Foal Neonate Care

Question 1

Neonatal foal is described as the…

Answer 1

First five days of life

Question 2

Routine care of neonate (8)

Answer 2

1. Oxygenation/ventilation
2. Temp regulation
3. Umbilical care
4. Nutrition
5. Bonding of mare & foal
6. Passage of meconium
7. Adequate passive transfer
8. Physical exam

Question 3

Oxygenation and ventilation of neonate (4)

Answer 3

First priority after parturition is to establish airway
1. Clean placenta from nostrils
2. Bulb syringe to aspirate nostrils
3. Vigorous stimulation by rubbing body
4. No breathing within 1min begin resuscitating (20-30bpm)

Question 4

Temperature regulation (5)

Answer 4

Foals are very sensitive to hypothermia!
1. Goal: rectal temp 100-101.5 F
2. Dry foal with towel
3. Utilize heat lamps
4. Deep, clean bedding
5. Hot water bottles

Question 5

What should a normal foal do? (4)

Answer 5

Activity level:
1. Should breathe & sit sternal immediately
2. Stand within 1 hour
3. Nurse within 2hrs
4. Should pass meconium within 3hrs

Question 6

Umbilical care (3)

Answer 6

1. Placenta should separate within a few minutes
2. Umbilicus should stop bleeding quickly after mare stands up & snaps cord (avoid cutting)
3. Umbilical dips
   - novalsan/chorhex diluted 1:4 best

Question 7

T/F: Umbilical stump is the most common source of septic infection

Answer 7

True!

Question 8

How often should the stump of the umbilical site be dipped?
How often should it be evaluated?
What is it being evaluated for?

Answer 8

1. Dipped with antiseptic 2-3x/day for first 7-10 days of life
2. Check stump 2x/day
3. Check for omphalophlebitis & abscess formation
   - Moisture, redness, swelling, pain, & exudate indicate infection
   - Persistent patent urachus & umbilical hernia

Question 9

Importance of early nursing

Answer 9

Foals have poor energy stores (few hours at best) so it’s critical that foals nurse shortly after birth.
They will have a strong suckle reflex within the first 20min after birth.
Not nursing enough can result in hypoglycemia

Question 10

Blood glucose ranges in a foal
Supplementation:
Emergency:
Death:

Answer 10

Supplementation: <90mg/dl
Emergency: <60mg/dl
Death: <40mg/dl

Question 11

T/F: Colostrum doesn’t have more calories than regular mares’ milk

Answer 11

False! It has 2-4x the number of calories than of regular mares’ milk

Question 12

Nutrition
Stance for nursing
What to look for when observing

Answer 12

1. Foal should stand to nurse
2. Observations:
   - Mare is allowing nursing
   - Foal is successfully swallowing milk

Question 13

Mare-Foal bonding

Answer 13

Interfere with mare & foal as little as possible!
1. Mare may reject foal if envir too stressful or noisy
2. Mares become protective & possibly aggressive
3. If foal must be handled, 2 ppl should be present & foal should be kept in sight of the mare

Question 14

Normal foal behavior (3)

Answer 14

1. Should nurse 5-8x/hr for 1-2min
2. Should be easily aroused
3. Almost always will nurse & urinate shortly after rising

Question 14

Normal foal urination

Answer 14

Urinate within 6-12hrs
- Clear or light yellow
- Urinate frequently

Question 14

Foals are commonly given enemas if having difficulty passing ___.
Should be pass within ___hrs of birth

Answer 14

1. Meconium
2. 24hrs

Question 15

With passive transfer, a foal is completely dependent on colostrum for acquiring ___ and protecting foal for the first __ to __ weeks.
Blood samples should be collected from the foal in the 1st 18-24hrs of life to test for ___ levels.

Answer 15

1. Antibodies
2. 1-8 weeks
3. IgG levels

Question 16

How much colostrum can be collected from donor mares?
Up to how old can foals be fed donor colostrum?

Answer 16

1. 250ml can be collected and frozen
2. Fed up to 18hrs

Question 17

Foal immune statues foal IgG snap test, we want to see what results?

Answer 17

All three dots present on the snap results

Question 18

Physical exam of foal (4)
Eval for “at risk” foal

Answer 18

1. TPR: temp of 100 F is goal
2. Auscultation
   - “Machinery murmur” is norm in foal first 4 days of life
   - Foal lungs will sound wet
3. Eval palate & umbilicus
4. Musculoskeletal deformities

Question 19

Is this normal in a foal?

Answer 19

Yes!
- “Foal slippers”
- Eponychium is the name
The soft capsule that protects the mother uterus & birth canal from the sharp edges of the foal’s hooves during pregnancy & birth

Question 20

Foals “at risk” are…

Answer 20

1. Premature foals
2. Asphyxia syndrome
3. Septic foals
4. Mare health & history

Question 21

Clinical signs of a premature foal (6)

Answer 21

1. Tendon laxity
2. Fine, silky hair coat
3. Domed forehead
4. Floppy ears
5. Small body size
6. May be weak, unable to stand