Neonatal Management and Common Neonatal Diseases Including Orphan Foal Management and Management During the First Six Months.

Lesson 8

Assignment: Chapter 11 in the text.

In this lesson we will discuss the important managerial aspects new born and orphan foal management, and follow the foal to six months of age. There are some critical things that need immediate attention after a foal is born. This will help prevent complications following delivery of a live foal.

I. Immediate newborn management.

A. Make sure amnion sac is not covering foal’s muzzle and restricting breathing.

B. It is important for last transfer of blood from mare to foal prior to breaking of the cord.

C. The foaling environment must be clean with good footing. (Wood shavings or sawdust base covered with clean, dry straw.)

D. Foal should be bright and alert from beginning.

a. Clear breathing passages.

b. Allow mare and foal to bond.

c. Foal should stand within first hour. (The foal will usually attempt to stand within 10 to 15 minutes of foaling.)

d. The foal should nurse within first 2 hours. (Foal will usually attempt to nurse within first half hour.)

e. Naval should be dipped in a disinfectant (nolvasan (chlorhexidine) or betadine (tamed iodine) usually as soon as possible after the cord breaks.

f. Using an enema on the foal is advisable. Normally done anytime after the foal has been up and nursing.

g. If mare hasn’t been vaccinated for tetanus within the last few months of pregnancy, the foal should be administered a tetanus antitoxin.

Common problems must be recognized and dealt with effectively if they arise in the first few days of a foal’s life.

II. Problems associated with the immediate post foaling period.

A. Meconium (first manure) 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. Appears 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 malajustment syndrome or “dummy foal”

1. These foals may be normal at birth and become “dummy” on the second or third day after birth. (Foals 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.

E. Septicemia

1. Possible fever, lack of nursing reflex, weak, depressed foals from birth.

2. Systemic infection contracted within the womb.

F. Failure of passive transfer of antibodies.

1. Lack of colostrums intake during first 12 to 24 hours of birth.

1. Mare dies at birth.

2. Mare leaks out colostrums prior to birth.

3. Mare has inadequate levels of colostrums.

4. Foal does not nurse properly for first 24 hours. There is no placental transfer of antibodies to foal. The only way a foal can naturally obtain neonatal protecting antibodies is through colostrums intake.

2. Blood analysis after 18 hours of life to detect IGG antibody levels.

1. 400mg/dl is considered partial failure of passive transfer and requires IGG rich plasma transfusion to prevent infection problems during the first few months of life.

a. 400 – 800mg/dl. Most of these foals will survive, but an IGG rich plasma transfusion would probably be beneficial.

b. 800mg/dl. This level of antibody transfer is considered adequate and ideal and will provide the young foal with adequate protective antibodies for good health until natural antibodies are developed at 3 to 4 months of age.

The raising of an orphan foal is sometimes necessary.

Care of the orphan foal.

a. An 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 are not available, Plasma rich IGG antibodies should be given to the foal by stomach tube in the first 12 to 24 hours of life, or intravenously shortly thereafter.

Meeting the needs of the growing orphan foal.

a. Nurse mare.

1. The mare must accept orphan foal. (Urine or manure of mare can be rubbed on the foal).

2. The mare must be a good milker.

3. Initial nursing must be attended.

b. Goats have been used successfully to raise an orphan foal.

c. Hand feeding

1. Milk replacer (quick formula is evaporated can milk and water in equal proportions) Commercial – Foal Lac.

2. Use of a lamb’s nipple is best.

3. First week: feed every hour. Second week feed every 2 hours. Third week feed every 3 hours. Third week feed every 3 hours. Fourth week feed every 4 hours. Thereafter feed 4 times per day.

4. Attempt to switch to bucket feeding as soon as possible.

Behavior of orphan foals

A. Orphans should be around a gentle horse or pony to allow him/her to become a “horse”.

B. The sooner they are exposed to other weanlings the better.

C. 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.

Factors to be considered during the first 6 months of a foal’s life. Six months of age is the most common age for weaning. (The permanent removal of foal from dam so no more nourishment is derived from the dam.)

2. 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 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.

1. Deworm every 2 months during first year of life. Rotate strongid with a benzimidazole at 2, 4 and 6 months. At 8 months start ivermectin.

f. EEE, WEE, WEST Nile, VEE, Influenza, Rhinopneumonitis and tetanus at 2 months with a booster 3 to 4 weeks later. At 6 months flu and rhino and possibly strangles. Other vaccines depending on area of the country. (Rabies, Potomac horse fever, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, lyme disease, botulism.)

g. Suckling stage diseases.

A. Foal heat scours (diarrhea).

1. Normally is eliminated when mare goes out of heat.

2. Two ounce of Pepto Bismol can be helpful every 6 hours.

B. Infectious diarrhea.

1. Can be serious. Foals dehydrate easily. Usually need veterinary attention.

C. Stomach and intestinal ulcers.

1. Seem to be caused by stress.

2. Excessive salivation, grinding teeth, diarrhea.

3. Mylanta or Maalox is helpful.

4. Anti-ulcer medication can be effective. (Prevents secretion of stomach acids).

h. Infectious Pneumonia

1. Normally requires veterinary care.

2. Rodococcus pneumonia (bacterial pneumonia – dust pneumonia) 2-6 months of age, coughing. Abscesses in the lungs.

i.Umbilical hernia-

1. If small, may close on its own by 6 months.

2. Require surgical closure if large or if not gone by 6 months.

j. Navel Ill or Joint Ill (Bacterial infection usually introduced through the umbilical cord shortly after birth. (This is why disinfectant application to cord is important).

1. Spreads to joints and causes severe infections usually causing permanent joint disability.

2. Requires extensive veterinary treatment for chance of future usefulness.

k. 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.

l. Contracted tendons

1. Seen to knuckle over at the fetlock. superficial digital flexor contraction or development of a club foot with inability to put heel on the ground. (Deep digital flexor contraction).

4. Surgery to cut offending tendon may be necessary.

m. Weaning

1. Normally done at 6 months of age. Possible as early as 4 months.

2. Group weanlings together and allow them to have visual contact with mothers.

3. Have good, safe fencing between weanlings and mares.

4. Alternate approach is complete separation from sight and hearing. This is more stressful to the foal.