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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.
Postoperative myositis in a neonatal foal: a case report. A foal with azotemia, acidemia, and electrolyte abnormalities was diagnosed with uroperitoneum. The foal was anesthetized with isoflurane, and throughout the 4 hours of anesthesia and abdominal surgery, its mean arterial pressure ranged between 45 and 65 mm Hg. The foal developed a myopathy postoperatively and died 24 hours after surgery.
A retrospective study of increased plasma progestagen concentrations in compromised neonatal foals. Plasma progestagen concentrations were measured daily by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 35 sick foals for the duration of their illness. The foals were divided into three groups on the basis of time to stand after birth. Foals were given intensive care treatment according to the severity of their illness. Plasma and urine concentrations of pregnenolone (P5) and pregnenediol (P5 beta beta) were measured by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry; plasma cortisol concentrations were measured by RIA and the foals' renal and respiratory status were assessed by creatinine clearance ratios and arterial oxy...
A one-stage marsupialization procedure for management of infected umbilical vein remnants in calves and foals. Five Holstein calves and two foals with omphalophlebitis were treated by surgical marsupialization of the umbilical vein remnant because complete resection of the infected tract was not possible. The infected umbilical stalk was resected, and the umbilical vein remnant was marsupialized in a one-stage procedure by suturing it into the abdominal wall lateral to the abdominal incision. Antimicrobial drugs were administered, and the marsupialized tract was irrigated until closure by second intention healing. Cellulitis associated with the marsupialization site occurred in two calves but resolved ...
Acceleration and timing of fertile ovulation in cyclic mares with a deslorelin implant. In a blinded trial, the effectiveness and safety of 2.2 mg of the GnRH analog deslorelin acetate, administered in a short-term implant (STI) to normally cycling mares in estrus with a dominant ovarian follicle of 30 mm in diameter or larger, were evaluated, using a placebo implant as a negative control. A total of 39 mares received treatments at admittance with pre-randomized implants containing either 2.2 mg or 0 mg deslorelin. Mares were teased daily and examined rectally with ultrasound at 24 h intervals to determine time to ovulation and duration of estrus. The number of breedings and the ...
Prolonged gestation, decreased triiodothyronine concentration, and thyroid gland histomorphologic features in newborn foals of mares grazing Acremonion coenophialum-infected fescue. Newborn foals of mares grazing on Acremonium coenophialum-infected fescue pasture throughout gestation or from gestation day 300 to parturition had increased gestation duration and decreased serum triiodothyronine concentration. Pregnant mares were allotted to 4 treatments: grazing continuously on endophyte-free (E-) fescue, grazing continuously on endophyte-infected (E+) fescue, grazing on E+ fescue from gestation day 300 to parturition, and grazing on E+ fescue from conception to gestation day 300. Morphometric studies indicated that foals born to mares exposed to endophyte late in gestation...
Anti-inflammatory and immune support in endotoxemia and septicemia. Endotoxemia and septicemia are encountered frequently in equine veterinary practice. The deleterious effects of endotoxin are related to the severity of the response of the host's inflammatory system. Consequently, it is imperative that appropriate steps be taken to identify animals at risk of developing endotoxemia or septicemia, and to initiate treatments that will reduce the inflammatory response. This article discusses the anti-inflammatory and immune support of horses and foals with endotoxemia and septicemia.
Amino acid composition of the milk of some mammalian species changes with stage of lactation. To determine whether the amino acid composition of milk changes during lactation, we compared the amino acid pattern (concentration of each individual amino acid relative to the total amino acid concentration) of colostrum with that of mature milk in six mammalian species. In the human, horse, pig and cow, the pattern of amino acids changed between colostrum and mature milk: glutamate, proline, methionine, isoleucine and lysine increased; cystine, glycine, serine, threonine and alanine decreased. In these four species, the total amino acid concentration also decreased 75% between colostrum and...
Morphological analysis of cervical vertebrae in ataxic foals. Morphological differences between cervical vertebrae were statistically analyzed in ataxic foals to clarify abnormal structural factors in the pathogenesis of this problem. At first, multiple regression analysis and cluster analysis were performed with 28 variables in C3-C7 of 39 control foals without lameness. As a result, there were no sex differences in the growth of all cervical vertebral sites, and the most suitable categorization of the age of the foals was 3 clusters of 8 months old or younger, 9-12 months old and 13 months old or older in any sites in the cervical vertebrae. Twenty-eig...
Release of lipid from the equine placenta during in vitro incubation. An in vitro incubation technique was used to examine release of lipids from the equine placenta. Placental tissue was obtained at term (n = 5, term = 320-365 days) and earlier in gestation (n = 8, mean = 266 days). Term placentae were incubated at two temperatures, 4 degrees C (control) and 37 degrees C for 2 h. Pre-term placentae were incubated at 37 degrees C with two different concentrations of fatty acid in the medium. Tissues and media were analysed for their lipid concentrations. Term and pre-term placentae released free fatty acid (FFA) and phospholipid into the incubation medium during...
[Embryo transfer in horses–current status and future perspectives]. Although foals born after embryo transfer are eligible for registration in the majority of horse breeds, application of embryo transfer is still rare. This is mainly due to the lack of a possibility for superovulation. Uterine stage embryos can be recovered by a non-surgical flushing technique. Transfer can be accomplished by non-surgical as well as surgical methods. In contrast to the situation in cattle, most related technologies are scarcely available. Methods of cryopreservation as well as bisection of embryos are hampered by the fact that suitable embryos (morula) can be collected from th...
Efficacy of the new radiographic measurement method for cervical vertebral instability in wobbling foals. Cervical myelography and survey radiography was performed on 12 light breed wobbling foals and a new radiographic measurement method was applied for more accurate diagnosis of cervical vertebral instability. Ratios of stenosis of the spinal canal on survey radiography and myelography using relative values in an individual foal were defined on radiograms of lateral flexed position of mid-cervical region, and coincidence between the ratios and histopathological lesions in the cervical spinal cord was investigated. Five of 6 foals had ratios of stenosis on myelography more than 40% at the interve...
Distribution of SP- and CGRP-like immunoreactive nerve fibers in the lower respiratory tract of neonatal foals: evidence for loss during development. The lungs of neonatal foals contain many nerves immunoreactive for substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide. These nerves are closely associated with the epithelium, bronchial and pulmonary vessels and the airway smooth muscle of all intrathoracic airways, including non-cartilaginous bronchioles. Activation of sensory nerves in the respiratory epithelium could thus potentially affect, via local axon reflexes, vascular and respiratory smooth muscle in neonatal equine airways. Nerves immunoreactive for these peptides are much more widely distributed within the lung than in adult horses; t...
In vitro mechanical properties of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon in horses in relation to age. The material properties of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (AL) of 21 forelimbs from horses between ages one day and 15 years were determined. The force (634-11416 N), failure stress (45-138 N/mm2), failure strain (7-24%) and tangent modulus (33-1639 MPa) are presented in relation to age. Tangent modulus did not indicate changes in elasticity due to age. The results demonstrate that complete ligament failures (CLF) of ALs of older horses (mean 7835 N) occur at lower forces than ALs of young adult horses (mean 8894 N). Sudden decreases, 'dips', in the force-time curves ...
Successful pregnancy after partial hysterectomy in two mares. Infertility was associated with a uterine mass in 2 Thoroughbred mares. Both mares had produced live foals, but had been barren for 2 years, despite repeated breedings. Each mass was removed through a right ventral paramedian incision. Histologic examination of the masses revealed a leiomyoma and an ovarian abscess. In 1 mare, approximately 30% of 1 uterine horn was removed because of tumor attachment; in the other mare, approximately 50% of 1 uterine horn was removed because of adhesions to the ovarian abscess. Pregnancy information was available for both mares for the 3 years after surgery; ...
Comparison of daily and monthly pyrantel treatment in yearling thoroughbreds and the protective effect of strategic medication of mares on their foals. Studies on a Thoroughbred breeding farm in Ohio were done to: (1) compare the effects of daily administration of pyrantel tartrate feed pellets with monthly administration of a pyrantel pamoate paste to yearling horses (21 January-3 September); (2) assess the effects of daily pyrantel tartrate given strategically in spring/summer to foaling mares (1 April-16 August) and given for a prolonged period to barren mares (21 January-3 September); (3) determine if strategic medication of foaling mares with daily pyrantel tartrate protected their foals until weaning. There were no differences in cyatho...
Equine rotaviruses with G14 serotype specificity circulate among venezuelan horses. Two group A rotavirus strains isolated from diarrheic foals in Venezuela were classified as belonging to G14 serotype by cross-neutralization tests and on the basis of the homology of the sequenced VP7 gene. This report confirms that rotavirus strains of G14 serotype specificity circulate among equine populations.
Disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis in a horse. A 6-year-old female Quarter Horse became inappetent, lost weight, was febrile, and had abdominal enlargement and infrequent bouts of mild colic. Palpation per rectum detected a prominent, smooth-walled mass adjacent to the pelvic flexure of the colon. Analyses revealed the peritoneal fluid was apparently normal except for a high protein concentration. By the use of ultrasonography, the mass was observed adjacent to the body wall in many locations throughout the abdomen, appearing as an irregular, multiloculated structure composed of innumerable cysts of various sizes with interspersed, circula...
Effect of route of administration and age on the pharmacokinetics of amikacin administered by the intravenous and intraosseous routes to 3 and 5-day-old foals. The suitability of the intraosseous (i.o.) route for drug administration to equine neonates was evaluated in a study comparing the pharmacokinetics of amikacin administered by the i.o. and intravenous (i.v.) routes. Using a cross-over study design amikacin sulphate (7 mg/kg bwt) was administered i.o. or i.v. to 6 healthy foals at 3 and 5 days of age. Amikacin was instantaneously and completely absorbed after i.o. administration, achieving a mean +/- sd peak concentration (34.17 +/- 3.54 micrograms/ml) in the first sample collected 3 min after administration which was not significantly differen...
Prepartum adrenocortical maturation in the fetal foal: responses to ACTH. The present study was carried out on 19 chronically catheterized mares and fetuses in late gestation (term > 320 days). In six animals which were monitored up to the time of delivery of a live foal, plasma and amniotic fluid cortisol concentrations remained low until 4-5 days before parturition when there was a rapid, significant rise (P < 0.05) which was not accompanied by any corresponding changes in maternal plasma cortisol. Circulating fetal ACTH concentrations became more variable close to delivery and ANOVA revealed no significant increases during this critical period, although a n...
Review of 40 cases of lung abscesses in foals and adult horses. A retrospective study of 40 horses with primary lung abscesses without pleuropneumonia showed that lung abscesses occurred predominantly in young horses, usually in foals aged < or = 6 months. Hyperfibrinogenaemia was present in all but 2 horses, and other common clinical and haematological findings were hyperthermia, tachycardia, polypnoea, and neutrophilic leucocytosis. The most common bacterial species isolated from transtracheal aspirates were Streptococcus zooepidemicus (20/34) and Rhodococcus equi (13/34). Most horses (23/27) discharged from the hospital were long term survivors. Of t...
Application of PCR to a clinical and environmental investigation of a case of equine botulism. PCR for the detection of botulinum neurotoxin gene types A to E was used in the investigation of a case of equine botulism. Samples from a foal diagnosed with toxicoinfectious botulism in 1985 were reanalyzed by PCR and the mouse bioassay in conjunction with an environmental survey. Neurotoxin B was detected by mouse bioassay in culture enrichments of serum, spleen, feces, and intestinal contents. PCR results compared well with mouse bioassay results, detecting type B neurotoxin genes in these samples and also in a liver sample. Other neurotoxin types were not detected by either test. Clostrid...
Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody-based colony blot test for rapid identification of virulent Rhodococcus equi. We recently generated a monoclonal antibody immunoglobulin G1 (MAb 10G5), which can recognize 15- to 17-kDa antigens, virulence-associated antigens of Rhodococcus equi, and developed a colony blot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with MAb 10G5 for the rapid identification of virulent R. equi. In this epidemiologic study, we evaluated the results of the colony blot test in the identification of virulent isolates of R. equi from feces of horses and soil and compared them with those from a conventional procedure (plasmid profiles of isolates by agarose gel electrophoresis). Environmental isolate...
[Eimeria leuckarti infections in foals and their mothers in upper Bavaria]. In this epidemiological study 30 mares and their foals from seven farms in Upper Bavaria were investigated. Eimeria-leuckarti-oocysts were found in 24 foals (80%), but only in one mare. Oocysts were first detected 28 days post partum at the earliest and 191 days post partum at the latest. In foals, excretion of oocysts usually occurred intermittently with coproscopically negative intervals of up to 15 weeks, and was most frequent in June (8 foals), July (17 foals), and August (10 foals). With the exception of two animals which had mild diarrhoea, the oocyst-shedding foals showed no clinical si...
Congenital abnormalities of tendons and ligaments. Congenital deformities of tendons and ligaments are not uncommon in foals. The vast majority of hyperextension deformities are treated successfully with exercise management and extended heel shoes. Successful treatment of contractural deformities depend on the site and severity of the deformity and on the appropriate use of medical, physical, and, possibly, surgical therapy.
Clinicopathological observations on thoroughbred foals with enlarged thyroid gland. Seven cases of thoroughbred foals kept on a farm in the Hidaka district of Hokkaido showed bilateral thyroid enlargement from 3 or 4 months after birth. Their serum T4 levels were remarkably low, whereas T3 levels were in the normal range. Serum T4 levels were also low in the other clinically normal foals and their dams kept together. Since the iodine content in pasture soil and grass was very low, iodine deficiency was supposed to be the cause of the disease.
Systemic candidiasis in four foals. Four foals were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in the first 2 days of life with problems related to birth hypoxia (neonatal maladjustment syndrome, renal failure, necrotizing enterocolitis) and sepsis. Foals were hospitalized for an extended period (35 to 70 days) and received treatment with several broad spectrum antimicrobial agents. Invasive monitoring and treatment procedures included intravenous catheterization, urinary catheterization, and parenteral nutritional and ventilatory support. In each foal, infections of undetermined cause developed, and systemic candidiasis was d...
Isolation of equine herpesvirus type 2 (equine gammaherpesvirus 2) from foals with keratoconjunctivitis. Ocular problems characterized by conjunctivitis, epiphora, and keratopathy were detected in 35 of 80 Thoroughbred weanling foals that also had respiratory disease. Ocular problems were determined to be caused by infection with equine herpesvirus type 2 (EHV-2) and were successfully treated with ophthalmic medication containing idoxuridine. Equine herpesvirus type 2 isolated from 3 of 5 foals from which samples were collected. The identity of the causative virus as EHV-2 was confirmed by use of electron microscopy, restriction endonuclease DNA fingerprinting, and Southern blot analysis.
