Week 10- Management of the Neonate Flashcards
What are key goals in neonatal foal management?
Understand behaviour
When does a foal show righting reflex?
Within seconds
When should a foal start suckling?
5–10 minutes after birth
When should a foal stand?
Within 1 hour
When should a foal start nursing?
Within 2 hours
How often does a healthy foal nurse?
5–7 times/hour
How much colostrum does a foal need?
2–3L
What is meconium?
First faeces; dark brown/black; passed in first few hours
When does a foal urinate?
10–12 hours after birth (fillies earlier)
What mare info is important for neonatal history?
Foaling history
What should be checked during foaling history?
Duration
What to assess in a healthy foal exam?
Mentation
Key signs of hypovolaemia?
Cool limbs
Key signs of dehydration?
Tacky gums
Name 3 common neonatal foal diseases
NMS
What is NMS also known as?
Dummy foal syndrome or neonatal encephalopathy
Main causes of NMS?
Hypoxia at birth or failure of hormonal transition
Signs of NMS?
Poor suck
First sign of sepsis?
Mild lethargy
Signs of prematurity?
Floppy ears
* small body size
* weak
* abnormal breathing
* perfusion abnormalities
What causes neonatal isoerythrolysis?
Maternal antibodies destroy foal RBCs
Signs of isoerythrolysis?
Icterus
Tachycardia
Pigmenturia
Collapse
Weakness
What is uroperitoneum?
Urine leaks into abdomen from bladder/urachus
Electrolyte signs of uroperitoneum?
electrolyte abormalities cause cardiac arrhythmias
↓Na
Most common cause of colic in neonates?
Meconium impaction
Useful diagnostics for sick foals?
Bloods
What does high PCV suggest?
Dehydration or blood loss
What does low IgG mean?
Failure of passive transfer; sepsis risk
Normal lactate in foals?
<2 mmol/L
Critical lactate level?
> 6 mmol/L
What does hypoglycaemia indicate?
Sepsis or energy depletion
What do you do if the meconium isnt passed in foals?
Enema
What may a placental infection cause?
inability to run milk
What are the three basic things you want to know in the first few hours?
foals
- standing
- suckling
- passes meconium
What are the two types of NMS?
- Periparturient hypoxic-ischemic episode
- Failure of normal birth transition process
What should a foal do when you wake them?
Get up and stretch
What eye issues may foals have?
- entropion
- droopy eyelashes
- corneal ulcers
What GI issues are foals susceptible to?
- intussception
- Colic
- Diarrhoea
- Bladder rupture
What is a dummy foal?
Condition in foals characterized by neurological abnormalities, including a lack of suckle reflex, aimless wandering, and seizures
What are the main signs of sepsis?
- reduced nursing
- pyrexia
- circulatory abnormalities
- specific site of infection
What is Dysmaturity?
Clinical signs of prematurity despite a normal gestational length
What would you recommend on a foal with incomplete ossification?
Euthanasia
What is hypoglycaemia often an indicator for?
Often an indicator of sepsis
What are you looking for on ultrasound?
Thickened abdomen/ free fluid
