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Topic:Foals
"Foals" encompasses a stage in the lifecycle of equines with distinct physiological and developmental characteristics. Foals are young horses, typically under one year of age, undergoing rapid growth and development. They require specific nutritional, health, and management practices to support their transition to adulthood. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the growth, development, health challenges, and management practices associated with foals and horses, providing insights into their care and welfare across different life stages.
Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy for pyloric obstruction bypass in a horse and a foal. Gastric outflow obstruction in horses is a rare but challenging condition, often resulting from either congenital anomalies or acquired lesions such as chronic ulceration or pyloric polyps. Conventional surgical bypass procedures, including gastrojejunostomy (GJ) or gastroduodenostomy and less commonly duodenojejunostomy, can restore patency but may lead to postoperative complications. Objective: To describe the presentation, surgical management, and postoperative outcome of two horses-an adult and a foal treated with Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy combined with a side-to-side jejunojejunostomy (...
Embryo developmental kinetics and vitrification in relation to pregnancy outcome, foaling percentage and foal sex. While fast in vitro embryo development has been associated with improved outcomes, the relationships of slow in vitro embryo development and vitrified versus fresh in vitro produced (IVP) embryo transfer to foaling percentage and foal sex are less explored. Objective: To determine the relationships of (1) day of blastocyst formation (D7-11 after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)) and (2) vitrification and warming method (one- and three-step) versus fresh transfer with pregnancy, early pregnancy loss (EPL), foaling percentage and foal sex. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: B...
Laser neoureterocystostomy to treat ectopic ureters. Ureteral ectopia is an uncommon but clinically important congenital abnormality in horses. If left untreated, it can lead to persistent dermatitis, urinary tract infections, and failure to thrive. Surgical correction is necessary, but traditional approaches have produced mixed results with high morbidity. Identification of a minimally invasive, effective technique would significantly improve prognosis. Objective: To describe the procedure and outcomes of cystoscopic guided laser neoureterocystostomy in three fillies. Methods: Case series. Methods: Retrospective review of three cases treated wi...
Miscellaneous Equine Liver Conditions. Miscellaneous equine liver conditions not covered in other chapters include chronic active hepatitis, Tyzzer's disease, seasonal idiopathic hepatitis, neoplasia, and idiopathic persistent hyperbilirubinemia. Chronic active hepatitis refers to inflammatory and fibrotic liver disease with an unknown cause. Treatment is aimed at reducing inflammation. Tyzzer's disease is caused by Clostridium piliforme infection and causes acute necrotizing hepatitis in foals. Successful treatment with antimicrobial therapy and supportive care is rare. Seasonal idiopathic hepatitis is a winter disease of Midweste...
The Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Horses’ Nutrition-A Review. This narrative review presents examples of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation in horse nutrition. Fats are essential in equine nutrition, serving not only as an energy source but also as functional components influencing health. Among them, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly EPA and DHA, play a key role in modulating inflammatory and metabolic processes. This review summarizes their effects on respiratory health, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), musculoskeletal function, reproduction, and early development. Omega-3 supplementation has been shown to support airway inflam...
Anatomical distribution of meconium detected by focused abdominal ultrasound in hospitalized healthy and sick neonatal foals. Meconium impaction is a common cause of neonatal colic in foals, yet its ultrasonographic appearance and distribution remain poorly characterized. Objective: This study aimed to describe the frequency, distribution, and ultrasonographic appearance of meconium in hospitalized neonatal foals using a standardized focused ultrasound (FUS) abdominal protocol. Methods: The FUS protocol included 9 acoustic windows (3 left-sided, 3 ventral, 3 right-sided) and was performed once during hospitalization by a single operator using a curvilinear transducer. Results: Thirty-six foals (16 healthy and 20 sick...
Immunization of Foals with Equine Rotavirus A Vaccine Can Stabilize or Increase Rotavirus-Specific Neutralizing Antibody Titers. Despite a monovalent G3P[12] ('G3') vaccine being available for horses, equine rotavirus A (ERVA) is still the predominant infectious pathogen causing diarrhea in foals in the United States of America (U.S.). Previous research has shown that maternal neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers are too high and will interfere with the vaccination of foals at 30 and 45 days of age. We aimed to determine if it is possible to increase NAb titers in foals through vaccination before they are vulnerable to ERVA infection. We immunized two foals with the commercially available vaccine (G3) at solely three mont...
Clinical audit on antimicrobial stewardship effectiveness in reducing antimicrobial-resistant bacterial colonisation in hospitalised horses. International guidelines support the One Health approach and recommend antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) in veterinary medicine. National data on antimicrobial-resistant bacterial colonisation rates (AMRb CR) in horses remain limited. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ASP in reducing AMRb CR in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital using a clinical audit. Methods: Clinical audit. Methods: In Autumn 2021 active AMR surveillance in Perinatology/Reproduction and Internal Medicine Units planned; January-July 2022-first audit cycle (A1); Autumn 2022-review and implementation of anti...
High frequency and high genetic diversity of Pneumocystis sp. in foals. Twenty-two foals, aged one to seven months, which died from interstitial pneumonia (15 foals) or unrelated illnesses and injuries (7 foals), were enrolled in this study. Sampling of the lungs was performed post-mortem for a total of 52 specimens. Pneumocystis was detected in 21/22 foals (48/52 specimens) using a PCR assay targeting the gene encoding the small subunit of the mitochondrial rRNA (mtSSUrRNA) of the horse-related Pneumocystis (Pneumocystis sp. 'Equus ferus caballus'). The sequencing of the PCR products was successful in 34/48 specimens. The sequences were identical to the horse-rel...
The effects of citrulline on horse milk components and fecal metabolism were analyzed based on LC-MS and 16s amplicon. The lactation period in mares is critical, as it significantly influences foal health and subsequent reproductive outcomes. Developing a precise nutritional strategy for lactating mares is a primary research focus. L-citrulline, a bioactivenon-protein amino acid and precursor to arginine, has been shown to enhance mammary blood flow and reduce oxidative stress, yielding promising results in livestock lactation studies. However, research on its effects in Equus species remains limited. There is a notable gap in data regarding its impact on lactation performance blood biochemistry, and its role ...
Factors influencing gestation length in Mares in the Tiaret region, Algeria. Gestation length is a key parameter in equine reproductive management, yet its variability remains poorly documented in Barb and Arabian mares under Algerian conditions. Objective: This study aims to determine gestation length in mares and to assess the influence of various factors, including breed, year of mating, mating month, mare age, parity, reproductive status, stallion and the foal's sex on gestation duration. Methods: A total of 133 mares from the National Stud Farm of Tiaret (Algeria) were monitored over the period 2021-2024. Results: The mean gestation length was 332.5 days (range: 3...
The Effects of Boron Mineral on Performance, Bone and Mineral Metabolism in Purebred Arabian Foals. Boron plays significant roles in various biological systems, including mineral, lipid, and energy metabolism, immune and endocrine systems, and brain function. It has been suggested to enhance performance and may prevent conditions such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and arthritis. Despite these known benefits, its effects on growth performance and mineral metabolism in horses remain understudied, particularly in young animals like Purebred Arabian foals. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different doses of boron supplementation (0, 5, 10, and 15 mg/day ...
Unusual, fatal neck cancer in a foal: immunohistological investigations and differential diagnosis. Neck masses may represent a diagnostic challenge for equine veterinarians, since they may involve different structures with a similar clinical appearance. Whereas neck masses in foals mostly result from non-neoplastic conditions, including various congenital abnormalities, neoplastic cervical masses have been rarely documented. This report describes the unusual case of a rapidly growing neck cancer in a four-month-old colt, resulting in a fatal outcome. Gross and immunohistological findings were most consistent with a poorly differentiated thymic carcinoma with sarcomatoid features and multifo...
Validation of a stall-side immunoglobulin assay for use in equine reproductive management. Equine foals receive IgG from mare colostrum through passive transfer. Failure of passive transfer (FPT) is a significant risk to the foal's life, leaving them vulnerable to infection and sepsis. Radial Immunodiffusion (RID) and immunoturbidimetric assays quantify IgG present in a foal sample but require a laboratory to complete. Accurate, reproducible, stall-side testing to rapidly quantify IgG would allow for expedited clinical decisions, with potential to improve equine foal care and survival. Objective: To evaluate the analytical and clinical performance of a stall-side IgG lateral-flow te...
Pasture Intake of Whole-Day Stocked Thoroughbred Foals With Growth. We investigated the changes in the forage and nutrient intake of thoroughbred foals on pastures with whole-day stocking with age. Twelve thoroughbred foals were used and were allowed to graze on a pasture for 21 h/day from June to September. All foals were weaned just before 5 months of age. The pasture intake of the foals was measured using the double-indicator method. During the suckling period, the total voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) of the pasture for foals was higher at 4 months (2.1 kgDM/day) than at 2 months (1.3 kgDM/day). However, VDMI of pastures per body weight (%BW) for foal...
An in vitro collagen gel contraction assay to assess the relaxing effect of potential pharmacological alternatives to oxytetracycline on foals’ tendons. Oxytetracycline has been successfully used to treat flexural limb deformities in foals. However, its antimicrobial properties and potential adverse side effects warrant the investigation of alternatives. Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) or collagen cross-linking have been suggested as possible mechanisms of action. This study assessed the influence of potential alternative substances lacking antimicrobial properties on collagen gel contraction by juvenile equine myofibroblasts in vitro. Myofibroblasts were isolated from forelimb SDFTs and inferior check ligaments from foals eutha...
Complete atrioventricular septal defect in Thoroughbred foals: echocardiographic and postmortem findings. Complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is rarely reported in horses. We retrospectively reviewed three Thoroughbred foals (2017-2023) with necropsy-confirmed complete AVSD and summarized their clinical presentation, transthoracic echocardiographic findings, and postmortem anatomy. All foals showed early signs of congenital cardiac disease including weakness, failure to thrive and cardiac murmurs. Echocardiography demonstrated a common atrioventricular junction with a single atrioventricular valve and combined atrial and ventricular septal defects; all were classified as Rastelli type C...
Equine Salmonella in Argentina: Genetic relatedness with humans and other animal species and first detection of serovar Freetown. Salmonellosis in horses can cause severe enteritis with diarrhea, fever, and colic, which is usually severe in foals and hospitalized or immunocompromised animals. Carrier horses may intermittently shed Salmonella, thereby acting as a source of infection for other animals and humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and molecular subtyping of Salmonella spp. in horses from Argentina, focusing on potential zoonotic relevance. Only a single isolate (S. Newport) was obtained from fecal samples of 249 clinically healthy horses (2018-2022), indicating a very low carrier detec...
Longitudinal associations between dorsal carpal and third metacarpal bone morphology in Thoroughbred foals during growth. The carpal and third metacarpal (MC3) bones of the equine forelimb undergo morphological adaptation during early growth, influenced by developmental and mechanical factors. However, the longitudinal interactions between dorsal carpal morphology and MC3 structural characteristics have not been fully characterized. Improved understanding of these relationships may help identify morphological indicators associated with bone injury risk before training. Objective: To examine the longitudinal associations between dorsal carpal angular morphology and MC3 diaphyseal parameters in growing Thoroughbred...
Hematological and Biochemical Profiles in Mule and Horse Neonates from Birth to 30 Days of Age: A Comparative Study with Clinical Perspectives. Few studies have evaluated hematological and biochemical parameters in mule foals, and neonatal reference data remain limited. Objective: To compare hematological and biochemical parameters in mule and horse neonates up to 30 days of life. Methods: Mule (n=15) and horse (n=16) neonates were evaluated at birth, 12 and 24h, and at 7 and 30d of age. Results: Mules had higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (g/dL; 33.85 ± 0.18; P=0.04), platelets (× 10³/µL; 342,179 ± 15,691; P=0.0051), albumin (g/dL; 3.24 ± 0.05; P=0.0039), calcium (mg/dL; 12.27 ± 0.14; P=0.03), chloride (mmol/L; ...
Case Report: Mesh repair of a urinary bladder dorsal wall defect following repeated cystorrhaphy in a warmblood foal. A three-day-old male Warmblood foal presented with inability to urinate. Primary diagnostic findings included abdominal distension, hyperkalemia, azotemia, and ultrasonographic evidence for free anechoic fluid in the abdominal cavity. Abdominocentesis confirmed the diagnosis of an uroperitoneum [peritoneal fluid to serum creatinine ratio (>2:1)]. Suture repair of a dorsal urinary bladder wall defect was performed, but leakage along the suture tracts resulted in recurrent uroperitoneum confirmed by computed tomographic urography after two days. Repeated cystorrhaphy was performed but uroperi...
Caudal esophageal achalasia in a Quarter Horse colt. Achalasia is the most common motility disorder of the esophagus in humans and has been diagnosed in cats and dogs. We describe a 4-month-old Quarter Horse colt with failure to thrive, recurrent colic episodes, and aspiration pneumonia, in which fluoroscopic evaluation identified a caudal esophageal motility disorder consistent with achalasia. Necropsy examination confirmed achalasia.
Impacts of flavor and aromatic palatants on consumption behavior in nursing foals. Palatability research in horses has primarily been conducted in mature, non-lactating horses and has typically investigated gustatory rather than aromatic preference. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the gustatory and aromatic preferences of nursing foals. Methods: Stock-type mare (13.25 ± 4.40 years) and foal (6 ± 3 weeks) pairings (n = 4) were utilized in multi-preference testing for treatments including apple, anise, peppermint and control (no palatant). Mares and foals were placed in assigned split stalls for 1800 seconds and provided unrestricted access to a...
Interstitial pneumonia associated with equid gammaherpesvirus 5 infection in 2 neonatal foals, and a retrospective study in Hokkaido, Japan. Various bacterial and viral pathogens have been identified in cases of interstitial pneumonia in foals within the first month of life. A potential association has been suggested between equid gammaherpesvirus 5 (EqGHV5, equine herpesvirus 5; family , taxon species ) and interstitial pneumonia in foals; however, direct histologic evidence has been limited. We examined 2 neonates-12-d- and 24-d-old-with acute respiratory distress and poor response to treatment. Postmortem examination revealed interstitial pneumonia with diffuse alveolar damage and intranuclear inclusion bodies in alveolar macrop...
Prevalence of potential enteric pathogens in diarrheic and non-diarrheic foals in Brazil. Diarrhea is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in foals. Our hypothesis is that foals with diarrhea have a greater prevalence of ≥2 organisms causing coinfections. We investigated the major microorganisms associated with diarrhea in 200 foals up to 1-y-old (100 diarrheic and 100 non-diarrheic). Fecal samples were analyzed by real-time PCR (rtPCR) for the detection of and toxin genes and , (genotyping for toxin-encoding genes), spp., , , , , , and spp. Rotavirus A and coronavirus were detected using reverse-transcription rtPCR. Fecal bacterial culture was also performed for ...
Does the Reproductive Technique Affect Neonatal Health Parameters in Foals? This retrospective study evaluated whether different reproductive biotechnologies influence neonatal behaviour parameters in foals. Data from 102 foalings in two commercial breeding farms were analysed, including foals conceived by artificial insemination (AI), conventional embryo transfer (ET) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Neonatal parameters recorded were birth weight, time to achieve sternal recumbency, time to stand, time to nurse and time to meconium elimination. Mixed statistical models were applied to assess the influence of reproductive technique, breed, sex and farm. Si...
Sequential measurement of serum amyloid A concentrations in ill hospitalized neonatal foals. In hospitalized foals, limited data are available on the utility of sequential measurement of SAA concentrations and the value of these data in a clinical setting. Objective: To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in ill neonatal foals at multiple timepoints during hospitalization, and to evaluate a potential association with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status, blood culture (BC) result, and survival. Methods: Hospitalized ill foals (n = 90, ≤ 14 days). Methods: In this retrospective study, foals were classified based on SIRS criteria: "SIRS" or "NonSIRS," ...
Prolonged wireless measurement of intragastric pH in foals. The pathogenesis of gastric ulceration is not well understood in foals, and its relationship with gastric acidity requires further investigation. A wireless capsule, designed for intraesophageal pH monitoring in humans, was adapted to measure intragastric pH in adult horses. Objective: To (1) determine the feasibility of wireless intragastric pH measurement in foals; (2) determine capsule attachment duration; and (3) describe the intragastric pH profiles recorded. Methods: Eight healthy foals aged 24-98 days. Methods: Prospective interventional study. Capsules were attached to the glandular g...
Paternal determinants of Offspring Sex Ratio in horses: A retrospective analysis of stallion breed, age, and breeding method. Offspring Sex Ratio (OSR) at birth in mammals is generally assumed to follow a 1:1 male-to-female distribution, yet deviations in OSR have been observed and may be influenced by maternal and paternal factors. In this study we have focused on the effect of paternal factors (stallion age and breed) and breeding methods on the OSR. Using a retrospective dataset of 251,783 foal births recorded in France between 2015 and 2024, we applied generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the effects of these variables on the likelihood of producing a female foal. Stallion identity was included as a random...
More conservative use of antimicrobials does not adversely affect treatment outcomes in foal bronchopneumonia. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance raises concerns about using antibiotics in veterinary medicine, particularly in cases of bronchopneumonia in foals diagnosed early based on a screening programme. Many subclinical foals recover spontaneously, thus, interest in more restrictive antibiotic usage is increasing. Objective: To determine whether initiating antimicrobial therapy at a later stage of bronchopneumonia decreases antimicrobial usage without compromising successful resolution of pathology in affected foals. Methods: A total of 1200 warmblood foals born in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 ...
