Foals and Weanlings Flashcards
How to ID Foals at risk? -> Pre foaling?
→ History of abnormal foaling
→ Mare’s illness
→ Maiden mare
→ Twin pregnancy
→ Premature lactation
Id Foals at risk at foaling?
- Unattended foaling
- Abnormal foaling
- Abnormal placenta
ID foals at risk post foaling?
- ‘Not quite right ‘ foals
- Delayed/ inadequate colostrum intake
Basic newborn foal care?
- Assist nursing if struggling
- Keep it warm (Do not burn!)
- Umbilical stump treatment
- Soapy water enema
How to do an Enema if rq?
- Use a soft enema tube with caution to avoid
rectal perforation. - Administer ~300 (max 500) mL of warm, soapy
water (using a mild soap) slowly, gently, and
intermittently. - Important: Stop immediately if you encounter
any resistance - do not force the enema.
Blood sampling why?
- Assessment of serum IgG C°
- Routine haematology - eqrly signs of sepsis /bacteraemia
Tetanus prophylaxis?
- May be an expectation in some stud yards.
- 1.500 IU of tetanus antitoxin IM purported toprovide 4-6 weeks protection.
- Strictly not necessary where mare vaccinated
and adequate colostrum intake evident.
Point of care Tests?
- IgG
- Amyloid A
- Glucose
- Lactate
When should Antibiotics be considered?
- Prematurity/dysmaturity
- Assisted foalings/other interventions
- Poor environment/management
- Based on lab findings
Describe ‘Gut closure’ after birth?
- Macromolecule absorption int he gut by pinocytosis
- Rapid turnover of enterocytes
- Absorption of IgG declines dramatically 1é hrs after birth, none by 18hrs
Risk Factors for FPT?
- Maternal factors: premature lactation, poor vaccination status, poor general health
- Foal factors: weak foals in general
- Ongoing disease: in-utero sepsis
Tx options for FTP ?
- Parenteral admin of colostrum
- IV plasma transfusion
Detail parenteral admin?
→ If colostrum bank is available
→ Administer before ‘gut closure’ (12h!)
→ Administer via NGT
→ Monitor with SNAP IgG after 12h – 24h
Describe IV plasma transfusion?
→Slow drip to start
→Monitor for adverse reactions (HR, RR, mentation)
→ER drug: epinephrine, IV fluids
→~ £200 oer 1L bag
How to counteract insufficient/Ineffective suckling?
→Assisted nursing
→Intermittent ‘top-ups’ with NGT
→Indwelling NG tube for continual
supplementation
How to address dehydration?
- Enteric feeding if stable
- Supportive IVFT as requires esp. if evidence of
hypovolemia
→ 1L crystalloids over 10 – 15 min for a 50kg
foal
Neoneatal & hypovol?
Don’t tolerate well - not many signs
Assume if hasn’t nursed in 4-6 hrs +
What is the most common cause of JAundice in neonates?
Neonatal Isoerythrolysis
What causes NI?
- RBC surface antigen from stallion reacts to
antibodies of mare’s colostrum
When do CLS appear fo NI?
- Clinical signs appear 5 hours-5 days after
birth
→ Jaundice, lethargy, depression
→ Tachycardia, tachypnoea, pyrexia
Dx of NI?
→ History, PE
→ Low PCV
→ Agglutination or cross match test
Tx of NI?
→ Prevent nursing from mare temporarily –
alternative colostrum/milk
→ Blood transfusion
→ Supportive care
What issues of the urachus?
- Patent urachus
- Omphalophlebitis
What is Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome (NMS) ?
AKA Dummy foal, Hypoxic Ischaemic encephalopathy etc
Specific type of Encephalopathy typically associated with adverse peripartum events resulting in episodes of cerebral hypoxia & ischaemia
CS/ of NMS?
→ Difficulty getting up
→ Poor suckle reflex
→ Walking in circles
→ Dull mentation
→ +/- organ specific signs
→ +/- secondary infection
Tx for NMS?
Treatment – Referral
→ Supportive
→ Sedation if seizing
→ NG tube o Foal squeeze?
Neonatal sepsis infection routes?
in utero, oral , respiratory, umbilical?
CLS of Neonatal Sepsis?
→ Abnormal TPR,
dehydration
→ Recumbent / comatose
→ Organ specific –
diarrhoea, pneumonia,
neuro signs, septic
joints etc
dx of Neonatal Sepsis?
→ Laboratory evaluation – IgG, CBC,
biochemistry,
→ Blood culture
→ Imaging – ultrasound, radiography
→ Neonatal foal sepsis score
Tx for Neonatal Sepsis?
→ Boost immunity – plasma transfusion
→ Antibiotics
→ Nutrition
→ Hydration
→ Nursing care
How to Foster an Orphan foal?
- Also often involves the vet
→ Good source of possible foster mares
→ Advice on how to complete the process of
fostering - Ideal for foal development
- Time consuming
→ Can take 24 – 48 hrs (or more) - Staff intensive
→ Nurse foal whilst fostering - Need goof mare and healthy foal
Diarrhoea in foal?
- Common presentation in young foals
- Wide range – mild/asymptomatic to severe enterocolitis
- Diarrhoea is common feature of neonatal sepsis
- Frequently due to infectious agents
- Always consider biosecurity!
Describe ‘Foal Heat’ Diarrhoea
→ Transient, mild, self-limiting
→ Usually 5-14 days of age
→ Foal otherwise normal
→ Associated with hind gut fermentation and adjustment to
ingestion of roughage
→ No treatmentrequired
What is the most common cause of foals with diarrhoea?
ROTAVIRUS - highly infectious
PAthophysiology with Rotavirus?
- Mucosal villous sloughing and compensatory crypt hyperplasia - Malabsorption, lactose intolerance and hypersecretion
- Diagnosed by Id of virus in faeces
Management of Rotavirus D+
Usually self limiting - supportive therapy
- Vaccination of mares recommended where high incidene of dx
Other aetiologies of Enterocolitis?
→ Salmonella
→ Clostridium perfringens
→ (Clostridium difficile)
How might bacterial enterocolitis present?
- May present with very liquid, red-tinged or frankly bloody faeces
- Any foal with diarrhoea, pyrexia and/or signs of systemic illness should be
treated and monitored intensively to try and address the ensuing
sepsis/bacteriaemia
=> REFER!
For mild diarrhoea - what are some Intestinal protectants we can give?
- Bismuth subsalicylate widely used in practice
→ Binds bacterial toxins
→ Stimulates intestinal absorption - ‘Biosponge’ – Di, Tri, Octahedral smectite
→ Shown to bind clostridial exotoxins
Risk of developing gastric/Gastroduodenal ulcers - what to consider?
→ Antacids (ranitidine, 6.6 mg/kg PO TID)
→ Omeprazole (1-2 mg/kg PO SID)
Foals can develop bacterial pneumonia due to:
- Sepsis, leading to acute lung injury (as part of SIRS)
- Aspirational pneumonia – milk inhalation (exclude cleft palate!)
- Secondary bacterial infection following viral disease
- Infectious bacterial pneumonia
→ Rhodococcus equi
Diagnostic ?
Trans-tracheal aspiration for diagnostic
Difference between flexural and angular limb deformities?
Describe Tendon laxity?
- Many foals will have a degree of tendon laxity in
first few hours, but quickly strengthen - Premature foals more likely to have laxity
- Pronounced laxity requires attention
What to do for tendon laxity?
→ Protection of ‘dropped’ fetlock
→ Controlled exercise to encourage
strengthening of tendon
→ Farriery – heel extensions
Tendon contracture causes ….
- Hyperflexion of the joint (carpal or fetlock joints)
Management of tendon contractures?
- Mild cases will respond to controlled exercise
- More severe, or unresponsive cases will require
intervention:
→ IV Oxytetracycline
2-3g, diluted in 250ml saline, slow IV
→ Splints or casts to encourage straightening of the
limb
Describe three main angular limb deformities?
Weaning is at what age?
4-6 months of age
Foal growth?
Foals gain 0.8kg/day at 6 months of age
Mare’s milk not enough for older foals
Consume 2-2.5% BW in feed per day 2/3 hay 1/3 grain
Primary concern?
Reduce STRESS
What is the aim of nutrition at this stage?
Optimal Growth - not maximal?
No deficiencies but not overfeeding as can predisp to ortho diseases
Free Exercise crucial!
PRE WEANING Considerations?
- Preventative medicine
- Creep feed
- Weaning facilities
Preventative med?
- Deworming and vaccinations
- Provides immune system with extra disease resistance capabilities
Creep feeding?
- PRovides nutritiona support to sustain rapid growth rates
- Recommend feeding at least once a day and ideally ad lib access
Weaning facilities?
Safe barn facility, fencing
Handling practice
Weaning methods?
- TOtal and abrupt -> Most common
- Partial and gradual weaning -> Least Stressful
Ill Thrift causes?
- Nutrition
→ Insufficient quantity or quality of food intake imbalance or deficiency in nutrients - Parasitism
→ High worm burden due to management conditions, resistance or poor worm control program
→ Ascarids! - Infection
→ Subclinical
→ Early in disease process prior to onset of other clinical signs - Gastrointestinal disease
→ EGUS - Extra-intestinal Disease
