the foal

Question 1

when would a foal be born for it to be considered as premature

Answer 1

<320 days

Question 2

what is dysmaturia

Answer 2

foal that was born >320 days but has premature characteristics.
these characteristics are weakness, flexor tendon laxity and incomplete ossification

Question 3

what is the ideal timescale for a foal to be suckling

Answer 3

1. sucking reflex seen within first 20 minutes
2. standing within 1 hour
3. sucking within 2 hours
4. meconium and urine passed within 24 hours

Question 4

how much milk does a foal require and whats the expected weight gain

Answer 4

1/4 bodyweight milk daily
1kg per day weight gain

Question 5

what does failiure of passive transfer lead to

Answer 5

septicaemia
most common cause of death in first week.
signs are lethargy, lameness, increased respiratory effort, swelling of umbilicus

Question 6

what is the treatment for foal septicaemia

Answer 6

fluid therapy
antibody supplementation
Broad spectrum AB’s (4th generation cephalasporin is only licensed treatment)
NSAIDs
1-4 wks intensive supportive care usually required

Question 7

What is SCID

Answer 7

severee combined immunodeficiency. genetic disease resulting in failiure to produce B & T lymphocytes.
Affected foals are deaders
arabians predisposed

Question 8

signs of perinatal asphyxia syndrome

Answer 8

ischaemic with reperfusion injuries to brain.
hypoxic encelaopathy as a result
foals appear dumb and lethargic
seizures a common clinical sign

Question 9

what are the signs of a foal with a ruptured bladder

Answer 9

foals appear normal at birth but gradually become more lethargic, tachycardic, with a distended abdomen due to uroperitoneum.
stranguria

Question 10

what are the causes of neonatal colic

Answer 10

1.meconium impaction
2. small intestine voluvus/intussuseption
3. inflammatory (salmonella, rotavirus, clostridia)
4. congenital atresia

Question 11

what causes neonatal isoerythrolysis

Answer 11

Aa or Qa negative mares being bred with positive stallions. results in the mare producing antibodies against the foals red blood cells.
*thoroughbreds more affected

Question 12

when does sign of anemia occur

Answer 12

between 6 hours and three days post birth

Question 13

what are the signs and test for neonatal isoerythrolysis

Answer 13

jaundice, anemia, weakness.
Coombs test to diagnose

Question 14

what is the treatment for neonatal isoerythrolysis

Answer 14

prevent the foal from drinking any more of the mares colostrum. Give frozen colostrum from a NI negative mare instead and milk replacer
If anemia is serious a blood transfusion is needed

Question 15

When can the foal return to being fed by mares

Answer 15

once colostrum production has been stopped and emptied from the mare.

Question 16

what would be a cause for severee haemorrhagic diarrhoea in the foal?

Answer 16

clostridial enterocolitis (clostridium perfringes)
Has a very high mortality rate
mares can be vaccinated prior to foaling to prevent this

Question 17

what does the reducibility of an umbilical swelling in a foal tell us

Answer 17

1. fully reducible=simple hernia
2. partially reducible=abscess
3. irreducible= hernia complicated by incarceration, adhesions, strangulation