Lesson 9
Foal Diseases and Health Management
Neonatal
Management and common Neonatal Diseases including
Orphan Foal management and care of foal during
the first 6 months of life
I.
Immediate newborn management. The first
12 hours are critical to the life of the foal.
A.
Foaling environment should be clean with good footing. (shavings
or sawdust base covered with clean, dry straw.)
The straw is recommended because the
shavings will stick to the wet foal, and the discharge
from the mare, making it difficult for the mare to clean the foal.
B.
Make sure amnion sac is not covering foal’s muzzle. (restricts
breathing)
The
amnion sac is the whitish colored fluid-filled sac that will appear before the
foal.
Red
bag: A red, velvety membrane may appear instead of the amnion sac.
This is an emergency. The foal cannot breath. The red bag must be tore immediately
to save the foal. There is no time to wait for the veterinarian. Contractions may diminish, the veterinarian
should be summoned to assist the mare and examine the foal.
Red bag is generally caused by the mare eating endophyte-infected
fescue pasture or hay. The mare is passing the foal and the placenta
simultaneously.
C.
Importance of last transfer of blood from mare to foal prior to breaking of the
cord.
Do not disturb the mare and foal, premature
breaking of the cord will not allow complete passing of the placental blood. Do
not cut the cord; a clean cut will hinder clotting. Allow the cord to break
naturally when the foal or mare stands.
D.
The foal should be bright, lively and alert from beginning.
E.
Clear breathing passages. If the foal is not breathing, vigorously rub the ribs
and abdomen with a towel.
F.
Allow mare & foal to bond.
G.
Foal should stand within first hour. (usually attempts
to stand within 10 to 15 minutes of foaling.)
H.
Foal should nurse within first 2 hours. (usually
attempts to nurse within first half hour.)
Colostrum
(the first “milk) is rich in antibodies that the foal will need until it’s immune system is functional. Colostrum can only be utilized by the foal
within the first 24 hours, with the first 12 hours after foaling at its peak. It is important that the attendant actually
see the foal swallow and consume the colostrum.
Look for milk on the lips and whiskers, or examine the udder of the mare
– one side may show signs of being empty, indicating the foal has nursed.
If
the foal is weak, but has a strong sucking reflex (sucks on your fingers) you
can help support him while he nurses.
Milking the mare and offering the colostrum in a bottle (a goat nipple
works) may give the foal strength to stand and nurse. Contact a veterinarian if the foal does not
improve, or shows no sign of being able to nurse within 3-4 hours of foaling.
The
veterinarian should perform a test called an IgG test. This test should be taken at 12 hours after
foaling and will indicate if enough passive transfer of immunity occurred during
the consumption of the colostrum. Intravenous plasma can be administered if the
test shows a low transfer.
I.
Naval should be dipped in a disinfectant (nolvasan
(chlorhexidine) or betadine (tamed iodine) as soon as possible after the cord
breaks. Immerse stump for 30 seconds. Treating
the cord stump two or three times daily for two days
is common practice. Do
not use strong iodine (7%) or silver nitrate as these chemicals are too harsh will
cause the death of healthy cells (focal necrosis).
J.
Using an enema on the foal is advisable. Normally done
anytime after the foal has been up and has nursed several times.
K.
If mare hasn’t been vaccinated for tetanus within the last few months of
pregnancy, the foal should be administered a tetanus antitoxin. Properly vaccinated mares will pass immunity
to the foal during the transfer of antibodies in the colostrum.
L.
Watch foal for urination. The bladder
will rupture without veterinarian intervention.
The foal should pass urine within six hours for fillies; colts may take
longer – up to 12 hours.
II.
Problems associated with the immediate post foaling period.
A.
Meconium (first manure, a dark sticky substance) impaction.
1.
straining to pass manure or signs of colic may
indicate meconium impaction.
2.
Enema (standard or mineral oil fleet enema) is preventative as well as a treatment
for this condition.
B.
Patent urachus – leakage of urine from the umbilical
cord when straining to urinate
1.
Strong Iodine (7%) application to naval every 6 hours until closure. Sometimes
requires veterinary attention or use of stronger drying agent (silver nitrate
application)
C.
Ruptured Urinary Bladder
1.
Appear normal for first 24 hours.
2.
The abdomen begins filling up with urine which causes the belly to enlarge and
the foal to become weak and depressed.
3.
Requires surgical correction.
D.
Neonatal mal-adjustment syndrome or “dummy foal”
1.
These foals may be normal at birth and become “dummy”
on the second or third day after birth. (stop nursing,
walk around stall as if blind.)
2.
Usually associated with systemic infection (septicemia) or possible loss of
blood to brain early in life (premature tearing of the umbilical cord).
E.
Septicemia
1.
Possible fever, lack of nursing reflex, weak, depressed foals from birth.
* Normal rectal temperature of
a foal less than one month of age is: 100.0
to 102.0°F (37.7 to 38.8ºC).
2.
Systemic infection contracted within the womb.
3.
Failure of passive transfer of immunity via colostrum has also been indicated
in the cause.
III.
Care of the orphan foal.
A.
Orphan foal is any foal whose dam is unable to provide adequate nourishment
through normal nursing.
B.
Immediate care consists of making sure the foal is able to consume colostrums
during the first 12 hours of birth. (If the dam cannot supply this, use of
colostrums from another mare is needed). If colostrums is not available, plasma
rich in IGG antibodies should be given to the foal by stomach tube in first 12
to 24 hours of life, or intravenously shortly thereafter.
C.
Meeting the needs of the growing orphan foal.
1.
Nurse mare
a.
Must accept orphan foal. (urine or manure of mare
rubbed on foal)
b.
Must be a good milker.
c.
Initial nursing must be attended.
d.
Goats have been used successfully to raise an orphan foal.
2.
Hand feeding
a.
Milk replacer (quick formula is evaporated can milk and water in equal
proportions). Commercial – Foal Lac
b.
Use of a lamb’s nipple is best.
c.
First week, every hour – second week,
every 2 hours--third week, every 3 hours-- fourth week, every 4 hours. Thereafter 4 times a day.
d.
Attempt to switch to bucket feeding as soon as possible.
D.
Behavior of orphan foals.
1.
Orphans should be around a gentle horse or pony to allow him/her to become a
“horse”.
2.
The sooner they are exposed to other weanlings the better.
3.
Don’t encourage or tolerate development of bad habits around humans (nipping,
kicking, rearing) Although cute in the young foal,
this behavior is dangerous when coming from a growing horse.)
IV.
The first 6 months
A. Exercise and exposure to the outdoors is
important once the foal is found to be healthy and sound.
B. Early handling – if various forms of
restraint and handling are calmly introduced during the suckling period, the
foal should be very tractable by the time it is weaned.
C. Foal imprinting – the development of the
human-horse bond shortly after birth.
1. Haltering, leading, handling the legs.
D. Nutrition – creep feeding of the foal should
begin as soon as is practical. At least by the third month of
life.
1. Protein requirements of creep feed 16-18%
2. Ca:P
ratio 1.2 to 2 : 1
3. Lysine (good quality protein) is important
part of quality creep feed.
E. Worming and Vaccinations
* The dam should have been dewormed within
two months of foaling. This protects the foal from threadworms being
transferred during nursing. Natural immunity to threadworms develops as the
foal matures.
1.
Large roundworm (ascarid), known as Parascaris equorum
are a great concern to owners of foals.
The youngster becomes infected with the worms when they start to sample
grass. This occurs at about the age of
2-3 months. Deworm with an anthelmintic
product after the age of three months, too soon and it will not work. Waiting
too long will allow the parasite to mature and start shedding eggs. Timing is critical. Examples of anthelmintic drugs
are pyrantel tartrate and benzimidazole. Four dewormings
with an anthelmintic during the first year is recommended to control
roundworms. Natural immunity to ascarids develops as the youngster matures.
Small
strongyles become a concern around eight months of
age. Ivermectin is the best deworming product to
control small strongyles, but ascarids
are showing resistance to ivermectin. Conducting a
fecal egg count will help in the decision for which product to use around
weaning time. (Febendazole is excellent for treating ascarids,
but weak on small strongyles).
2. EEE, WEE, WEST Nile, VEE, Influenza, Rhinopneumonitis and tetanus at 3 months for unvaccinated
mares, and 4 months for vaccinated mares, with a boosters 4-6 weeks after the
initial vaccination, and 8-10 months after the booster. At 6 months flu and rhino (followed by
boosters), and possibly strangles. Other vaccines depending
on area of the country. (rabies, Potomac horse
fever, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, lyme disease, botulism.)
Click
Here for AAEP Foal Vaccination Guideline Chart. http://www.aaep.org/custdocs/Foal%20Vaccination%20Chart_8.12.16.pdf
F. Suckling stage diseases
1. Foal heat scours (diarrhea).
a.
Appears within 7-10 days of foaling. Research has proven it has nothing to do
with the mare coming into estrous (heat). It is a coincidence.
Foals will not show signs of illness –
no fever and will act normal. The diarrhea is caused by the changing bacterial
flora within the foal's gastrointestinal (GI ) tract.
b.
No treatment is usually necessary as the foal heat scours will resolve itself
in a few days. A hemorrhoid ointment will
soothe the scalded skin, wash and apply several times a day. Contact the veterinarian if the diarrhea is
extreme – fluids may have to be given, but this is rare.
* If the foal is running a fever, has profusely
watery diarrhea and is acting sick, contact a veterinarian immediately.
2. Infectious diarrhea.
a.
Can be serious. Foals dehydrate easily. Will need veterinary
attention.
3. Stomach and intestinal ulcers.
a.
Seem to be caused by stress.
b.
Eccessive salivation, grinding teeth, diarrhea.
c.
Mylanta or Maalox helpful.
d. Anti ulcer medication
effective. (prevents secretion of stomach acids)
G. Infectious Pneumonia
1.
Normally requires veterinary care.
2.
Rodococcus pneumonia (bacterial pneumonia – dust
pneumonia) 2-6 months of age, coughing. Abscesses in the lungs.
H. Umbilical hernia
1.
May close on its own by 6 months, if small.
2.
Requires surgical closure if large or if not gone by 6
months.
I. Navel Ill or Joint Ill.
1.
Bacterial infection usually introduced through the umbilical cord shortly after
birth. (this is why disinfectant application to cord
is important)
2.
Spreads to joints and causes severe infections usually causing permanent joint
disability.
3.
Requires extensive veterinary treatment for chance of future usefulness.
J. Crooked limbs
1.
Usually medial deviation of the knees.
2.
May require surgery to correct.
3.
Pereosteal stripping and/or stapling of the distal
radial epiphysis.
K. Contracted digital
flexor tendons
1.
Seem to knuckle over at the fetlock (superficial digital flexor contraction) or
develop a club foot with inability to put heel on the ground (deep digital
flexor contraction).
2.
Treatment: the use of an intravenous antibiotic. It is thought the
antibiotic causes the tendon to relax due to an influx of calcium ions into the
muscle fibers.
3.
Other treatment options are toe extensions that help to change the break
over point of the hoof and stretch the tendons. Splints or casts.
4.
Rare cases may require surgery to cut offending tendon.
L. Weaning
1.
Normally done at 6 months of age. Possible as early as 4
months of age.
2.
Group weanlings together. Allow
visualization of mares (mothers)
3.
Have good, safe fencing between mares and weanlings.
4.
Alternate approach is complete separation from sight and hearing. This is more
stressful to the foal.