18.3.2: The equine neonate

Question 1

How soon after birth should the neonatal foal get itself into sternal recumbency?

Answer 1

Ideally immediately but otherwise within 5 mins

Question 2

How soon after birth should the neonatal foal be standing?

Answer 2

Within 1 hr

Question 3

How soon after birth should the neonatal foal show a suck reflex?

Answer 3

30mins-2hrs

Question 4

How soon after birth should the neonatal foal be nursing?

Answer 4

2hrs

Question 5

How soon after birth should the neonatal fatal be urinating and defecating?

Answer 5

Within 4 hrs

Question 6

What is a “red bag” foaling and what, if anything, should you do about it?

Answer 6

• Red bag: premature placental separation; the atlanto-chorion has separated from the inside of the uterus early.
• This is an emergency as the foal is at risk of hypoxia.
• Deliver the foal ASAP.

Question 7

You are presented with an 18h colt foal at your clinic which had an uncomplicated birth and has been otherwise normal. He is now restless, off suck and constantly tail swishing/flagging. He has also been straining. General physical exam parameters are within normal limits except for the abdomen which is moderately distended with gas. No abnormalities are detected on haematology or biochemistry. You decide to take a radiograph of the foal’s abdomen.

What is your diagnosis?

Answer 7

Meconium impaction

Question 8

On clinical examination of the newborn foal, which three findings may resolve in the first few weeks of its life?
a) Retained testicle, absent PLR, continuous heart murmur
b) Sluggish menace response, continuous heart murmur, retained testicle
c) Patent urachus, sluggish menace response, continuous heart murmur
d) Patent urachus, sluggish menance response, retained testicle e) Retained testicle, absent pupillary light reflex, patent urachus

Answer 8

c) Patent urachus, sluggish menace response, continuous heart murmur

Question 9

What HR and RR would you consider normal for a newborn foal?

Answer 9

• HR: 40-80bpm
• RR: 60-80bpm

Question 10

What temperature would you consider for a newborn foal/foal in the first few weeks of life?

Answer 10

<38.9C

Question 11

What would you advise an inexperienced owner to do when observing a foaling?

Answer 11

• Save the placenta so when the vet arrives they can check for completeness
• Check nursing/urination/meconium passage
• Umbilical treatment with 0.5% chlorhexidine or 2% iodine within the first 4hrs, where the umbilicus is completely submerged in a clean container

Question 12

What do you need to check when called out to a newborn foal?

Answer 12

• Umbilicus: any hernia? appropriate dip/treatment?)
• Nursing: latching on, no nasal return of milk
• Palate: not overshot/undershot; no cleft palate
• Eyes: entropion? haemorrhage?
• Chest: heart, lungs, check for rib fractures
• Flexural/angular deformities
• Presence of an anus and passage of meconium

Question 13

If the mare retains part of the placenta, which part is she likely to retain?

Answer 13

The tip of the non-gravid horn

Question 14

When checking the placenta after a foaling, what should you look for?

Answer 14

• Check that it is complete and that none of the placenta has been retained
• Check for signs of placentitis: thickening, discharge. Remember that degradation happens quickly so may see colour changes by the time you arrive.
• Assess weight - normal placenta weighs 6.4kg for average TB mare

Question 15

What samples should you take from a newborn? What drugs/ treatment would you consider giving it?

Answer 15

• Take blood sample for IgG concentration
• Give tetanus antitoxin (3.0mls IM)
• Could consider fleet phosphate enema

Question 16

Which statement is true for horses?
a) there is transfer of cytotoxic T cells, but not antibodies across the placenta
b) there is transfer of antibodies, but not cytotoxic T cells, across the placenta
c) there is transfer of both antibodies and cytotoxic T cells across the placenta
d) there is transfer of neither antibodies nor cytotoxic T cells across the placenta

Answer 16

d) there is transfer of neither antibodies nor cytotoxic T cells across the placenta
This makes colostrum extremely important!