Head to Tail Neonatal Care

With the economy the way it is, many neonatal foals are being managed on the farm rather than being sent to a clinic, according to Kelsey A. Hart, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, at the recent American Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Atlanta. While a veterinarian should evaluate every newborn foal, it is important that
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With the economy the way it is, many neonatal foals are being managed on the farm rather than being sent to a clinic, according to Kelsey A. Hart, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, at the recent American Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Atlanta.

While a veterinarian should evaluate every newborn foal, it is important that owners also keep a close eye on the animal. "Really bad problems can have subtle signs early on. If you are seeing something that is giving you pause, it is probably something worth investigating," said Hart.

Although the veterinarian's physical examination should pick up most neonatal problems, the foal's status can change quickly. "In the foal things can change in a matter of minutes," said Hart.

Within a few hours after birth, a healthy foal should be able to get up and down easily, nurse ferociously, and should resent being handled. "A foal that is not trying to run away or kick you probably has something wrong with it," she joked

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