Peripartum findings and blood gas analysis in newborn foals born after spontaneous or induced parturition.

The research assesses whether inducing parturition in horses, using oxytocin, causes complications for the mares and newborn foals. The findings suggest that at term induction of parturition does not have any significant adverse effects on mares and only slightly alters certain health variables in foals without causing any clinical significance.

Methodology

• The study encompassed 61 mares in total. 45 of them were in the spontaneous foaling (SF) group and 16 in the induced foaling (IF) group.
• Mares in the IF group were given a single injection of 2.5 IU of oxytocin IV daily until foaling, when the calcium in their mammary secretion reached concentrations of ≥250 ppm.
• Record was kept of mares’ breed, age, parity, gestational length, stage II length, and peripartum complications.
• At birth, the foals’ maturity including physical and behavioral parameters was evaluated. In addition, clinical condition was also monitored for one week post-birth.
• Jugular venous blood samples were collected at birth from the foals for analysis of blood gas, acid-base status, and lactate levels.

Findings

• The median gestational length was within the reference interval for all mares and didn’t differ between the two groups.
• No significant differences were found in the length of stage II or the incidence of peripartum complications between the SF and IF groups.
• All foals were born alive and exhibited no signs of prematurity/dysmaturity. There were no statistical differences in the viability of foals between the two groups.
• However, the IF group showed slightly higher time to stand and nurse from the mare, and body temperature, than the SF group.
• Venous blood pH, SO% and BE were lower, while the pCO2 and lactate levels were higher in the IF group compared to the SF group.
• Nevertheless, no clinical implications were observed from these alterations as all foals remained healthy during the observation period.

Conclusion

Induction of parturition at term using a low dose of oxytocin was found to have no harmful effects on the mares peripartum. The study concluded that the slight disturbances observed in the blood gas, temperature, and the time taken for the foal to stand up and nurse from the mare, in induced foals, were not of clinical significance. This suggests that inducing parturition may be a viable technique in equine reproduction without risking significant health issues in the mare or the foal.