Obtaining a Healthy Foal Flashcards
Pregnancy loss in the mare?
Infectious abortion causes
- Bacterial
- Viral
- Fungal /parasitic
Non infectious abortion causes?
- Abnormalities in foetal appendices
- Abnormalities in gestation
- Maternal origins
- Foetal origins
What should we think about abortions until proven otherwise?
that it is infectious -> ie ISOLATE, Rule out EHV1/4, NP swabs and bloods
Prepping for foaling step 1?
Optimise Mare’s health -> Nutrition, dental attention, wormign status, vaccinations, farrier
Biosecurity of Mares?
→ Keep pregnant mares separate & in small groups
→ Minimise stress (movement & social change)
→ Avoid close proximity of pregnant mares in shared airspace
(American Barns
What important to do for passive transfer fo immunity?
Ensure mare is in foaling environment 4-6 weeks pre-partum
What Mare Vaccinations?
Equine Herpes Virus
‘Flu’ and tet
Rotavirus
When to do Equine Herpes virus?
5,7,9 months of pregnancy
When to do ‘Flu’ and tet vaccine?
LAst month of pregnancy
When to do Rotavirus vaccination?
- OPTIONAL
- More important in bigger studs where more likely to have high amounts in environment
- Given 8,9,10 months
Describe the immunity of the foal at birth
- Foals essentially agammaglobulinemic at birth
- Rely on absorption of colostral antibodies for passive immunity
- Real risk of infectious disease in those first few weeks of life
What should BCS of Mare be?
MODERATE
Fat=Dystocia
Thin=Lactational compromise
Fit= light exercise until approx 9m then field turnout
dietary rq during pregnancy ?
- First 8 months: No special diet considerations!
- Last 3 months: (slowly) increase to maintenance
+ 20% (increase protein; - If April onwards – grass generally sufficient
forage NB. check quality! - Concentrate meals with a vitamin and mineral
balancer.
Dietary Rq during lactation?
2 X Maintenance at peak lactation likely to
require forage + mix
Gestation length?
Variable 330-369 days go off a 340 average
What other things impact gestation length ?
Other factors (e.g. seasonal variations in day length) may cause
variability → e.g. mares due to foal during short daylight hours i.e.
beginning of the season are likely to have longer gestation lengths
Gestation length cut off value?
> 330 days arbitrary cut off value but <320 associated with poor
neonatal survival
Who doesn’t show signs of impending parturition as much?
Maiden mares
What plays a role in Neonatal Viability?
Fetal HPA axis -> final stages fo maturation & induction of parturition
Detail HPA Axis in final stages?
Increasing levels of progestogens, ACTH and the subsequent prenatal surge in cortisol required to stimulate final organ maturation only occurs in the last 24-48 h of gestation in the mare
Why is HPA axis / maturation important ?
gluconeogenesis, thermogenesis, thyroid function and neutrophil changes
Who is a high risk pregnancy?
- History of medical or reproductive problems
- Barren mares
- Old maiden mares
- Mares with cervical defects
- Mares with recurrent pregnancy loss
- Mares with history of a medical or surgical
problem exacerbated by pregnancy
High Risk Preg - Diagnostics?
- HISTORY - CE
- Rectal palp to chek foetal activity and position
- Speculum exam of vagina
additional diagnostics ?
- Blood hormone analysis
- Foetal and placental US
- Milk Electrolytes
- Culture & sens fo vulval disC
- Abdominocentesis
What normal changes of Milk electrolytes?
- Calcium, sodium and potassium
- Rapid prepartum increase in calcium
of more than 10mmol/l - Relative concentrations of sodium and
potassium invert with potassium
greater than sodium 3-5 days before
parturition.
Abnormal changes of Milk Electrolytes?
Premature rise in calcium of more
than 10mmol/l associated with
placental abnormalities.
How can we monitor for common complications of High-Risk Pregnancy
Placentitis -> Premature lactation/gland dev, vag disC
Ruptured Pre-P tendon -> Rapidly progressing large painful oedematous swelling ventral abdo
Hydrops -> abdo distention, excess foetal fluids, inabilty to palpate fetus on rectal exam
Uterine torsion -> colic signs, 7-9m gestation
Describe normal CTUP values
What to monitor LATE in High risk preganncies
- Utero-placental integrity
- Fetal fluid volume and clarity
-Activity and presentation fo the fetus - Fetal heart rate (60-120)
- IUGR
What is IUGR?
Premature rise in calcium of more
than 10mmol/l associated with
placental abnormalities.
-> Fetal aortic diameter
-> Orbital diameter
-> Thoracic diameter
Future breeding potential?
- Mares classified as “high-risk” if live FR <50% in last 3 years
- Monitored from 5m gestation (physical & US)
- Tx with antimicrobials, altrenogest +/- inflammatory mediators
When do signs of parturition develop?
- Udder development last 2 weeks
Wax on teat end last 2 days
Describe Calcium as indicator of parturition?
Indicator of impending parturition and in utero fetal maturation
→ > 10 mmol/L (400ppm) is a well established cut off for a mares readiness to foal.
How do electrolytes change with impending parturition?
- ↓ Sodium, ↑ Potassium, calcium, citrate and lactose
- Inversion of Na:K ratio → 24-36 h prior to foaling
What should ionic score be?
> 35 points
pH as indicator?
79% change of foaling w/in 24hrs when pH <7.0
-> Test late afternoon/early evening
When are Calcium secretions unreliable? What may we use instead?
in maiden mares or mares with placentitis /precocious mammary development
-> use Na:K inversion & pH
Detail the stages of parturition with timeframes?
Stage 1 ?
Restless mare
Active fetal movement
Stage 2?
- Head and two front feet sgould present at vulva within 15 mins
- MAKE sure AMNIOTIC SAC has ruptured so foal can breathe if not -> INTERVENE
Describe Premature placental separation (RED BAG Delivery)
- Failure fo choroallantois to rupture at cervical star and dehisence f chorion microvilli from endometrium
EMERGENCY as foal oxygen deprived - Cut open ASAP but ensure not bladder or intestine!
How long for placenta to pass normally?
3 hrs max -> EXAMINE placenta
If not passed within 3 hrs but mare and foal fine and foal is nursing what to do?
Oxytocin 1ml IM q0-60mins
RFM?
Risk of metritis, endotox & laminitis
How do we assist normal parturition?
- Don’t disturb mare fro first 15 mins
- Once bag presented rupture amnion and check both feet and head presented
- Can use gentle traction
- Foals should stand and nurse within first 3 hrs
When to intervene in Dystocia?
- > 15 mins have elapsed since the mare has
ruptured her chorioallantois, but the foal has
not been delivered. - The mare is in active labor for an extended
period but making no progress. - One leg protruding from the vulva and no
more of the foal has appeared over 15
minutes.
Survival of the foal decreased by ….% for every … mins over 30 mins
10% every 10 mins
detail Fetal position?
R/shp of fetal spine to mare pelvis > should be DORSO-SACRAL
Fetal posture?
R/shp of fetal extremities to its body -> FORELIMBS FIRST then head
Fetal presentation ?
Portion of fetus that enters vag canal first
should be anterior
Why can we get dystocia?
Foal factors: position sie malformation twins
Mare: Premature placental separation, MAre’s conformation
Exhaustion/uterine inertia
Infection such as EHV
Initial examination of MAre with dystocia?
- Check MMs
- Check presence/nature of vulval disC & fetal membranes
- Identify fetal extremities if visible or palpabel
Internal exam?
- Use lots of lubricant
- Assess presence of pelvic abnormalities
- Assess Presentation, Position, Posture and Viability of the Foetus
What to do during examination?
Walk mare to control strianinf
Clenbuterol for uterine relaxation?
Epidural not recommended if refferral is an option
What are the 4 options for a Therapeutic Plan in Dystocia of MAre ?
- Assisted vaginal delivery: Majority (allow 10-15 mins then refer)
- Controlled vaginal delivery -> redily converst to C section -> done under GA with hind limbs hoisted upwards
- C section : often if above fails
- Foetotomy: dead foal; only if experienced
How does the newborn foal adapt initially to extra-uterine life?
- Hypoxaemia & hypercapnia stimulate breaths
- Reduction in pulm vasc resistance & inc in BF to LHS heart closes the foramen ovale
- Ductus arteriosus constricts sand flow is reversed as pulm resistance decreases
Timeframe fo foal activity after birth?
What are the THREE MAIN Newbonr key goals?
- Foal standing within an hour
- Foal nursing wihtin 2 hours
- Meconium and placenta passed within 3 hours
What to advise client to do for newborn foal?
- Dip umbilicus (Hibi:Spirit 50:50) regularly until dry clean (ensure not thickened)
- Ensure meconium passed (from dark brown/black firm pellets to soft yellow/brown milk
- Monitor urination
Describe urination ?
Monitor for urination, normal foals produce large volume of very dilute urine (< 1.008) and usually
urinate every time they stand
→ 6 h colts
→ 10-12 h fillies
How often should they be nursing?
5-7 x /hr
CE of newborn foal?
- Bright alert
- Head -> slow PLR normal, no milk staining/ milk form nose, cleft palate? no menace resp
- thorax RR20-40, no crepitus! rib fracts; HR 80-120 holosystolic murmur due to PDA
- Abdo: Borborygmic in all quadrants
- Limbs: carpal valgus! or limb contractures or varus
Colostrum on Brix refractometer?
<15% -> POOR
20-30% adequate
>30% VERY GOOD (milk 500ml and freeze)
What frequency & amount of feeding for foals?
- Nurse 5-7 times per hour
- TB mare produces 1-2 L colostrum, ideally consumed in first
3 h (specialised enterocytes which absorb immunoglobulins
are replaced within 12-24hrs of birth) - Consume 15% BWT in milk and colostrum in first 24 h
- Increases to 20-25% of BWT by a few days of age
How can we test IgG
Blood test Snap ELISA -> ensure proper MDA ingestion
Values of IgG Testing?
What might we also run ?
HAematology to look for early signs of sepsis (WBC,SAA, Fibrinogen)
What do we also often give at birth?
1500 IU tetanus antitoxin
What to check in the mare?
- Faling injuries ? vaginal/ uterine tear
- Systemic compromise ?
- RFM (weight of placenta approx 11% foals BWT)
- Milk production ? Mastitis?
- Appropriate bhvr?
What to do about Hypo/Agalactia
- Good nutrition
- Oxytocin
- Domperidone (dopamine antagonist)
What foaling trauma / dystocia PP issues seen in the mare?
- Vestibular/vulval trauma
- Urovaginum
- Rupture of cervix/vagina
- Perineal lacerations
- Recto-vaginal fistula
- Rectal prolapse
- Uterine rupture
- Uterine haematoma
- Uterine prolapse
- Invagination of the uterine
horn - RFM
what non traumatic issues seen PP in the mare?
- RFM
- Post partum metritis
- Hypocalcaemia
- Colic
What diagnostics for PP issues in mare?
- Transrectal ultrasonography
- Haematology and biochemistry
- Culture and Sensitivity of vulval
discharge or uterine fluids - Transabdominal ultrasonography
- Abdominocentesis
