"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.
MacLeay JM.In 1992, a multiparous 13-year-old Thoroughbred mare and her 48-hour-old colt were examined because of possible neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI). Supportive treatment was administered, and the foal recovered without requiring a transfusion. According to the owners, the mare had delivered foals without incident during 1987 and 1991. The mare was barren during 1993, but in 1994, delivered a filly that developed severe NI. The foal was given 3 transfusions and eventually recovered without complications. Blood typing analysis of the mare and its foals indicated that all 4 foals were positive for the ...
Brama PA, Bank RA, Tekoppele JM, Van Weeren PR.Subchondral bone provides structural support to the overlying articular cartilage and plays an important role in osteochondral diseases. There is growing insight that the mechanical features of bone are related to the biochemistry of the collagen network. In this study the effect of exercise on water, calcium and the collagen network (total collagen, lysyl-hydroxylation, hydroxylysylpyridinoline, and lysylpyridinoline crosslinks) of subchondral bone at two differently loaded sites (site 1: intermittently loaded; site 2: constantly loaded) is investigated in foals. Exercise influenced calcium c...
Hauser B, Wehrend A, Bostedt H, Failing K.Analysis of blood gases in equine neonatology is regarded as a diagnostic tool to study the neonatal adaptation period. Aim of this study therefore was to compare the diagnostic value of venous blood gas parameters to arterial parameters in newborn foals with pulmonary disorders. Venous as well as arterial blood samples were taken from 24 foals (1 to 6 days old) and the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), pH, and oxygen parturition (S-O2) of these samples were investigated. In addition, the alveolar (A) to arterial (a) gradients (A-aDO2) were calculated...
Makrai L, Fodor L, Csivincsik A, Varga J, Senoner Z, Szabó B.The cultural, morphological, biochemical, serological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of 25 Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from lungs and lung abscesses of pneumonic foals and 5 R. equi strains isolated from immuno-compromised human patients were examined. All R. equi strains showed common cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics both with conventional tests and on the basis of their enzyme profile. The R. equi strains examined were resistant to penicillins with the exception of ampicillin, to sulphamethazine and several strains also to sulphamethoxazole-trimeth...
Hartzel DK, Arnoczky SP, Kilfoyle SJ, Stick JA.To demonstrate myofibroblasts in the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ie, distal check ligament) and deep digital flexor tendon of clinically normal foals. Methods: Tissue specimens from 25 foals that were necropsied for reasons unrelated to this study and unrelated to musculoskeletal disease. Methods: The distal check ligament and deep digital flexor tendon of both forelimbs were examined histologically. Myofibroblasts were identified by immunohistochemical staining specific for alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). Results: Most of the cells in the distal check ligament...
Brooks DE, Clark CK, Lester GD.Corneal touch threshold (CTT) was measured in sick neonatal foals, healthy foals, and healthy adult horses with a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. The mean overall CTT for the adult horses, sick foals, and healthy foals was 4.82 +/- 0.87 cm, 3.21 +/- 0.24 cm, and 5.01 +/- 0.61 cm, respectively. The central cornea of adult horses was more sensitive than the limbal cornea. Corneal sensitivity was significantly reduced in sick neonatal foals compared to adults. The mean Schirmer I tear test values were significantly lower in foals than adults, and were 14.2 +/- 1.0 mm, 12.8 +/- 2.4 mm, and 18.3 +/- ...
Marsh PS, Palmer JE.To assess microorganisms isolated from blood specimens obtained from critically ill neonatal foals and to evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 543 neonatal foals. Methods: Medical records of foals that were < 1 month old and were admitted to a referral neonatal intensive care unit were reviewed for results of bacteriologic culture of blood and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Results: At least 1 microorganism was isolated from 155 of 543 (28.5%) foals. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacterium. A single gram-posit...
Horowitz ML, Cohen ND, Takai S, Becu T, Chaffin MK, Chu KK, Magdesian KG, Martens RJ.The distributions of the incubation periods for infectious and neoplastic diseases originating from point-source exposures, and for genetic diseases, follow a lognormal distribution (Sartwell's model). Conversely, incubation periods in propagated outbreaks and diseases with strong environmental components do not follow a lognormal distribution. In this study Sartwell's model was applied to the age at onset and age at death of foals with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia. The age at onset of clinical signs and age at death were compiled for 107 foals that had been diagnosed with R. equi pneumonia at b...
Brommer H, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Kessels B.Reference values for haematological and blood biochemical variables may vary per breed and are influenced by age and, to a certain extent, by rearing conditions. To investigate the influence of age and rearing conditions, these variables were measured in Dutch Warmblood foals from birth to 5 months of age. The foals were divided into three groups with different exercise regimens: 14 foals got boxrest with no exercise; 14 foals were kept in comparable boxes, but received daily exercise; and 15 foals were maintained on pasture with free exercise. Blood samples were collected each month and 36 ha...
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Collins SS, Drudge JH.Research carried out during the last 4 years (1996-1999) of an 11-year study of the prevalence of internal parasites naturally transmitted to horse foals born on the same pasture on a farm in central Kentucky is presented here. Horses in this herd were not treated with any antiparasitic compound for over 20 years except for a replacement stallion in 1994. A total of 22 species, including 12 species of small strongyles, were recovered in the 4-year period. Transmission patterns of all species (n=35) of endoparasites recovered are compared for the 11-year study. Some of the changes were an incre...
Jensen TK, Boye M, Bille-Hansen V.Fluorescent in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and Grocott's methenamine-silver nitrate staining were compared as diagnostic methods for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in formalin-fixed lung tissue from foals and pigs. An oligonucleotide probe targeting 18S ribosomal RNA of P. carinii was designed for in situ hybridization, and a commercially available monoclonal antibody was used for immunohistochemistry. Samples from six foals and 10 pigs with P. carinii pneumonia, as verified by Grocott's methenamine-silver nitrate staining, were examined concurrently with samples from seven anima...
Suwannachot P, Verkleij CB, Kocsis S, van Weeren PR, Evertst ME.The purpose of the present study was to determine whether training and detraining affect the Na+,K+-ATPase concentration in horse skeletal muscles, and whether these effects are specific for the muscles involved in the training programme. Twenty-four Dutch Warmblood foals age 7 days were assigned randomly to 3 groups: Box (box-rest without training), Training (box-rest with training: short-sprint) and Pasture (pasture without training). Exercise regimens were carried out for 5 months and were followed by 6 months of detraining. Five of the foals in each group were subjected to euthanasia at ag...
DeLay J, Peregrine AS, Parsons DA.Strongylus vulgaris migration and cranial mesenteric arterial thrombus formation resulted in fatal colic in a 3-month-old Thoroughbred foal. Vascular damage associated with S. vulgaris occurs early in the course of infection and, despite widespread use of broad-spectrum anthelmintics, appropriate management is still essential to minimize exposure of young animals to this parasite.
Morton AC, Begg AP, Anderson GA, Takai S, Lämmler C, Browning GF.Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA from a large collection of clinical isolates of Rhodococcus equi, an important pathogen of foals, was used to compare strain distribution between farms and over time. Forty-four strains were found among 209 isolates, with 5 of these accounting for over half the isolates and the 22 strains isolated more than once accounting for 90% of the isolates. The average genotypic diversity on each farm and in each year was found to be less than the genotypic diversity of the isolates taken as a whole, with 5.2% of the total...
Sanchez LC, Lester GD, Merritt AM.To characterize intragastric pH profiles in critically ill foals and determine whether administration of ranitidine altered pH profiles. Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: 23 hospitalized neonatal foals < or = 4 days of age. Methods: Intragastric pH was measured continuously for up to 24 hours by use of an indwelling electrode and continuous data recording system. In 21 foals, ranitidine was administered IV. Results: 10 foals had predominantly or exclusively alkaline profiles, 10 had profiles typical of those reported for healthy foals, with periods of acidity (hourly mean p...
Kamber R, Farah Z, Rusch P, Hassig M.A major problem in camel productivity is the high mortality rate of camel calves in the first 3 months. The causes for mortality are mainly poor management practice and infectious diseases. The purpose of this research, carried out on a ranch in Kenya, was to determine the immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration in camel colostrum as well as the extent of the calves' passive immunization by maternal antibodies. IgG concentration in colostrum and in the serum of the calf were measured during the first 3 d of life. Evaluation was carried out by comparing the respective values with those for horses ...
Vanniasinkam T, Barton MD, Heuzenroeder MW.Linear B-cell epitopes of the Rhodococcus equi virulence-associated protein (VapA) were mapped using a synthetic peptide bank in this study. The peptides were screened in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a total of 70 sera from foals with current R. equi disease (51 sera), as well as from foals that had either recovered from R. equi infection 10 months previously (3 sera) or that had no known history of R. equi disease (16 sera). An epitope with the sequence NLQKDEPNGRA was identified and was universally recognized by all 51 sera from foals with R. equi disease and was not rec...
Sellon DC, Besser TE, Vivrette SL, McConnico RS.Recently, a technique was described for amplification of Rhodococcus equi-specific chromosomal and vapA DNA from blood and tracheal wash fluids. It was hypothesized that this technique would be more sensitive than standard culture techniques or serology for diagnosis of R. equi pneumonia in foals. Tracheal wash fluid, nasal swabs, whole blood samples, and serum samples from 56 foals with pneumonia were analyzed. Final clinical diagnosis was determined by the attending clinician on the basis of final interpretation of all available information about each foal, including clinical presentation, d...
Cullinane A, Weld J, Osborne M, Nelly M, Mcbride C, Walsh C.The purpose of these studies was to examine the response of Thoroughbred foals and yearlings to different influenza vaccines and vaccination regimes. The horses' antibody levels against haemagglutinin, an established correlate of protection were measured by haemagglutination inhibition. The first study investigated the extent to which maternal antibodies interfered with the humoral response to a subunit vaccine. The findings suggest that repeat vaccination in the face of maternal antibodies may induce tolerance as defined by serological testing. The second study compared the immune response el...
Wehrend A, Meyer W, Herfen K, Bostedt H.A case of congenital (Erythro)keratoderma variabilis in a newborn foal is described. The clinical and histological findings are presented.
Cook AG, Buechner-Maxwell V, Morrow JK, Ward DL, Parker NA, Dascanio JJ, Ley WB, Cooper W.Horses that are exposed to Sarcocystis neurona, a causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, produce antibodies that are detectable in serum by western blot (WB). A positive test is indicative of exposure to the organism. Positive tests in young horses can be complicated by the presence of maternal antibodies. Passive transfer of maternal antibodies to S. neurona from seropositive mares to their foals was evaluated. Foals were sampled at birth (presuckle), at 24h of age (postsuckle), and at monthly intervals. All foals sampled before suckling were seronegative. Thirty-three foals f...
Hinrichs K, Provost PJ, Torello EM.Synchronization of follicle growth between oocyte donor and recipient mares is difficult. To avoid this, recipient mares in a clinical program were used during a period of low follicular activity, and were treated with estrogen before transfer and progesterone after transfer. Five pregnancies were established after oocyte transfer to nonovulating, hormone-treated recipient mares. One pregnancy was lost before 30 d gestation, and the other 4 foals were carried to term. One foal died at birth. Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in these mares indicates that nonovulating, hormone-treated ...
Ruohoniemi M, Kaikkonen R, Raekallio M, Luukkanen L.This retrospective study consisted of 14 horses (age 6 weeks-12 years) with radiographically evident sand accumulations cranioventrally in the abdomen and clinical signs suggestive of sand enteropathy. The horses were treated medically and resolution of sand was monitored radiographically. Routine treatment consisted of psyllium mucilloid, combined with magnesium sulphate and/or mineral oilif needed. Initially, the number, size and shape of the sand accumulations showed large variation and the response to therapy was not predictable based on the initial appearance of the accumulation. In 2 foa...
Chaffin MK, Fajt V, Martens RJ, Arnold CE, Cohen ND, O'Conor M, Taylor RJ, Bernstein LR.Gallium is a trivalent semi-metal with anti-microbial effects because of its incorporation into crucial iron-dependent reproductive enzyme systems. Gallium maltolate (GaM) provides significant gallium bioavailability to people and mice following oral administration and to neonatal foals following intragastric administration. To study the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of GaM against Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals, we developed a methylcellulose formulation of GaM (GaM-MCF) for oral administration to neonatal foals. Normal neonatal foals were studied. Six foals received 20 mg/kg and ...
Higuchi T, Hashikura S, Hagiwara S, Gojo C, Inui T, Satoh S, Yoshida M, Fujii M, Hidaka D, Tsubaki S, Takai S.Although isolation of Rhodococcus equi from tracheobronchial aspirates is thought to be a definitive diagnosis of R. equi pneumonia in foals, virulence of isolates from the aspirates of infected foals remains obscure. In the present study, transtracheal aspirates were collected from thirty-one 1- to 6-month-old foals, which showed clinical signs of respiratory tract infection, and R. equi isolates were analyzed for the presence of virulence plasmids and virulence-associated antigens. Moreover, this method was compared with a serodiagnosis by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to eval...
Smyth GB, Young DW, Duran SH.Postprandial insulin and glucose concentrations were measured in 3 Arabian and 3 Thoroughbred foals at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months of age. Prefeeding serum insulin concentrations were similar in foals at 1 day (25.9 +/- 5.1 pmol/L), 1 week (32.4 +/- 5.8 pmol/L), and 1 month (38.2 +/- 7.9 pmol/L), but had increased significantly to 131.0 +/- 20.2 pmol/L at 3 months of age (P < 0.05). There was significantly increased serum insulin secretion after a feed in foals at 3 months of age (P < 0.05) when compared with that at younger ages. Prefeeding serum glucose concentrations ranged fr...
Sheahan BJ, Wilkins PA, Lascola KM, Martin V, Po E.Prior studies have shown the prognostic utility of measuring L-lactate in critically ill neonatal foals, both as single (at admission) and serial measurements. Greater prognostic sensitivity and specificity may be achieved by use of the area under the L-lactate versus time curve (LACArea ) over the first 24 hours of hospitalization, which captures both severity and duration of hyperlactatemia. Prior to application of this concept in sick equine neonates, a reference interval for LACArea should be determined. Methods: The concentration of lactate [LAC] was measured in blood obtained via direct ...
Auer JA, Martens RJ.Valgus deformities were created in 6 pony foals by hemicircumferential transection of the periosteum and periosteal stripping (HCTP and PS) just proximally to the distal physis on the medial side of 1 radius (principal thoracic limb). The opposite thoracic limb served as a control. One month after this surgical procedure was done, the limbs were radiographed and the angle of deviation was determined. All horses developed a valgus deformity of the principal limb. In an effort to correct the acquired valgus deformity, the 2nd surgical procedure was performed--HCTP and PS on the lateral aspect of...
Christensen BW, Roberts JF, Pozor MA, Giguere S, Sells SF, Donahue JM.A 4-year-old Thoroughbred mare was evaluated because of placental abnormalities and a retained placental remnant. Results: Microbial culture of the placenta yielded pure growth of Amycolatopsis spp. Histologic examination of the placenta revealed a focally expanding chorionitis with intralesional gram-positive filamentous bacilli and multifocal allantoic adenomatous hyperplasia on the apposing allantoic surface. Results: Treatment with lavage and oxytocin resulted in expulsion of the placental remnant within hours of parturition. The mare did not become pregnant again despite multiple breeding...
Migdał A, Migdał Ł, Oczkowicz M, Okólski A, Chełmońska-Soyta A.The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms leading to the identification of pathogens by congenital immune receptors in foals up to 60 days of age. The study was conducted on 16 foal Polish Pony Horses (Polish Konik) divided into two study groups: control ( = 9) and experimental ( = 7). Foals from the experimental group received an intramuscular duplicate injection of 5 mL of Biotropina (Biowet) at 35 and 40 days of age. The RNA isolated from venous blood was used to evaluate the expression of the, , and genes using RT-PCR. The results of the experiment demonstrated a s...
Campbell TM, Studdert MJ, Ellis WM, Paton CM.A foal with primary severe combined immunodeficiency, diagnosed within the first two weeks of life, was maintained with its dam in semi-isolation. The foal received continuous prophylactic antibiotic therapy, plasma from a sibling hyperimmunised with equine adenovirus vaccine, and intensive general nursing care. A full sibling female was selected as a bone marrow donor on the basis of red blood cell cross-matching and mixed lymphocyte reactions. Cyclophosphamide was given before two bone marrow transfusions at 35 and 73 days of age. To prevent graft versus host disease graft versus host diseas...
Arfuso F, Giannetto C, Giudice E, Fazio F, Piccione G.The physiological role of L-carnitine in equine species is worthy of investigation; however, the systemic content of free L-carnitine and its dynamic change in growing foals as well as in exercising horses are still poorly investigated. In this study, the influence of age and exercise on free serum L-carnitine levels was evaluated in equine species. Ten foals were monitored from 6 up to 18 months of age (group 1), whereas 60 horses were divided in six groups in accordance with their age: group 2, 2-year-old; group 3, 3-year-old; group 4, 4-year-old; group 5, 5-year-old; group 6, 6-year-old; g...
Cymbaluk NF, Laarveld B.The effects of dam parity, age at weaning, and preweaning diet were examined in the ontogeny of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in foals. Foals born to 13 primiparous and 19 multiparous draft-cross mares were weighed and bled near birth. About one-half of the foals in each group were weaned early (about 13 wk old); the remaining foals were weaned late (about 16 wk of age). Pooled values for serum IGF-I concentrations between birth and 17 wk of age were higher (P < 0.065) for foals born to multiparous (386 ng/ml) than to primiparous mares (237.5 ng/ml). Colts (378 n...
Vitale V, Berg LC, Larsen BB, Hannesdottir A, Dybdahl Thomsen P, Laursen SH, Verwilghen D, van Galen G.This pilot prospective study reports the feasibility, management and cost of the use of a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system in critically ill adult horses and foals. We compared the glucose measurements obtained by the CGM device with blood glucose (BG) concentrations. Neonatal foals (0-2 weeks of age) and adult horses (> 1 year old) admitted in the period of March-May 2016 with clinical and laboratory parameters compatible with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) were included. Glucose concentration was monitored every 4 hours on blood samples with a point-of-care (POC) gl...
Koterba AM, Wozniak JA, Kosch PC.Changes in pattern of airflow, sequence of respiratory muscle activation and generated pressures were measured serially in a group of foals during the first year post partum, in order to describe the maturation of the equine breathing pattern. In neonatal foals, inspiration and expiration were both primarily active and airflow pattern was essentially monophasic. By age 1 year, foals displayed essentially the same breathing pattern previously described in adult horses, utilising a combination of active and passive inspiration and expiration to breathe around, rather than from, the relaxation vo...
Szeredi L, Pálfi V, Molnár T.The objective of the investigations was to study the occurrence of the equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in aborted equine fetuses and in newborn foals and to compare the sensitivity of virus isolation, immunohistochemistry and histology in 101 cases and of fetal serology in 68 cases in the diagnosis of the infection. Out of the 93 aborted equine fetuses and 8 weak foals, 15 (14.9%) (14 fetuses and 1 foal) proved to be EHV-1 infected by immunohistochemical and 13 (12.9%) by virological investigation. Characteristic microscopic changes were seen in several organs in all cases, while i...
Baumgartner WA, Storey ES, Paulsen DB.Intraocular choristomas are rare anomalies in domestic animals and are often associated with multiple ocular malformations. A Thoroughbred foal presented for ocular abnormalities and was diagnosed with microphthalmia, corneal dermoids, severe anterior segment dysgenesis (including glandular choristomas), aphakia, retinal dysplasia, and optic nerve hypoplasia. Morphological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical comparisons were made between ocular choristomatous tissues from this foal and lacrimal gland, third eyelid gland, nasopharynx, trachea, and lacrimal sac/nasolacrimal duct from normal ...
Punsmann S, Hellige M, Hoppe J, Freise F, Venner M.Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) in foals is a rare but challenging syndrome. Diagnostic imaging is crucial for its diagnosis. While there are some reports on radiographic findings, ultrasound is sparsely described. Variability in the evaluation of radiographs in AIP has been well described in human literature. Part one of this study is a prospective, observational, observer agreement study investigating inter- and intraobserver agreement in the assessment of thoracic radiographs. Part two is a prospective, controlled, descriptive study on thoracic ultrasonography in foals with AIP. Eighteen...
Potter BM, Scansen BA, Dunbar LK, Reed SM, Toribio RE.There are rare published reports of atrial fibrillation (AF) in foals, all of which are associated with structural heart disease or within the adaptive period of newborns. This report describes a 3-month-old Thoroughbred filly with AF and a structurally normal heart on echocardiography. Medical cardioversion of the foal's AF was attempted with three 20mg/kg doses of quinidine sulfate therapy without success. Timed, transcutaneous, direct current cardioversion was successfully performed using adhesive patches on the midthorax in conjunction with intravenous procainamide at a total dose of 20mg/...
Beech J.Despite major advances in our knowledge and ability to treat respiratory diseases in neonatal foals, neonatal respiratory medicine is still in its infancy. It is hoped that this article may serve as a guideline for diagnosis and treatment. Specific antibiotic regimens and emergency procedures are covered in other articles in this symposium. Because management factors play a critical role in the pathogenesis of respiratory disease, education of clients as to their importance would help both prophylactically and therapeutically. The necessity of very careful monitoring of neonates, which is crit...
Sanclemente JL, Rivera-Velez SM, Dasgupta N, Horohov DW, Wood PL, Sanz MG.Many foals that develop thoracic ultrasonographic lesions as a result of Rhodococcus equi infection heal on their own. However, most of these foals receive antimicrobials because foals at risk of developing clinical pneumonia cannot be identified. Untargeted lipidomics is useful to identify candidate biomarkers. Objective: (a) To describe the changes that occur in foal lipidomics as a result of ageing (birth to 8 weeks) and (b) To compare these results with those observed in foals after experimental infection with R. equi. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Healthy newborn foals (n = 9) ...
Satoła A, Łuszczyński J, Petrych W, Satoła K.Knowledge of the body weight of horses permits breeders to provide appropriate feeding and care regimen and allows veterinarians to monitor the animals' health. It is not always possible to perform an accurate measurement of the body weight of horses using horse weighbridges, and therefore, new body weight formulas based on biometric measurements are required. The objective of this study is to develop and validate models for estimating body weight in Icelandic foals using machine learning methods. The study was conducted using 312 data records of body measurements on 24 Icelandic foals (12 col...
Duggan VE, Holyoak GR, MaCallister CG, Confer AW.The objectives of the present study were to determine whether induction of parturition in mares at term with low doses of oxytocin (2.5 i.u. i.v. every 20 min) affected the incidence of peri-partum complications or inflammatory responses in the neonatal foal. Parturition was induced in 11 of 26 mares and the remainder foaled spontaneously. Serum concentrations of amyloid A (AA; an acute phase protein) were measured (with a commercial ELISA) from 0 to 72 h postpartum in 18 of the neonatal foals. The incidence of dystocia and premature placental separation was higher in induced mares (2 of 11 an...
Alonso JM, Filho PTH, Ávila AR, Machado VMV, Hataka A, Bueno LMC, Alves ALG, Hussni CA, Rodrigues CA, Watanabe MJ.There are no previous reports of cranial meningocele in horses. In this report, we present the case of a 1-day-old male Quarter Horse that was born with a mass in the occipital region. The newborn was brought to the veterinary hospital, and a meningocele was diagnosed. The patient then underwent surgical closure of the defect. After an initial favorable response, the patient displayed signs of infection. The antibiotic therapy was changed, and the patient's condition improved. On the 13th postoperative day, the patient exhibited ataxia, difficulty standing, and limb hypertonia. Hydrocephalus w...
Santschi EM, Slone DE, Gronwall R, Juzwiak JS, Moll HD.The records of 105 pregnant mares and 105 nonpregnant horses with colic admitted to an equine hospital were reviewed. The 2 groups had similar types of colic and short-term survivability. Of the 105 pregnant mares, 31 were treated medically and 74 required surgical intervention. Thirty-three of the 105 mares died or were euthanatized. Thirteen (18%) of the 72 remaining mares aborted. Of 4 mares with severe medical cases, 2 died, 1 aborted, and 1 aborted and died. Of 27 horses with medical cases that required less intensive treatment, none died and 2 aborted. Of the 74 horses that required surg...
Rumbaugh GE, Ardans AA, Ginno D, Trommershausen-Smith A.Four procedures for assessment of adequacy of colostral immunoglobulin (Ig) transfer in foals were evaluated. Results of zinc sulfate turbidity test, serum electrophoresis, total serum protein refractometry, and sodium sulfite precipitation test were compared with immunoglobulin G content determined by single radial immunodiffusion. The zinc sulfate turbidity test gave acceptable results for IgG, except that hemolyzed serum samples gave higher than expected values. A correction factor for hemolyzed serum was found to be useful. Serum electrophoresis was a satisfactory method of estimating IgG ...
Fouché N, Gerber V, Thomann A, Perreten V.We report blood culture results of 43 foals admitted to an equine hospital for medical or surgical disorders and determine minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of different antibiotics. Eleven foals had a positive blood culture result despite prior administration of antibiotics in 10 of these animals. MIC values above EUCAST and/or CLSI breakpoints were identified in coagulase-negative staphylococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecium. Gram-negative isolates were less frequently identified and did not appear to exhibit increased MIC values. This stud...
Renaudin CD, Kass PH, Bruyas JF.A table was generated, based on foetal ultrasonographic measurements in light breed mares, for each day of gestation beginning with day 100, to provide the predicted value of four biometric parameters: biparietal diameter (BPD), eye approximated volume (EyV), foetal aortic diameter (AortD) and femur length (FL). Using this table, day of gestation was successfully predicted in 23 Quarter Horses (QH) with known mating or ovulation dates. BPD, EyV and FL were the best foetal age predictors between 100- and 200-days gestation predicting within 2 weeks of the actual day of gestation, while BPD and...
Schöniger S, Gräfe H, Wipplinger M, Schoon HA.In mares, placental diseases are a common cause of pregnancy failure and they can have an economic impact on the horse breeding industry. To our knowledge no published data on TLR expression in the equine placenta exist. This study examined the expression of TLR 2, 4 and 6 as transcript and protein in the placenta (chorioallantois) of 14 foals born alive. By PCR, all examined placental samples contained TLR 2, 4 and 6 transcripts. Using immunohistochemistry, trophoblasts and allantoic epithelium were immunopositive for TLR 2, 4 and 6 in all placental samples. The majority of placental samples ...
Gill J, Kompanowska-Jezierska E, Jakubow K, Kott A, Szumska D.In 34 pure-breed Arabian horses divided into four groups (Gr. I, ten pregnant mares; Gr. II, seven barren mares; Gr. III, ten foals born in 1981; Gr. IV, seven foals born in 1982) seasonal changes in the white blood cell system, cortisol level and lyzozyme activity were studied. Seasonal periodicity was found in all groups for the number of lymphocytes, segmented neutrophils and eosinophils and cortisol level. Leukocyte periodicity was found in three groups, but not in the barren mares. In lyzozyme activity there was periodicity in three groups but not in the youngest foals. In the stab neutro...
James FM, Parente EJ, Palmer JE.A 1-day-old Standardbred foal with a history of extreme respiratory distress after birth consistent with upper airway obstruction was evaluated. A temporary tracheostomy tube was placed by the referring veterinarian. Results: On initial examination, there was evidence of hypoxic-ischemic syndrome, secondary to perinatal asphyxia. Endoscopy revealed obstruction of both nares at the level of the choanae; a diagnosis of bilateral choanal atresia was made. Results: The foal was anesthetized and underwent transendoscopic laser fenestration of the buccopharyngeal membranes. Three weeks after surgery...
van den Hoogen BM, van de Lest CH, van Weeren PR, van Golde LM, Barneveld A.In osteochondrosis (OC) the process of endochondral ossification is impaired. Proteoglycans form one of the major components of the extracellular matrix of cartilage and are able to bind calcium. For this reason, proteoglycans are thought to play an important role early in the mineralisation process and may, therefore, be important in the pathogenesis of OC. To investigate possible differences in proteoglycan metabolism, normal and osteochondrotic articular-epiphyseal cartilage was harvested from the hock and stifle joints of 43 foals age 5 and 11 months. The samples were cultured as explants ...
Peña-Cadahia C, Manso-Díaz G, Santiago-Llorente I, Villalba-Orero M.A 2-day-old filly was referred to the hospital with abdominal pain and constipation. The foal presented tachycardia, tachypnea, hypoxemia, hyperlactatemia, and abdominal distension. Meconium impaction was diagnosed, and the filly underwent abdominal surgery. Diazepam and butorphanol were administered for anesthesia premedication, but sedative effects were mild. Xylazine was used to enhance sedation and ketamine was subsequently administered for induction. The foal showed swallow reflex and head movement when intubation was attempted. Consequently, isoflurane on oxygen was provided via an anest...
