and run with me once when the vet approached him with the stethoscope . . . but I just went with him and we did a lap of the paddock and came back, then he stood fine. (I figured having just met him it was no time to resort to the 2x4, with the vet there and all < g >. Seriously, he was badly abused before my friend got him, he isn't really cranky, just fearful that any stranger is going to beat him.)
And he was fine, the vet says he isn't colicked and doesn't have any teeth issues (actually he doesn't have ANY teeth, that's part of the problem). But the vet thinks it's just that sometimes old horses (or mules) get picky about their food. My friend's going to give him carrot puree (which I dubbed "mule smoothies" which made the vet laugh) and some molasses and whatnot on his food to try to perk him up a little, and move him to the round pen where he can get a little fresh grass.
So, I got a call from another vet, friend who is skiing this weekend in Calif and he gave me instructions for penicillen, bute and walking until Reese could get her, walking helped Friday drop the placenta (all in one piece) she'll be on bute and penicillen through Wednesday. Baby's breathing problem at birth and the retained placenta due to red bag - if we hadn't been there to deliver the kid and give him mouth to mouth we'd have lost him.
Anyway, all is well, both are fine.
I hope that everything turns out OK with the mule. Soaked hay cubes are good for old guys with no teeth. It turns it into hay soup, and that way that can at least eat something.