Clinical, ultrasonographic, and surgical findings in foals with umbilical remnant infections.

This study examines the issue of infection in the umbilical remnants of foals, mainly identified through ultrasound. The most common traits were umbilical abnormalities, septic arthritis, and neonatal sepsis. Increased size and echoic material within the structures generally indicated an infection. The most commonly affected was the urachus, with surgical findings usually confirming the ultrasound results. Most of the samples were infected with bacteria, with multiple organisms found typically. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli and beta-hemolytic streptococci. Although few animals died due to complications, most survived.

Study Subjects and Methods

• The research involved 33 foals with an age range from one day to 90 days, with an average age of about 18 days.
• Infections in the umbilical remnants were mainly diagnosed through ultrasonographic imaging.
• The identified conditions included issues with the umbilical structures, septic arthritis, and neonatal sepsis.
• For 16 foals, abnormalities in the external umbilical structures were observed upon admission.

Findings and Analysis

• Abnormalities in the internal umbilical structures were identified by noting enlargement and echoic material within these structures.
• The foal’s urachus was found to be most commonly affected, with multiple structures infected in most cases.
• Confirmation of infected structures was carried out through surgical findings, matching the prior ultrasonographic identification.
• A total of 22 samples taken during surgery from the affected umbilical remnants were tested, with all showing bacterial growth.
• Infections mostly had multiple organisms, with 15 samples displaying this characteristic.
• Escherichia coli and beta-hemolytic streptococci were the most frequently found organisms in the infections.

Outcome and Conclusion

• Only two foals, out of all the subjects, died from late complications arising from the surgical resection.
• One foal, which was treated surgically, and three others, which were treated medically, either died or had to be euthanized because of complications not associated with the surgical procedure.
• Most foals, a total of 27, survived, demonstrating the effectiveness of the diagnosis and treatment methods.