Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Equine Medicine > The Sick Foal > Flashcards

The Sick Foal Flashcards

1
Q

What is failure of passive transfer? How is it treated?

A

failure of a foal to obtain maternal antibodies from colostrum, making them prone to developing serious infections

  • normal 50 kg foal = L of good quality IV plasma
  • sick foal = several transfusions of plasma
    (recheck IgG concentration within 12 hours of tx)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the most common cause of meconium impaction? What is the most common sign?

A

young foal (1-2 days) has not ingested enough milk, causing a painful impaction, which increases sympathetic tone and decreases GI motility, making the impaction worse —> prolonged distension can cause a collapse of the vessels of the GIT walls

frequently erected tail with unproductive straining

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the 2 main treatment options for meconium impaction? How are they performed?

A
  1. fleet enema - only once due to large amount of K
  2. warm water enema with small amounts of dish soap (can be irritating!)
  • deliver 100 mL of warm water by gravity
  • deliver 100 mL of mineral oil through a syringe and tube (don’t force against back pressure!)
  • deliver 100 mL of warm water by gravity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is another way of delivering enemas to foals with meconium impactions?

A

ORAL

  • mineral oil - 100-200 mL via NG tube, check for reflux first!
  • acetylcysteine - breaks down dried mucus, can be irritating
  • rehydration + IV fluids
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

When is surgery indicated for foals with meconium impactions?

A

severe distension, pain, or bloat = surgical decompression

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What causes perinatal asphyxia syndrome (dummy foal)? What are the 2 most common timings?

A

hypoxic event near the end of gestation or during parturition causes the foal to be normal upon birth, but quickly becomes obtunded due to neurologic injury caused by reperfusion when oxygenation is reestablished

  1. prior to parturition - placental insufficiency, placentitis
  2. parturition - delay in foal’s delivery (stage 2) after loss of placental attachment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What comorbidity is commonly found in dummy foals? How are dummy foals treated?

A

septicemia

  • feeding tube (don’t swallow well)
  • prophylactic antibiotics
  • anti-inflammatories - Flunixin meglumine
  • supportive care and referral
  • Madigan squeeze - simulate the physical pressure of the birth canal and “activate the switch” to an alert state
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is septicemia?

A

systemic disease associated with bacteria in the bloodstream

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the most common pre-parturient source of infection in foals?

A

placentitis

  • U/S shows thickened uterine walls
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

When should the placenta pass following the foal?

A

2 hours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the 4 parts of the placenta?

A
  1. umbilicus
  2. chorioallantois
  3. amnion
  4. hippomanes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the chorioallantois? What are the 2 surfaces?

A

membranous sac in which the foal develops

  1. ALLANTOIC = foal side, glistening white with visible vessels
  2. CHORIONIC = uterus side, red velvet-like surface where nutrient and gas exchange occurs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How should the chorioallantois appear upon placental delivery?

A

turns inside out - allantoic (white) outside and chorionic (red) inside

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Where does the foal pass through in the placenta?

A

avillous area - cervical star

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is examined in an abnormal placenta?

A
  • cervical star - if large, it can suggest an ascending infection or scaring with avascularization
  • placental folds
  • possibility of twins
  • avascular areas - sepsis, pre-natal hypoxia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the 3 most common clinical signs indicative of pre-parturient placentitis?

A
  1. mare drips before foaling
  2. foal is sick at birth
  3. expelled placenta is edematous and heavy - should only be 11% of foal BW
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the most common cause of heavy and edematous placenta upon delivery?

A

ascending infection —> check cervical star

  • Nocardia commonly found in the cranioventral uterine body at the horn attachment
18
Q

What is Red Bag? Amnionitis?

A

chorionic surface is on the outside, suggesting early detachment of the placenta before it is turned inside out by foal delivery

thickened amniotic sac associated with placentitis

19
Q

How is pre-parturient placentitis diagnosed?

A

placental histopathology (including the cervical star) and culture

20
Q

What is the normal gestation period of a foal? What is a premature, dysmature, and post-mature foal?

A

310-370 days

  • PREMATURE = shortened gestation period resulting in a small foal with incomplete ossification of cuboidal bones (stifle, hock), lax tendons, poor thermoregulation, poor glucose regulation, low lung compliance, and high chest wall compliance
  • DYSMATURE = normal gestation period, but foal is small
  • POST-MATURE = prolonged hestation, normal size and development, but thin (fescue hay fungus)
21
Q

What are the most common signs of prematurity in foals?

A
  • round, domes head and drooping ears due to incomplete maturation of cartilage
  • incomplete ossification of cuboidal joints - stifle and hock are developed last
  • laxity - can cause dragging of heels on the ground
22
Q

What are the most common sources of post-parturient sources infections?

A
  • umbilical/environment
  • ingested
  • inhales due to weak suckle
23
Q

Why are post-parturient infections so dangerous?

A

DISSEMINATION - bacteria enters the blood, multiplies, and travels to capillary beds in the joints, lungs, and other organs

  • also associated with failure of passive trasfer - check IgG!
24
Q

What are the 5 most common places of localized infections in septic foals?

A
  1. lungs
  2. joints
  3. CNS (meningitis)
  4. gut
  5. umbilicus
25
Q

What are the most common Gram negative and positive causes of post-parturient septicemia? Why is diagnosis difficult?

A

G - = E. coli, Klebsiella
G + = Staph, Strep

50% of blood cultures will have no growth

26
Q

What are the most common clinical signs in sick foals?

A
  • sluggish behavior
  • diminished nursing
  • prolonged recumbency
  • soiled hindquarters
  • damp umbilicaus
  • lameness, swollen joints
  • mare with swollen and painful udder
27
Q

What history is important to gain when trying to diagnose sick foals?

A
  • previous foalings from the mare
  • this foaling experience
  • mare’s health and care
  • health of other horse at the barn
  • foal’s health since birth
28
Q

How should sick foals be examined?

A
  • observation from afar
  • TPR
  • oral exam
  • auscultate lungs and heart
  • palpate
  • check mare
  • check placenta
29
Q

What are the most important additional diagnostics used for sick foals? What else can be performed?

A
  • IgG SNAP test**
  • PCV
  • BG
  • UA

CBC/Chem, blood culture, blood gas, umbilical ultrasound

30
Q

What are the normal values for PCV, blood protein, BG, IgG, USG. and urine cytology in foals?

A

PCV = 30-45%

TP = 5 g/dL

BG = 80-120 mg/dL

IgG = >800 mg/dL

USG = 1.008-1.015

small amounts of RBCs normal immediately post-birth

31
Q

How is the foal’s umbilicus examined?

A
  • external palpation - pain, swelling, peri-naval edema, heat, discharge
  • ultrasound
32
Q

What antibiotics are recommended for septic foals? What should be considered?

A

broad-spectrum, since the bacterial cause in unknown

  • severity of foal’s condition
  • client’s financial constraints
  • client’s ability to administer drug
  • potential side effects of the medication
33
Q

What are the 6 most common antibiotics used in foals?

A
  1. Ceftiofur (Naxcel)
  2. Excede (long-acting Naxcel)
  3. K-Pen
  4. Amikacin
  5. Doxycycline, Minocycline
  6. TMS
34
Q

What is foal disease most commonly complicated by? What is recommended to avoid this?

A

lack of energy reserves and fluid intake

rapid rehydration - bolus 1 L of crystalloids (w/o lactate) + 2% dextrose

  • if foal’s require continuous IV fluids, recommend referral
35
Q

What is checked after a sick foal is rehydrated?

A

gut sounds

  • if motility is heard and there is not a vigorous suckle, place a feeding tube and provide mare’s milk replacer
36
Q

How does the age of the foal determine milk volume?

A
  • 11-18 days = 25% BW
  • 30-44 days = 20% BW
  • 60-74 days = 17% BW

a 50 kg newborn foal needs a liter of milk every 2 hours

37
Q

What are the 3 options for diet in orphaned foals?

A
  1. mare’s milk - best option
  2. cow or goat milk - may contain infectious organisms if raw, contains some natural protectants and exposure to nonpathogenic bacteria
  3. milk replacers - most balanced and non-dynamic diet, make sure those from other species does not contain antibiotics
38
Q

What is the most reliable plasma source for foals? What is a good alternative? What is usually avoided?

A

commercial plasma has the best IgG concentration

plasma from a gelding that has not received a previous blood transfusion

commercial products that only contain IgG or immunoglobulins

39
Q

When is the use of anti-inflammatories indicated for sick foals? What is recommended? What are 2 common side effects?

A

fever, depression, sore joints, improvement of condition to allow it to suckle the mare

short-term, low dose, as needed Flunixin meglumine no more than BID, Carprofen, Firocoxib (safest)

ulcers and renal injury

40
Q

What are the 3 main families of anti-ulcer medications used in foals? Examples?

A
  1. mucosal adherent - Sucralfate
  2. H2 antagonist - Cimetidine, Ranitidine, Famotidine
  3. PPI - Omeprazole
41
Q

What monitoring is recommended in sick foals?

A

intense treatments, management, and monitoring (q 2 hrs)

  • attitude, behavior
  • assist horse to rise and suckle, check udders
  • body temp, RR
  • frequency of fecal and urine production
  • referall for non-ambulatory or non-suckling foals

Equine Medicine (33 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions