Emergency Foal CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the restoration of spontaneous circulation and breathing and is used in cases of cardiopulmonary arrest, defined as sudden cessation of spontaneous and effective respiration and heartbeat. This most often
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the restoration of spontaneous circulation and breathing and is used in cases of cardiopulmonary arrest, defined as sudden cessation of spontaneous and effective respiration and heartbeat. This most often occurs in foals suffering from asphyxia or lack of oxygen before and during birth. Although you should call your veterinarian if you suspect a problem, following the “A-B-C-Ds” of resuscitation might help save your foal’s life.

“A”–Assessment/Airway

Following a normal delivery, observe the foal for the first 20 seconds to ensure he is breathing. Following a dystocia (difficult birth), dry the foal vigorously with his head lowered to help clear the fetal membranes and fluid from the nose so he can breathe (foals are obligate nose breathers; don’t worry about clearing the mouth). Avoid holding the foal upside down to try to increase drainage.

After a few initial gasps and within 30 seconds, a normal foal should be taking 60-80 breaths per minute. The heart rate should be 60-70 beats per minute. Foals that continue gasping for more than 30 seconds or have a heart rate less than 50 beats per minute, or no heartbeat, require immediate resuscitation.

“B”–Breathing

Intubation (through the nose or mouth into the trachea) is the best way to provide an airway and breathe for the foal. Only a veterinarian or trained veterinary technician should intubate. Until your vet arrives, you can use mouth-to-nose resuscitation or a mask resuscitator, a hand-held device used to pump air into the lungs. Place the foal on its side on a firm, dry surface. To perform mouth-to-nose resuscitation extend the foal’s the neck, make sure the nose is cleared, and hold off the down nostril with one hand while breathing into the up nostril. Using either method, deliver 10 to 20 breaths per minute; breathing too rapidly can be detrimental. Each breath should visibly expand the foal’s chest

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Laura Javsicas, VMD, is a lecturer in large animal medicine at the University of Florida.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

How much time do you usually spend grooming your horse?
439 votes · 439 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!