Omphalocele in a foal.

This study describes a case of omphalocele in a newborn male Arabian foal, which was successfully treated via surgery and the foal remained healthy afterwards.

Introduction

• The research focuses on a single medical case: a newborn male Arabian foal with an omphalocele condition. An omphalocele is a birth defect that causes an infant’s abdomen contents (usually part of the intestine, liver, or other organs) to stick out from the belly button because the muscles in this area did not come together and close as they should have during fetal development.

Omphalocele occurrence and diagnosis

• In this case, the omphalocele was observed at birth in the foal. It presented as a mass containing the small intestine.
• The mass was constricted at the body wall, and after its release, the contents of the mass, the small intestine specifically, could be replaced back into the abdomen without difficulty.
• The omphalocele also contained an umbilical cord with umbilical arteries and veins, and a large urachus that extended from the bladder to the opening at the end of the mass.

Treatment and outcome

• The foal underwent corrective surgery to address this condition.
• Six days after the operation, the foal was discharged and went home. The outcome is satisfactory, as the foal remained healthy after the operation was performed.

Important notes

• This case gives us insight into the diagnosis and successful treatment of omphalocele in horses, specifically, foals.
• Omphalocele, while not common in horses, is a critical condition that requires immediate veterinary attention and surgical intervention. Early detection and appropriate treatment can result in a high survival rate and good quality of life for the affected animal.