Foal conditions

Question 1

what is the aetiology of meconium retention - what is each of their prognosis?

Answer 1

Slow gut function - good prognosis with enema treatment
Physical defect - poor prognosis

Question 2

what are the clinical signs of meconium retention?

Answer 2

Colic
Tucked up posture/straining
Abdominal tympany

Question 3

What is persistent diarrhoea, what are the signs?

Answer 3

> 24hr indicates health issue, foal becomes listless, reduced milk intake.

Question 4

what is the aetiology of diarrhoea

Answer 4

Infection, identify bacterial, fungal or viral
Foal heat scouring
Bucket fed foals

Question 5

how is aetiology treated?

Answer 5

Rehydrate, call vet, isolate mare and foal

Question 6

what are the clinical signs of rotavirus?

Answer 6

Watery, profuse, diarrhoea
Anorexia, colic, depression

Question 7

how is rotavirus prevented?

Answer 7

Vaccinate mare 8, 9 and 10 months of gestation
Insure colostrum intake from vaccinated mare

Question 8

how is rotavirus treated?

Answer 8

Rehydration and antibiotics if secondary bacterial infection

Question 9

what is prematurity?

Answer 9

foal born before end of normal gestation (< 320 days)

Question 10

what is dysmaturity?

Answer 10

foal born after normal gestation length but immature for age

Question 11

what is post-maturity?

Answer 11

foal born well beyond normal gestation length

Question 12

List the clinical signs of pemature/dysmature foals

Answer 12

○ 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

Question 13

what is the aetiology of premature/dysmature foals?

Answer 13

Induction of parturition before foal competent
Uterine/placental insufficiency

Question 14

what is the treatment for premature/dysmature foals?

Answer 14

Administer colostrum
Rehydrate
Vaccinate for tetanus if mare not immunised in gestation

Question 15

what are clinical signs of post-mature foals?

Answer 15

Long gestation
Normal sized or large foal, but may be thin or emaciated, long coat, teeth.

Question 16

what is the aetiology of post-mature foals?

Answer 16

Uterine/placental dysfunction
Lack of maternal signal for labour
Fescue toxicity

Question 17

What are the clinical signs of Neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS)

Answer 17

○ 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

Question 18

what is the aetiology of NMS?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

How do healthy foetus/neonate accommodate the O2 deprivation during parturition?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What does O2 deprivation lead to (in NMS)?

Answer 20

Central nervous system damage
Hypoxia to kidneys, GIT, heart, lungs
Multiple organ failure

Question 21

How do you care for the NMS foal?

Answer 21

Assist standing and suckling every 1-2h
Antibiotics
If seizures:
- IV fluids
- IV nutrition
- Sedation
- Nasal oxygen
Madigan foal squeeze technique can be attempted

Question 22

What is Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia?

Answer 22

Destruction of foals red blood cells
Mares antibodies in colostrum attack foals RBCs once ingested through suckling

Question 23

what are the clinical signs of Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia?

Answer 23

• Lethargy
• Collapse
• Jaundice and/or pale mucous membranes

Question 24

How to treat/prevent Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia?

Answer 24

• 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

Question 25

what causes mares to develop antibodies to the foals RBCs? (Neonatal isoerythrolysis/haemolytic anaemia)

Answer 25

○ Placental bleeding
○ Placental bleeding in previous pregnancy
○ Previous blood transfusion