Neonatal Emergency Management in the Field

Rhonda Rathgeber, DVM, PhD stressed the need for assessing newborn foals early for abnormal conditions.
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Rhonda Rathgeber, DVM, PhD (in anatomy and locomotion) of Hagyard-Davidson-McGee (HDM) veterinary firm in Lexington, Ky., stressed the need for early assessment of the newborn foal in looking for abnormal conditions. Her talk was given at the Reproduction Symposium hosted by HDM.

In order to recognize abnormal, she said observers needed to know what normal parameters are. “In my opinion, the biggest factor in the successful care of a neonate is careful observation and education of the owners, farm managers, and foaling personnel. In all neonatal emergencies, the sooner treatment is initiated, the better the outcome.” She recommended that all veterinarians give a list of potential neonatal emergencies and normal parameters of the newborn to those who might attend the birth. Her list included:
• Gestational age: 315-365 days;
• Time to sucking reflex: 20-30 minutes post-foaling;
• Time to standing: less than two hours;
• Time to nursing: 60-180 minutes;
• Ability to stand unassisted: less than three hours;
• Body temperature first four days: 99-102 degrees Fahrenheit;
• Heart rate for first five minutes: 60-80 beats per minute;
• Respiratory rate: 60-80 breaths per minute for first 15 minutes; then 20-40 breaths per minute;
• First urination: eight hours after birth;
• Meconium passage: within 12 hours.

Rathgeber pointed out that the history of the pregnancy can indicate potential foaling problems. Those might include fever in the mare, purulent vaginal discharge, colic surgery, excessive medication, premature lactation, and placentitis or placental separation as diagnosed via ultrasonography.

She noted that conditions during labor and presentation also are important to consider when evaluating a newborn. These include premature parturition, abnormally long gestation, prolonged labor, stained or discolored amniotic fluid, thickened or heavy placenta, dsytocia, and c-section surgery. “Make sure the veterinarian looks at the placenta,” stressed Rathgeber, noting that a normal placenta weighs about 10% of the foals’ birth weight

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Written by:

Kimberly S. Brown is the editor of EquiManagement/EquiManagement.com and the group publisher of the Equine Health Network at Equine Network LLC.

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