NORMAL NEWBORN FOAL?
You have spent money and time getting your mare in foal, provided her the appropriate care for 11 months and then the anticipated day arrives! But is the newborn foal normal and healthy?
Spring Case #1
History
Febrary 2005, River Basin Equine received a call asking about an eight hour old miniature spotted donkey, foaled to a maiden jenny. The owners relayed that the delivery appeared normal, the jenny passed her placenta, but the newborn foal was not acting totally normal. the owners concerns were:
1) The newborn foal has been under the jenny's udder and making sucking noises, but the owners are unsure if the foal is actually nursing.
2) The foal was not very active and just wandering aimlessly.
On Presentation at River Basin Equine
The newborn 20 pound miniature donkey was depressed, unable to stand with a weak to absent suckling reflex. Blood testing confirmed the newborn foal had not nursed. The blood immunoglobulin levels were absent and the blood sugar was low.
Problems
1) Failure of Passive Transfer: Colostrum or "first milk" is thick, yellow and sticky and contains immunoglubulins, which provides the foal protection against infection for the first few months of life. Foals that fail to get adequate colostrum or immunoglubulins are termed Failure of Passive Transfer, and is the leading cause of neonatal infection and death. The treatment protocol consists of giving oral colostrum or commercial immunoglobulins if foal is less than 12 hours old. Otherwise, intravenous plasma, rich in immunoglubulins is given. These foals also routinely get antibiotics, as they are at risk for infection.
2) Hypoxic Ischemic Encephelopathy: Also may be referred to as "maladjusted", "dummy" or "wander" foals. This medical condition refers to foals which experienced decreased oxygen to the brain during late pregnancy or during the delivery. The resulting foals can exhibit a variety of signs from stupor, loss of suckle reflex, wandering, loss of affinity for the dam, to seizures and coma. These foals can be born normal in appearance and even nurse, only later to start showing signs. Treatments vary based on the extent of the disease, but the main component is supportive care.
Treatment
An intravenous catheter and fluids were started on this foal. The fluids were supplemented with dextrose to address the low blood sugar. The foal also received intravenous plasma and antibiotics to correct for the failure of passive transfer. The foal was placed in intensive care and given nutritional support via a feeding tube.
On day 2 the foal was still acting maladjusted: depressed and not nursing. A diuretic was added to the treatment protocol to aid in the treatment of the hypoxia. That afternoon, the foal began nursing and was alert and active.
On day 4, the foal continued to improve, was readily nursing, bucking and playing. A blood immunoglobulin level was retested and confirmed a level greater than 800 mg/dl, which is ideal. The jenny and foal were discharged the next day.
Take Home Message
Normal newborn foals should be vigourous and active soon after birth. The foals should be in a sternal position 1 - 2 minutes after expelled from the birth canal. Within the first hour of life, the foal should be scramblind and making several attempts to stand. Finally, the foal should be standing by 2 hours and nursing by 3 hours. Any deviations may warrant a phone call to your veterinarian.
Finally, River Basin Equine highly recommends having a veterinarian examine newborn foals and importantly check a blood immunoglubulin level. This will insure that your foal is off to a healthy start. At this visit, the postpartum mare should also be examined along with the placenta.
River Basin Equine Veterinary Services PLC
117 Walford Road
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
(319) 848-3555
RBEVS@aol.com
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