Respiratory studies in foals from birth to seven days old.

The study presents the changes and observations in the respiratory patterns of foals from birth up until seven days old, including aspects like tidal volume, respiratory volume, oxygen consumption and the effect of body position on arterial oxygen tension.

Key Study Findings

• The study was performed on nine term-induced foals, where respiratory measurements were done at different intervals ranging from 2 minutes after birth to seven days old.
• The minute respiratory volume was lower at birth and increased after 12 hours from birth. The tidal volume peaked at 60 minutes after birth while the respiration rate significantly decreased after 15 minutes.
• Oxygen consumption was high right after birth and dropped to its lowest values at 24 and 48 hours. Thereafter, it remained relatively stable all the way to day seven.
• The respiratory exchange ratio and the ventilatory equivalent showed few significant changes up to the seventh day. Similarly, the minute alveolar ventilation and the physiological dead space remained fairly constant.

Insights on Pulmonary Ventilation and Blood Gas Values

• The blood-gas and acid-base values indicated that foals quickly establish proper pulmonary ventilation within a few minutes after birth. There was little variation in these values from 12 hours to seven days after birth.
• Body position appeared to significantly influence arterial oxygen tension (PaO2). When the foals were in a lateral recumbency position, PaO2 values were 14 mmHg lower on average compared to when they were standing.

Implications of the Study

• The findings provide significant insights into the respiratory characteristics of newborn foals. This could be useful in identifying any abnormalities in respiratory patterns during the early stages of a foal’s life and could contribute to improving neonatal care in horse breeding.
• The study also highlights the influence of body position on arterial oxygen tension in foals, suggesting that posture might play a vital role in their respiratory efficiency.