Neonatal Flashcards
Neonatal period (puppies and kittens) length and details
The first 2 to 4 weeks. Characterized by complete dependence on the mother for nutrition, warmth, care, and overall survival because of incomplete neurologic functions, such as audio and visual abilities and proper spinal reflexes.
Neonatal encephalopathy:
“Dummy foal” or neonatal maladjustment syndrome.
Results in abnormal behavior, poor nursing ability, weakness, and is associated with other problems, such as sepsis, neonatal gastroenteropathy, and neonatal nephropathy.
Failure of passive transfer (FPT)
A condition in which maternal antibodies from mare’s colostrum are not received by foal within 24 hours of birth.
Neonatal nephropathy
Renal insufficiency in a neonatal foal. May resolve or may be too severe for recovery
Neonatal isoerythrolysis
Acute, severe anemia caused by destruction of offsprings’s red blood cells because of maternal antibodies causing an incompatibility reaction.
Species impacted: cats and horses
Dysmaturity
Very large foal is born at longer-than-expected gestational age (e.g., 400 days), with long hair coat, erupted incisors, and often with limb deformities.
Neonatal gastroenteropathy
A gastrointestinal condition characterized by abnormal absorption and motility of the GI tract. This leads to intolerance of enteral nutrition, with signs such as reflux seen after feeding.
Colitis in a foal
often caused by an infectious organism, such as rotavirus, Salmonella spp., or Clostridium spp.
Requires immediate treatment in an isolated stall.
Patent urachus
A condition in which urine leaks from the foal’s urachus because it is not closing.
Urachus
A remnant of the fetal allantois (fetal membrane) that drains the fetal urinary bladder and exits the fetal abdomen via the umbilical cord.
Meconium
First feces of a newborn
Omphalitis
Infection/inflammation of the umbilicus
Bagging up
The term for the pre-parturition change in the mare of udder enlargement
Nosocomial
acquired from the hospital environment
Bluish discolorations of a neonate’s skin are indicative of a neonate with
cyanosis
dark red discolorations of a neonate’s skin are indicative of
sepsis
Puppies and kittens are unable to maintain their body temperature during
First two weeks of life
In general, foals have a higher ________ and _____ concentration for the first 24 hours before gradually decreasing.
Packed cell count (PCV) and hemoglobin (Hb)
Meconium retention signs
signs of abdominal discomfort, such as tail flagging and rolling
parturition
Labor in mammals
Bacteremia
Infection of the blood stream
Petechiae
Small areas of hemorrhaging
Colostrum
The first milk, which contains the antibodies.
Holosystolic flow murmur (neonate)
happens when the heart is pushing blood out to your body. A normal finding during neonate heart auscultation in an otherwise healthy foal
Glycosuria
Sugar int he urine
Primiparous
Describes an animal that has given birth once.
Puppies/kittens can crawl in a coordinated manner at
1 week
Puppies/kittens can lift their head
Three days of age
To evaluate a neonates hydration status edit find the other card that disagrees with this
urine color is evaluated instead of skin turgor
How often should an orphan puppy or kitten be weighed
Twice a day
A pediatric thermometer should measure as low as
85F or 29.4C
Dog testicles descend at
6 to 8 weeks of age
Healthy puppies and kittens will nurse as frequently as every _____
2 to 4 hours
The external ear canals of puppies and kittens will open at the age of
14 to 16 days
When obtaining blood from a neonate, the percentage of the circulating blood volume obtained during a week should not exceed
10%
A hospitalized foal should be weighed
Daily (if possible)
Puppies and kittens are able to stand with good postural reflexes at the end of week
Three
Because animals have immature kidneys, it is considered normal to find urine with a specific gravity between
1.012 and 1.020.
A neonate is considered hypothermic if at birth the body temperature drops below .
94F
The acceptable route(s) of fluid administration in the neonate is/are
IV or IO only
- When administering fluids intraosseously to a neonate, a 20-or 22-gauge needle can be placed in the
proximal tibia or proximal femur
Any disease process or fluid or electrolyte imbalance in neonatal animals will quickly lead to
dehydration.
Occasionally a mare will develop a problem in late-term pregnancy. These mares are referred to as
high-risk mares
The average gestational length for the mare is
340
The veterinarian will perform a rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound on a pregnant mare at approximately
30 days, 90 days, and 120 days.
During the first week of life, healthy foals
nurse often and stay within close proximity of the mare.
Stage 1 labor- mare
(lasts 1 to 4 hours):
Uterine contractions
Changes in behavior (agitation, pacing, kicking of abdomen, turning and biting at sides,)
Lifting of tail head
Sweating around the shoulders (foaling to occur within 30 minutes)
Stage 2 labor- mare
(Delivery shouldn’t exceed 30 minutes.):
Placenta ruptures and allantoic fluid passes.
Foal is delivered.
Ensure that the foal’s nose is uncovered.
This stage involves active labor and the mare will lie down and have strong contractions until the foal is safely delivered
Stage 3 labor- mare
expulsion of the fetal membranes. Normally, the fetal membranes pass rapidly (within 3 hours) after delivery of the foal.
A neonate’s umbilical cord will dry out during its first day of life and is expected to fall off by day
Second to third
Motor skills of the neonatal puppy
crawling, suckling, purring, vocalization
First deworming treatment for puppies and kittens
Beginning of week 2
Deworming of puppies and kittens is mostly aimed at
Roundworms
Kittens will have doubled their birth weight by
7 to 10
Puppies will have doubled their birth weight by
10 to 12
Clinical signs in a chilled neonate with a body temperature above 88° F
include restlessness, continuous crying, red mucous membranes, and skin that feels cold to the touch.
When the body temperature of a small animal neonate falls into the range of ____________________________ ° F to ____________________________ ° F, the neonate appears lethargic and uncoordinated, but responsive.
78F to 85F
Raising the body temperature of a neonate more than ____________________________ ° F is usually fatal because of delayed organ failure.
4F
The hydration status of a neonate is best checked by looking at the
mucus membranes
All fluids should be warmed to ____________________________ before administration to the neonate, unless the neonate is substantially colder.
98-99 degrees F or 36.6-36.7 degrees C
Tacky or dry mucous membranes in a neonate indicate
5 to 7% dehydration
Dry mucus membranes and decreased skin elasticity in a neonate indicate
10% dehydration
Temperature of kittens and puppies at birth
94.5°F–97.3°F
Kittens/puppies body temperature during the first week
94.7°F–100.1°F
Kitten Testicles
Freely movable into and out of the scrotum until the cat reaches about 7 months of age.
Kitten/puppy Body temperature between 78°F and 85°F clinical signs
Lethargy
Uncoordinated movement
Lowering of heart and respiratory rates
Moisture around corners of the mouth
Impaired metabolism leading to hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia signs in puppy/kitten
Crying
Irritability
Increased appetite
Seizures
Lethargy
Stupor
Dullness
Coma
Tremors
Which blood type in kittens can have Neonatal isoerythrolysis
blood type A kittens born to a blood type B queen
Normal presentation of foal birth
the foal’s forelegs are extended (one hoof should be a little ahead of the other) and the head should be stretched along the forelegs.
Foals nurse within
3 hours
Foal’s first urination and passing meconium
urination within 12 hours and meconium within 2 hours
Foal starts running within
24 hours
Foal stands
within 1 to 2 hours
foal menace response within
a few weeks
Apply 1 percent iodine to a foal’s umbilical remnant
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at birth, then 3 times per day for 2 days.
