Foal conditions Flashcards
what is the aetiology of meconium retention - what is each of their prognosis?
Slow gut function - good prognosis with enema treatment
Physical defect - poor prognosis
what are the clinical signs of meconium retention?
Colic
Tucked up posture/straining
Abdominal tympany
What is persistent diarrhoea, what are the signs?
> 24hr indicates health issue, foal becomes listless, reduced milk intake.
what is the aetiology of diarrhoea
Infection, identify bacterial, fungal or viral
Foal heat scouring
Bucket fed foals
how is aetiology treated?
Rehydrate, call vet, isolate mare and foal
what are the clinical signs of rotavirus?
Watery, profuse, diarrhoea
Anorexia, colic, depression
how is rotavirus prevented?
Vaccinate mare 8, 9 and 10 months of gestation
Insure colostrum intake from vaccinated mare
how is rotavirus treated?
Rehydration and antibiotics if secondary bacterial infection
what is prematurity?
foal born before end of normal gestation (< 320 days)
what is dysmaturity?
foal born after normal gestation length but immature for age
what is post-maturity?
foal born well beyond normal gestation length
List the clinical signs of pemature/dysmature foals
○ Underweight for breed/type and age
○ Bulging prominent forehead and eyes
○ Silky coat, nose and ears soft and pliant
○ Ataxia
○ Dehydration
○ Slow or abnormal respiratory pattern
○ Weak, tendon laxity, angular limb or flexural deformities
○ Poor maternal recognition and environmental awareness
Post prandial colic
what is the aetiology of premature/dysmature foals?
Induction of parturition before foal competent
Uterine/placental insufficiency
what is the treatment for premature/dysmature foals?
Administer colostrum
Rehydrate
Vaccinate for tetanus if mare not immunised in gestation
what are clinical signs of post-mature foals?
Long gestation
Normal sized or large foal, but may be thin or emaciated, long coat, teeth.
what is the aetiology of post-mature foals?
Uterine/placental dysfunction
Lack of maternal signal for labour
Fescue toxicity
What are the clinical signs of Neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS)
○ Slow suckle response
○ Hyperexcitability
○ Aimless wandering
○ Depression
○ Recumbency
○ Loss of muscle tone
○ Seizures
○ Inability to stand
○ Vocalising
May appear normal at birth but progressively decline
what is the aetiology of NMS?
Prolonged O2 deprivation
- Late gestation: placental insufficiency
- Dystocia (premature placental separation, placental inflammation, C-section delivery, prolonged parturition or rapid parturition)
- Post partum respiratory distress
How do healthy foetus/neonate accommodate the O2 deprivation during parturition?
Preferential perfusion of vital organs
Foetal organs increased ability to extract O2
Great affinity of foetal Hg to O2
Increase RBCs in foetal and neonatal blood
What does O2 deprivation lead to (in NMS)?
Central nervous system damage
Hypoxia to kidneys, GIT, heart, lungs
Multiple organ failure
How do you care for the NMS foal?
Assist standing and suckling every 1-2h
Antibiotics
If seizures:
- IV fluids
- IV nutrition
- Sedation
- Nasal oxygen
Madigan foal squeeze technique can be attempted
What is Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia?
Destruction of foals red blood cells
Mares antibodies in colostrum attack foals RBCs once ingested through suckling
what are the clinical signs of Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia?
- Lethargy
- Collapse
- Jaundice and/or pale mucous membranes
How to treat/prevent Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia?
- Hospitalisation
- Blood transfusion
- If in doubt, blood test mare for typing in late gestation
- Blood sample foal and mix with colostrum-check for agglutination
- For incompatible blood types, prevent suckling for 36h, feed foal with donor colostrum
what causes mares to develop antibodies to the foals RBCs? (Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia)
○ Placental bleeding
○ Placental bleeding in previous pregnancy
○ Previous blood transfusion
