Mortality in horses refers to the incidence and causes of death within equine populations. Understanding mortality is important for assessing health risks, improving management practices, and guiding veterinary care. Various factors contribute to mortality in horses, including age, breed, health status, and environmental conditions. Common causes of death in horses include colic, injury, infectious diseases, and age-related conditions. Mortality rates and patterns can vary significantly depending on the population and geographic location. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the epidemiology, causes, and trends of mortality in horses, providing insights into preventive measures and management strategies to reduce mortality rates.
Stowe HD.Thirty-four adult ponies were used to determine the effects of single oral doses of copper (Cu) supplements (0, 20, and 40 mg of Cu/kg of body weight) on the toxicity of oral doses of selenium (Se) supplements (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg of Se/kg of body weight) administered 24 hours after the copper was given. Signs of Se toxicosis-sweating, diarrhea, tachycardia, tachypnea, mild pyrexia, lethargy, and colic-developed in ponies given 6 and 8 mg of Se/kg of body weight without Cu pretreatment. Two of 4 ponies given 6 mg of Se/kg and both ponies given 8 mg of Se/kg without Cu pretreatment died within...
Deem DA, Harrington DD.A 15 month-old Quarter Horse colt developed severe bacterial pneumonia and effusive pleuritis. A beta-hemolytic streptococcus was isolated from a tracheal wash specimen but the colt died despite conventional therapy. The gross post mortem and histologic lesions were characteristic of pulmonary nocardiosis. Nocardia brasiliensis was isolated from the lung and bronchial lymph node.
Wingfield Digby NJ, Simons MA, Stockman MJ.Various type of insurance policies covering the risks against mortality, economic slaughter and loss of use, breeding failures and payment of veterinary fees are discussed. The role of the veterinary surgeon in supplying certificates of health and in relation to claims, including those involving destruction on humane grounds, are considered.
Pemberton DH, Thomas KW, Terry MJ.The prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in 82 young foals was determined. Twelve foals were considered clinically abnormal at birth and ten died within two weeks. All of these foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic. Seven (10%) of the other 70 apparently normal foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic despite having suckled normally. Three of these foals developed significant disease and one died at one month of age. Rapid detection of foals with low serum immunoglobulin levels was achieved by adapting the zinc sulphate turbidity test to partially evacuated blood collection tubes. This permitted test to ...
Speirs VC, Christie BA, van Veenendaal JC.Rectal trauma in horses is usually iatrogenic and carries a high mortality. Partial thickness tears heal without surgical assistance. Full thickness tears require surgical repair through the anus or a ventral laparotomy or, if these are not possible because of difficulty in gaining access to the tear in its usual site at the pelvic inlet, a diverting colostomy to allow the rectum to heal is necessary. This paper describes the management of 15 cases of rectal injury, only 3 of which survived. Two of these were partial thickness tears not treated surgically and the third had a temporary divertin...
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Franken P, van Beukelen P, Blok G.Two horses became ill, and one died, after being fed onions, presumably over a long period. Their intake of grass was low at the time of illness because the pasture was covered with snow. Examination of blood and urine revealed signs of severe haemolytic anaemia.
Asquith RL, Edds GT, Aller WW, Bortell R.Twelve clinically normal Shetland ponies were allocated to one of four treatment groups. Aflatoxin B1 was administered at the dosage level of 2 mg/kg of body weight to group A, 1 mg/kg to group B, and 0.5 mg/kg to group C; a placebo was given to group D (controls). Plasma samples were assayed at 4-hour intervals for iditol dehydrogenase (ID) (sorbitol dehydrogenase) concentrations as an indicator of hepatic damage. One of the ponies in group A died 68 hours after dosing; another pony in group A died 76 hours after dosing. All other animals survived the experiment. The means of peak ID values w...
Mouren MC, Ohayon M, Tatossian A.Animals have always occupied a privileged place beside man and with him form a couple, a duality. In the first part the authors study the psychology of the adopted animal. Then they look at greater length into the personality of his owner, with particular insistence on the reasons for acquiring it, on the choice of animal (dog, cat, horses), on the part it plays in the life of its master, and on the latter's reaction at his companion's death. They also tackle the problem of man's abnormal behaviour in relation to animals, especially bestiality.
Vandeplassche M.The author reviews 40 years of clinical experience including more than 1000 cases of dystocia in mares of different breeds. The high incidence of stillbirth and perinatal mortality of the foal, severe lesions of the genital tract developing during foaling and in the early post partum period are discussed and suggestions made for their prevention and treatment. The advantages of partial embryotomy to avoid unnecessary caesarean sections are emphasised. Special attention is given to the causes of and approach to cases of prolonged gestation; to dystocia caused by retroversion of preparturient to...
Stick JA, Wilson T, Kunze D.Of three horses with basilar skull fractures, two died within 48 hours. The remaining horse was euthanatized because of a locomotion deficit. Clinical signs included epistaxis followed by ataxia. In each case, the basi-occipital bone and ventral portion of the calvarium were involved in the fracture. Diagnosis was based on clinical signs or radiographic appearance of guttural pouches, or both.
Smith BP, Timm K, Jahn S, Reina-Guerra M.Three of 33 ponies died after the herd had been moved to a new environment 3 months earlier. One mare died without premonitory signs of illness. Shortly thereafter, a 5-day-old foal and a 2-year-old gelding died after brief illness. Although cultures were not performed on the mare, Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the feces and tissues of the foal and gelding. Lesions in the foal were confined to ecchymotic hemorrhages on the mucosal surface of the colon and petechial hemorrhages in the splenic capsule, with adhesions to the parietal peritoneum. The gelding had evidence of severe typhl...
Hartley WJ, Dixon RJ.Twenty-nine cases of EHV1 infection occurred on a property, mainly in full term foals. Some foals were stillborn, some were born alive but weak and soon died and others were healthy at birth, became ill and died within 3 days of birth. Apart from voluminous, oedematous and atelectic lungs there were no gross lesions. Microscopically the lungs showed oedema, pneumonitis and bronchiolitis with intranuclear inclusions and, in many of the foals that survived over 6 hours, there was also hyaline membrane formation. Microscopic lesions were also seen in the liver, adrenal, thymus and spleen of some ...
Svendsen CK, Hjortkjaer RK, Hesselholt M.42 horses were examined. The physical signs with relation to circulatory insufficiency and the abdominal disease were registered following a two-phased examination procedure. Great prognostic value was found in the degree of circulatory insufficiency judged by pulse rate and character, filling of the jugular vein, skin temperature, colour of mucous membranes, capillary refill time, sweating, depression, skin turgor and degree of enophthalmus. In making a causal diagnosis the abdomen was examined for shape, tenderness, peristaltic sounds, gastric dilation by siphoning, abnormal rectal findings ...
Moreland AF, Gaskin JM, Schimpff RD, Woodard JC, Olson GA.Pregnant Rhesus monkeys were infected via instillation of influenza, mumps and western equine encephalomyelitis viruses respectively into the amniotic sacs at approximately 90 days gestation to determine if fetal infections would occur. Virus was recovered from fetal tissues after seven days in 100% of the exposed animals. Thus, the viruses are capable of causing fetal infection. Rhesus monkey fetuses were inoculated with influenza, mumps and WEE viruses by the direct intracerebral route at approximately 90 days gestation to determine possible teratogenicity of the viruses. influenza virus cau...
Burrows GE.Repeated exposure of ponies in Escherichia coli endotoxin resulted in attenuation of the packed cell volume, beta-glucuronidase, capillary refill time and neutrophil responses usually accompanying endotoxin administration. An overall decrease in severity of clinical response including reduced mortality was also apparent in ponies with repeated endotoxin exposure. Modification of the febrile response was not observed in any of the experimental groups.
van der Molen EJ.The causes of neonatal mortality in foals were studied over a period of two years. The total number of foals studied was 121. Bacterial infection was found to be an important factor. Infection caused by A. equuli (1.6%) which previously was the most important one, has been superseded by E. coli infection (56%). E. coli infections particularly occur during the first weeks of life and, depending on the course of the disease, give rise to various pathological changes. Infections running an acute course are mainly marked by pathological changes of the lung and lymphoid organs. Infections running a...
Brobst DF, Lee HA, Spencer GR.An 11-year-old mare with polyuria, polydipsia, and azotemia was found to be hypercalcemic and hypophosphatemic. The concentration of calcium in a single collection of urine was within normal limits, although urinary inorganic phosphate concentration was lower than normal. After a brief period of supportive treatment, the mare died. At necropsy, the kidneys were found to be shrunken and fibrous. Histologically, the lesions were those of glomerulonephritis.
Riemann HP, Kaneko JJ, Haghighi S, Behymer DE, Franti CE, Ruppanner R.Hospitalized animals and stray dogs were serologically tested for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii. In addition, the data were examined for the possibility of toxoplasmosis infection being associated with the clinical diagnosis and with the discharge status (alive vs. dead). Among 1056 hospitalized animals, 17 (20%) of 86 cats, 112 (14%) of 804 dogs, 34 (26%) of 133 horses and 6 (18%) of 33 cattle had serological evidence of infection with T. gondii. Only 22 (6%) of 342 young (median age = one year) stray dogs were seropositive. The difference in antibody prevalence between hospitalized an...
Studdert MJ.Set in a context of immunodeficiency diseases in general this paper provides a brief, illustrated review of a primary, severe, combined immunodeficiency (PSCID) disease of Arabian foals. Affected foals are clinically normal at birth but beginning at about 10 days of age they develop a range of clinical signs particularly bronchopneumonia and diarrhoea with which adenoviruses are peculiarly associated. Despite intensive therapy foals invariably die by about 3 months of age. Affected foals are profoundly lymphopagenic (greater than 1000 lymphcoytes per mm3). There is thymic and lymph node hypopl...
Dixon RJ, Hartley WJ, Hutchins DR, Lepherd EE, Feilen C, Jones RF, Love DN, Sabine M, Wells AL.An outbreak of perinatal foal mortality associated with a herpesvirus is described. Twenty two foals either were still-born, or died soon after birth, or were weak and soon developed severe respiratory signs, or were normal at birth and developed respiratory symptoms 18 to 24 hours later. Elevated temperatures, heart and respiratory rates were constant features. The animals were severely leucopaenic, and showed an absolute neutropaenia. At autopsy the lungs were enlarged, and showed varying degrees of aeration and moderate to severe oedema and congestion. Histopathology showed an acute focal n...
Harris WF.Three horses exhibited nervous and cardiopulmonary signs after ingestins small amounts of metaldehyde, and 2 died in 3 to 5 hours. A colt given 0.1 mg/kg was similarly affected and died.
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Wiemer P, Bergman HJ, van der Veen H, Pruissen L.In the period from January 1995 until December 2000, 272 horses underwent a laparotomy for gastrointestinal disorders. The results of these surgeries were evaluated. From these 272 patients 176 (= 65%) were discharged in good health from the hospital. When the patients that were euthanized immediately after the start of the surgery, because of a fatal deterioration, were not taken into account, the short time survival rate was 77%. Strangulated small and large intestinal obstructions (48%) had a lower short time survival rate than non-strangulated obstructions (87%). Fatal postoperative compli...
Puotunen-Reinert A, Huskamp B.A retrospective study on surgical cases of colic in horses (n = 216) revealed that 42 (19.4%) developed post-surgical diarrhoea. Salmonella spp. were isolated in 6 (16.2%) of the cases (n = 37) exhibiting diarrhoea. In 35.7% of the cases (n = 42) recovery from surgery was disturbed by other complications; 23.8% (10/42) died, 2 of which from primary acute diarrhoea due to salmonellosis. Most of the outbreaks of diarrhoea occurred in winter and spring. From the associated variables examined, the duration of colic signs revealed a significant difference between the cases which developed acute pos...
Fitzgerald WE.Four cases of snakebite in horses are presented. Diagnosis was made on clinical signs in all, plus fang punctures in 2 cases. Tiger snake antivenene was used in the treatment of 2 patients and these recovered rapidly. Of the 2 in which antivenene was not used, 1 severely affected horse died. The clinical signs which were observed were those of progressive general paralysis and were entirely referable to the neurotoxic component of the venom.
Feige K, Steiger R, Graf U, Schöberl M.Clinical signs of horses with peritonitis were colic (67.4%), elevated heart rate (53.2%), altered mucous membranes (75.8%), reduced intestinal motility (63.2%), increased tension of the abdominal wall (69.9%) and pyrexia (45.1%). The amount of obtained peritoneal fluid was increased in 62.3% of the horses. Colour and translucency of the peritoneal fluid were abnormal in 98.8% of the patients. The nucleated cell count was 83.5 (10-595) x 10(3)/microliter, protein content 35.6 g/l (+/-14.2), specific gravity 1027.3 (+/-7.4) and the relative amount of neutrophils was 87.8% (+/-11). The physical ...
Stick JA, Wilson T, Kunze D.Of three horses with basilar skull fractures, two died within 48 hours. The remaining horse was euthanatized because of a locomotion deficit. Clinical signs included epistaxis followed by ataxia. In each case, the basi-occipital bone and ventral portion of the calvarium were involved in the fracture. Diagnosis was based on clinical signs or radiographic appearance of guttural pouches, or both.
Haughey KG, Jones RT.A high frequency of meningeal lesions was found at autopsy in foals dying perinatally. Such lesions are considered an index of injury to the fetal central nervous system, from trauma and/or hypoxia during birth. Their incidence in the sample examined (26 foals) is similar to that observed in the perinatal mortality of lambs and calves.
Manning M, Dubielzig R, McGuirk S.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.
Chaffin MK, Cohen ND.To determine whether administration of commercially available Escherichia coli antiserum to neonatal foals would affect serum IgG concentration or morbidity and mortality rates during the first 60 days of life. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: 271 neonatal foals on 4 well-managed farms. Methods: Foals were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. All foals were allowed to suckle colostrum normally. In addition, treatment-group foals were given E coli antiserum (10 micromilligrams) orally between 0 and 8 hours after birth. Serum samples were obtained between 18 and 36 ho...
Ramadan MM, Dailey D.This is the first account of fatal toxicity in horses resulting from grazing on the pasture plant creeping indigo, , on the island of Oahu, in the Hawaiian Islands. A survey in the town of Waialua on the north shore of Oahu island indicated that creeping indigo is common and abundant on grazing lands during the rainy season and requires intensive chemical and physical control measures. Four pastures were surveyed where ranchers reported mortality of more than 17 horses since 2020. We document these incidents to alert state animal and livestock support officials, groups monitoring invasive spec...
Tobin T, Swerczek TW, Blake JW.This report concerns the detection and acute toxicity of pine oil (a commercially available disinfectant) after intravenous administration in horses. alpha Terpineol was identified as a major constituent of pine oil. alpha Terpineol was recovered from equine tissues by extraction into heptane and detected by gas chromatography, using either flame ionization detection or pentafluoropropionic anhydride derivatization and electron capture detection. After intravenous injection of 0.1 ml/kg, death due to massive pulmonary edema occurred within minutes. In this animal blood and tissue levels of alp...
Roe H, Macpherson M, Denagamage T, Hopper S, Woodie B, Embertson R.Mare and foal survival are increased with prompt dystocia management. Data regarding mortality outcomes in mares and foals, when mares are recumbent at admission for dystocia resolution, are scarce. Objective: To evaluate recumbency at hospital admission as a risk factor for survival of mares and foals following dystocia management. Subsequent mare fertility was also evaluated. Methods: Retrospective cohort. Methods: Data were obtained from medical records at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital of mares with dystocia between 1995 and 2018. Mare signalment, ambulation status, survival data and foal...
Hodgson DS, Dunlop CI.We have discussed anesthetic techniques, special considerations, and expected complications involved in anesthetizing horses for abdominal, orthopedic, and head and neck surgery, and myelography and have described expected physiologic dysfunction that may require changes in anesthetic technique or supportive measures. The objective is high-quality patient care and reduction in anesthesia-related morbidity and death.
Steward SKT, Hassel DM, Martin H, Doddman C, Stewart A, Elzer EJ, Southwood LL.Duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) is an idiopathic and potentially fatal disease of horses characterized by abdominal pain, proximal intestinal inflammation, and subsequent gastric and small intestinal fluid accumulation. Although this disease is known to be costly and life threatening in the equine industry, the severity of clinical signs can vary widely, and an exact etiology has yet to be elucidated. This study looked to identify differences in clinical parameters of horses with DPJ between geographic regions in an effort to corroborate anecdotal reports and support theories of differing ...
Olson CT, Keller WC, Gerken DF, Reed SM.Of 10 horses in a heavily overgrazed pasture, 4 died within 1 week. Clinical signs included muscle tremors, ataxia, reluctance to walk, heavy sweating, and myoglobinuria. Serum creatine kinase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase activities were high. Histopathologic findings were nonspecific. On the basis of clinical signs, clinicopathologic findings, nonspecific histopathologic findings, the condition of the pasture, the identification of numerous white snakeroot plants from which trematone was extracted, and evidence that these plants had been heavily browsed, it was believed t...
Hochart É, Fournier Y.Equestrian sports are widely practiced in Switzerland as hobbies. Horses are imposing and unpredictable. As a result, traumatisms associated with horseback riding are common and cause serious injuries. Cranial traumatisms are among the most frequently encountered injuries and are associated with high rates of hospitalization and mortality. Helmet use decreases the severity of intracranial lesions. Close contact with horses can lead to the development of infectious diseases and respiratory allergies. Although infrequent in Europe, these infections occur sporadically and should be known by gener...
Franken P, van Beukelen P, Blok G.Two horses became ill, and one died, after being fed onions, presumably over a long period. Their intake of grass was low at the time of illness because the pasture was covered with snow. Examination of blood and urine revealed signs of severe haemolytic anaemia.
Arndt S, Kilcoyne I, Vaughan B, Dechant JE.To identify etiology, clinical findings, diagnostic results, treatment, and short- and long-term survival and to report factors associated with nonsurvival and survival in horses with peritonitis. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Horses (n = 72). Methods: Medical records at William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from 2007-2017 were reviewed for horses diagnosed with peritonitis. The essential inclusion criterion was a peritoneal nucleated cell count of ≥25 000 cells/μL. Gastrointestinal rupture and cases in which peritonitis occurred after abdominal surgery or cas...
Sullivan EK, Parente EJ.Pharyngeal disorders are complex and difficult to treat. Disorders that lead to anatomic derangement, such as trauma and neoplasia, can significantly affect the function of this organ. Pharyngeal dysfunction can manifest as dysphagia, persistent palatal displacement, or exercise intolerance. Secondary complications are serious and life threatening and include aspiration pneumonia, weight loss, and death. Pharyngeal disorders that are only recognizable during strenuous exercise are difficult to diagnose and are treated with limited success, even though they are responsible for significant econo...
Pemberton DH, Thomas KW, Terry MJ.The prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in 82 young foals was determined. Twelve foals were considered clinically abnormal at birth and ten died within two weeks. All of these foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic. Seven (10%) of the other 70 apparently normal foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic despite having suckled normally. Three of these foals developed significant disease and one died at one month of age. Rapid detection of foals with low serum immunoglobulin levels was achieved by adapting the zinc sulphate turbidity test to partially evacuated blood collection tubes. This permitted test to ...
Mavadiya SV, Raval SK, Mehta SA, Kanani AN, Vagh AA, Tank PH, Patel PR.A highly contagious virus infection in horses, influenza is the single most important equine respiratory disease in the world. This paper presents details of a one-year study (1 June 2008 to 31 May 2009) to determine the prevalence of equine influenza in the horses of Gujarat State in India. The prevalence of equine influenza A/equi-2 was 12.02%, but none of the samples were positive for equine influenza A/equi-1. The prevalence of equine influenza (A/equi-2) was 15.38%, 11.94%, 10.18%, and 9.09% in horses of the Kathiyawari breed, a non-descript breed, the Marwari breed and the Indian Thoroug...
AbouEl Ela NH, El Araby IE, Saleh AA, Abd El-Fattah AH, Hagag NM, Brooks SA, Radwan MA, Kalbfleisch T.Lavender foal syndrome (LFS) is a fatal hereditary condition that is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. This detrimental mutation is more common in Arabian foals of Egyptian origin than foals from other bloodlines. Heterozygous horses are carriers of the LFS trait and appear normal, while recessive homozygous foals died shortly after birth due to serious complications. In Egypt, in 2014, an Egyptian foal died after manifestations of neurological signs and abnormal coat colour as LFS signs. Therefore, it is important to identify LFS carriers in the population of Arabian horses in Egyp...
Asquith RL, Edds GT, Aller WW, Bortell R.Twelve clinically normal Shetland ponies were allocated to one of four treatment groups. Aflatoxin B1 was administered at the dosage level of 2 mg/kg of body weight to group A, 1 mg/kg to group B, and 0.5 mg/kg to group C; a placebo was given to group D (controls). Plasma samples were assayed at 4-hour intervals for iditol dehydrogenase (ID) (sorbitol dehydrogenase) concentrations as an indicator of hepatic damage. One of the ponies in group A died 68 hours after dosing; another pony in group A died 76 hours after dosing. All other animals survived the experiment. The means of peak ID values w...
Brobst DF, Lee HA, Spencer GR.An 11-year-old mare with polyuria, polydipsia, and azotemia was found to be hypercalcemic and hypophosphatemic. The concentration of calcium in a single collection of urine was within normal limits, although urinary inorganic phosphate concentration was lower than normal. After a brief period of supportive treatment, the mare died. At necropsy, the kidneys were found to be shrunken and fibrous. Histologically, the lesions were those of glomerulonephritis.
Dewes HF, Lowe MD.Events leading to the deaths of two fillies at pasture are described. Pasture hay containing the flowering stages of Senecio jacobea (ragwort) had been fed three to four months earlier. Paddocks were subdivided with posts and rails treated with copper chrome arsenate. Six horses on the property chewed rails spasmodically. Both fillies presented with haemoglobinurea. Values in liver of 83 mg Cu kg and kidney 35 mg Cu kg wet weight and serum 1.4 mg Cu/l together with histophathology of seneciosis support a sequence of ragwort poisoning followed by copper accumulation in liver and kidney terminat...
Bird J, Larsen M, Nansen P, Kraglund HO, Grønvold J, Henriksen SA, Wolstrup J.Two sets of dung-derived organisms from soil routinely fertilized with manure (MA) and soil chemically fertilized (CH) were cultured separately in the laboratory. Baermannized organisms from these cultures were added to 20 g of faeces from strongyle-infected horses to form three treatment groups: (i) no soil organisms; (ii) low inoculum of soil organisms containing all organisms present in a suspension of approximately 100 adult female free-living nematodes; and (iii) high inoculum containing those soil organisms present with approximately 1000 adult female free-living nematodes. Three studies...
Koenig JB, Silveira A, Cribb NC, Piat P, Laverty S, Sorge US.The main objective of this retrospective study was to describe clinical findings, management, and short- and long-term outcome in 27 horses that underwent various surgical techniques for esophageal disease. Surgical techniques (sometimes concurrently) performed were: esophagostomy ( = 14), esophagotomy with primary closure ( = 6), esophagomyotomy ( = 3), and esophagoplasty ( = 2). Esophageal perforation in 5 horses was treated by ventral drainage; 3 horses had the esophageal defect sutured ( = 3). Feeding tubes were placed in 15 horses. Postoperative complications occurred in 52% (14/27) with ...
Thein P, Essich G.An investigation was carried out upon occurrence and course of infectious and non infectious diseases as well as the mortality in foals born and raised at the State Stud Marbach/Lauter between 1982 and 1991. The foals have been investigated from birth to weaning, they consisted of 177 Thoroughbred Arabians and 285 German Warmblood foals (total 462 foals). The diseases were divided into pre-, peri- and postnatal according to their known or assumed cause and onset. There was a preponderance of prenatal diseases (11.25%) whereas the perinatal rate was 1.30% and the postnatal rate of diseases was ...
