EQUINE | Equine Disease Update we just learned ), and keep up with their dams .
EQUINE | Equine Disease Update we just learned ), and keep up with their dams .
At the same time , the mare must recover from foaling and eat enough to provide nutrition for a growing foal , and her reproductive system must rebound to prepare for another pregnancy .
That ’ s a lot going on in a short time . Peter R . Morresey , BVSc , MVM , MACVSc , Dipl . ACT , ACVIM , CVA , of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington , Kentucky , advocates that the mare ’ s foal heat — which occurs about seven to 15 days after foaling — might be the best time for a veterinary examination to be sure the foal is hitting his marks and the mare is ready for breeding . While there are many reasons to breed a mare , a major reason is financial . Selling the foal as a weanling or yearling requires that he or she be a good size and healthy at sale time . As such , illness or problems that affect growth , health , or soundness have an economic impact .
At birth , a foal is at 10 % of his mature body weight , and the most rapid period of growth is in the months following . So foal heat is the ideal time to be sure he ’ s growing normally . Vets assess musculoskeletal development , breathing , heart activity , body structure , way of moving , umbilicus , weight , and , of course , nutrition . It ’ s likely the foal will have diarrhea ( called “ foal-heat diarrhea ”), but normally he should not be “ sick ” with it , Morresey said . So if the foal is depressed or diarrhea is ongoing , it ’ s time to investigate further .
Then there ’ s the obvious need to be sure the mare is healthy , because that ’ s the best way she can take care of her foal . She has the tremendous job of feeding the foal ( that consumes 20-25 % of his body weight each day in milk !), as well as repairing her own system to prepare for the next foal . She needs a reproductive exam , including ultrasound , to be sure she ’ s ready for breeding .
From a commercial standpoint , Morresey suggested we think of the mare as an airplane : She lands , discharges the foal , and must be ready to take off again so she can fly past the stallion , pick up the next passenger , and be ready to land again in 340 days . That means turning her around in a timely fashion , which is healthy for her as long as all systems are go . He recommended considering breeding on the foal heat as long there were no post-foaling complications .
Finally , the mare should get a general health exam , including soundness , dental , skin , and endocrine or metabolic function . Appropriate hoof trimming is a must and , of course , be sure she gets enough and the right kind of feed . Catching problems early , minimizing mare and foal stress , and keeping the mare in best reproductive health is the best way to protect your investment .
Low Platelet Counts and Sick Foals : An Unlucky Combination
If only predicting survival in sick foals were as easy as shaking a Magic 8 Ball for an answer . Researchers have evaluated various measures to help owners make difficult decisions when caring for sick foals , including white blood cell counts , fibrinogen levels , and glucose and lactate concentrations , among others , but none have been as effective as practitioners would like . Recently , a Colorado State University ( CSU ) team investigated the impact of platelet counts on foal survival .
Elsbeth Swain , DVM , Dipl . ACVIM , of CSU ’ s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biological Sciences , explained that many hospitalized foals have low platelet counts , referred to as thrombocytopenia , associated with their illnesses . When this occurs , the foal ’ s blood doesn ’ t clot normally . This condition ’ s impact on survival , however , has historically been unclear .
To better understand thrombocytopenia , Swain and Gary Magdesian , DVM , Dipl . ACVIM , ACVECC , ACVCP , of
• Volume 19 no 2 • June 2017 • 15