Texas Equine Veterinary Association

www.texasequineva.com • 16 What I ca y on my truck (during foaling season) in a ition to my normal su lies: IgG test kits Foal stomach tube 14 g 3.5" IV cathet s Fu el 1 L LRS Disinfectants 1 L 5% Dextrose/0.45% NaCl Lactomet Bl d culture tubes Change of clothes and rubb b ts G d quality IgG replacement plasma Foal splints Plasma lines/1 L fluid lines Bandage Mat ials Bl d culture tubes Bl d culture tubes Shi ing box/ label/ice pack/ submi ion forms to send off labs Oxytetracyclin Sta ion cathet and adapt to p form "dutch technique" for retained fetal membranes Baking soda Ut ine lavage tube and pump Pota ium chloride Table salt Anti-dia heal meds Foal endotracheal tube and ambu bag 50% Dextrose Rope G d quality probiotics Ut ine culture es Sucralfate Box of slides Chains/handles Slide hold s e mare should have passed her placenta intact, be eating and defecating well, have a normal TPR with normal mucous membranes, and be standing within an hour aer birth. e foals should also associate with the mare, be nursing readily, be sleeping well, and be active. Once a foal is about eight hours old, a good trick to help judge the health of the foal is to see how it reacts to a stranger entering the stall. A healthy foal should jump up, walk/run to the mare, and start nursing for comfort, as long as the foal didn't recently nurse; this is a very consistent barometer in judging if the foal needs veterinary attention. Although there is some conflicting evidence for maintaining the health of the umbilicus in humans, it is still recommended to dip a foal's umbilicus with 2% chlorhexidine one time aer birth. ere is good evidence in lower income countries that the residual effects of chlorhexidine helps to decrease the bacterial colonization on the umbilicus in human babies although little evidence to suggest that continued dipping of the umbilicus is helpful. On healthy foals, a single application of chlorhexidine may be sufficient. When the mare has a retained placenta, colic, metritis, mastitis, or a lack of a mare/foal bond can occur, oentimes the foal needs to be evaluated closely as decreased colostrum/ milk production or ingestion in the mare can lead to problems in the foal such as failure of passive transfer, partial failure of passive transfer, sepsis, dehydration, or gastric ulcers. erefore, treating and examining the two as a pair despite only being called to treat one of the them is essential. New foal exams should be scheduled at 12 to 24 hours of age or earlier if any problems arise. Due to the naïve immunologic status of the foal, use clean or, ideally, gloved hands when examining the foal. NEW FOAL EXAM Head: Watch the foal's behavior from outside the stall to see its mentation and interaction with the environment and mare. is can then be reassessed when walking into the stall and seeing how it interacts with people and the mare. e thin hair of the ears allows evaluation of petechiation or icterus, look at the shape of the ear pinna as premature/ dysmature foals may have floppy ears, and see if foal is responding to sounds (testing for hearing requires a brainstem auditory evoke response (BAER) test and may be needed if there are concerns). Evidence of petechiation can also be found in the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose; this may be an indication of sepsis or secondary to trauma. Icterus of the skin and mucous membranes is due to hyperbilirubinemia with infectious and inflammatory causes. Closely examine the eyes for evidence of congenital abnormalities including cataracts or changes to the anterior or posterior chamber, which may be an indication of a systemic infection/inflammation. ere may be entropion of the eye lids especially in dehydrated foals that may need to be corrected to prevent corneal ulceration. It's important to remember that the foal's menace response is absent at birth and therefore a lack of a menace is not an abnormality. e mouth is examined for palatal defects, maxilla/mandibular overgrowth/undergrowth, prematurely erupted incisors (an indicator of dysmaturity), petechia, mucous membrane color, moisture, and capillary refill time. Normal foals are very hyperesthetic at this time, especially when examining their heads. ForeLimbs/Neck: Moving caudal from the head, palpate the neck for any pain/stiffness. Look at the mane and coat for indications of prematurity. e legs are evaluated for angular/flexural limb deformities, joint effusion, limb edema, coronary band hyperemia, and eponychium wear. Coronary band hyperemia is easier to note on white hooves and can be missed

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