Equine Neonatology and Foal Care Flashcards
Neonatal period
Vulnerable period
- protected environment
- parturition and environmental insults
- critical time in first 4 days
The first 24 hours
Foals can crash, but may be delayed from time of insult
- quick intervention is critical
- well foal check 18-36 hrs of age, sooner if any risk factors
Normal behaviors
- righting reflex: sternal by 5 min
- standing: within 1 hr
- nursing by 2 hrs
Adapting to extra-uterine life
- surfactant: >300 days but some don’t produce until parturition
- fluid in lungs: most forced out by compression thru birth canal
- transient changes in blood parameters: hypoxemia, respiratory acidosis, hypercapnia
Premature is birth before _____
320 days
Dysmaturity
Birth of a full term immature foal
History of mare
- NI positive
- prepartum risk factors: placetitis, premature placental separation, fescue consumption
- dystocia
- has she passed her placenta
- history of poor-doing foals
Placenta
Thorough exam for thickening, purpulent material, rupture at cervical star
- weight should be <11% of foal’s weight
Meconium staining
Fetal stress prior to or during delivery
- meconium aspiration: chemical pneumonitis
With placentitis, the placenta would have ______
Inflammatory changes and purulent exudate
With fescue toxicosis, the placenta would have ______
Normal appearance, but edematous
Signs of prematurity
- small size
- silky coat
- domed forehead
- curled back/soft ears
- weakness
- limb deformities
- foal should be BAR
Normal stance
- hypermetric gait is normal
- sensitive to touch
- wide stance
- exaggerated responses to stimulation is normal
General impression
Weakness and lethargy are first signs of impending trouble
- decreased milk consumption
- look at udder
- foals should nurse 4-8 times an hour
PE - head
- MM: pink, moist, CRT <2 sec
- always check for cleft palate!
PE - eyes
- pupillary light reflex and blink reflex at birth but menace absent for up to 2 weeks
- low corneal sensitivity
- injected/hemorrhaged sclera
- entropion
- congenital cataracts
Physical exam
- heart rate of 60-100 bpm
- murmurs are common in very young foals –> ductus arteriosus has physiologic closure by 24 hrs
- any murmur after 7 days requires further investigation –> VSD’s are the most common congenital heart defect
Thermoregulation
Range of 99-101.5 F
- able to thermoregulate at birth due to no brown adipose
- preemies/compromised neonates are susceptible to hypothermia
- precolostral energy source is endogenous glycogen
Palpate the chest
- rib fractures (common in Thoroughbreds and draft breeds)
- palpate both sides simultaneously
- US
- stall rest for 2 weeks, seclusion for 4-6 weeks
- use care when restraining
Palpate the umbilicus
- dried stump at 24 hrs
- falls off in 1-2 weeks
- hernia
- hemorrhage
- patent urachus
Umbilical care
1: 3 dilution of Nolvasan Solution is preferred, longest duration of activity and does not cause tissue damage and necrosis
- do NOT use tincture of iodine
Limb examination
Legs are 60-70% of adult length
- cant stand, cant nurse
- most will correct in a few days
- oxytetracycline for contractures
- may have fractures or effusions
Frequent urination
145-155mL/kg/day
- failure to urinate may indicate ruptured bladder
- colts urinate sooner than fillies
CBC
N:L ratio
- > 3:1 suggests maturity
- <1:1 poor prognosis
IgG
Gut closure initiated by ingestion
- <400 mg/dl = FPT
- 400-800 mg/dl = partial FPT
- > 800 mg/dl = adequate
Colostrum
Best within 2 hrs
- 1.5-2 L over multiple feedings
- frozen
- caution neonatal isoeythrolysis
Neonatal isoerythrolysis
Mare produces alloantibodies against foal RBCs
- Aa and Qa antigens
- previous exposure
- hrs to days after colostrum ingestion: weak, depressed, anemia, pale, jaundice
Prophylactic antibiotics
Controversial
- typicaly 5 cc of procaine penicillin
- actinobacillosis
- indicated for partial FPT (broad spec)
Blood culture
If any sign of sepsis
- temp
- bands
- maternal issues
- be quick to perform this test
- sterile prep and blood collection
- useful in antibiotic failure
Meconium impaction
- prophylactic enemas
- most common cause of colic
- acetylcysteine retention enema in severe cases
Tube feeding
Indwelling stomach tube
- feed 10-15% of body weight in milk over 24 hrs
- feed every 1-2 hrs, check for reflux, 25% weight after a few days
- orphaned foals
HIE/Dummy foal
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy/neonatal maladjustment syndrome
- due to dystocia or placental insufficiency
- may appear normal at birth
- deteriorate 24-72 hrs –> lose suckle reflex, lethargic, milk face
New foal exam
- foaling history
- examine placenta
- observe from a distance
- check udder
- physical exam
- navel care
- serum IgG
- enema
- penicillin
