Assessment Of The Newborn Foal p229-242

Question 1

Match the following landmarks of the foal with the correct timings.

Righting into sternal recumbency
BAR and responsive to visual, auditory and tactile stimuli
Standing without assistance
Nursing

A) 2 hours
B) 60 minutes
C) 2-3 minutes
D) 5 minutes

Answer 1

A) 2 hours - nursing
B) 60 minutes - standing without assistance
C) 2-3 minutes - appropriate muscle tone and into sternal
D) 5 minutes - BAR and responsive

Question 2

The adult horse spends 5-10% of its life laying down, while the foal spends A) ____ of its time in the first two months. The sleep period lasts B) ____ minutes at a time.

Answer 2

A) 1/3

B) 7 minutes

Question 3

What is the Apgar Score for foals?

Answer 3

Appearance - oral mucus membrane color
Pulse - cutoff of 60
Grimace - response to stimulation of the nasal mucosa, inside of pinne and over the thoracolumbar area adjacent to the spine
Activity - degree of muscle tone
Respiration - ventilation rate with a cutoff of 30

Scores from 0-2, with total of 10 being optimal. Normal foals have a score of 9-10

Question 4

Define the following terms: premature, dysmature and post-term

Answer 4

Premature - foals with a shortened gestational period and signs of physical immaturity
Dysmature - normal gestational period with clinical signs of prematurity
Post-term - foals born after d 356

Question 5

Engorgement and proliferation of sclera vessels in foals is termed what and is a prominent feature of what?

Answer 5

Episcleral injection is a prominent feature of systemic sepsis.

Question 6

What are some reasons for icteric mucous membranes in foals?

Answer 6

Neonatal isoerythrolysis, equine herpes 1, liver disease, internal hemorrhage, meconium impaction

Question 7

When do the central incisors, middle incisors, and corner incisors erupt in the foal?

A) 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months
B) 1 week, 3 weeks, 8 weeks,
C) 10 days, 2 weeks, 2 months
D) Present at birth, 1 week, 2 months

Answer 7

A) 5-7 days postnatal life, 4-6 weeks of age, 6-9 mths

Question 8

If the tongue of a neonatal foal has small white plaques with diffuse, thick, tan discoloration of the tongue, what in utero disease is suspected?

A) EHV-1
B) Candidiasis
C) Actinobacillus
D) EHV-3

Answer 8

B) Candidiasis can cause thrush in the foal, as seen by white plaques on the tongue

Question 9

Goiter is caused by what in neonatal foals?

Answer 9

Excess iodine supplementation in mares during pregnancy

Question 10

American mini horses, Morgans, shetlands and Suffolk equids have this disease reported in foals, seen when the foal collapses and remains laterally recumbent in a sleep state and recovers uneventfully.

Answer 10

Narcolepsy/cataplexy

Question 11

How long after the foal is born should IgG be measured, and what measurement ensures transfer of passive immunity?

Answer 11

12-18 hours after birth, IgG of 800 g/dL is considered transfer of passive immunity

Question 12

How is good quality colostrum measured in mares?

Answer 12

Using the Brix refractometer; strong linear correlation with IgG concentration and colostral specific gravity

Greater than 30% Brix indicates greater than 80 g/dL, which is very good quality

Question 13

Within the first 6 hours of a foal’s life, how much colostrum should be consumed?

Answer 13

Minimum dose of 60-90 g of IgG, represented by 1-1.5 L of good quality colostrum

Question 14

Relative to adult horses, foals have increased or decreased total bilirubin?

How does GGT change in the foal after birth?

How does AST change in the foal after birth?

Answer 14

Foals have increased total bilirubin, attributed to unconjugated component.

GGT is normal at birth, increases around day 5-14 and then decreases to adult levels around 4 weeks of age.

AST increases after d7 of age, due to enhanced muscle activity