Equine neonatology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the adaptions to the extra-uterine life in the respiratory system?

A

*post 300 days = surfactant
*Fluid filled lungs –> air filled lungs
*Lung expansion

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2
Q

What are the adaptions to the extra-uterine life in the cardiopulmonary system?

A

*High HR
*foramen ovale
*Ductus arteriosus

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3
Q

how do foals do thermoregulation?

A

*Brown adipose tissue
*Energy from colostrum

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4
Q

What occurs with the GI tract after birth?

A

*Meconium passage - 3-6hrs
*Specialised epithelial cells that uptake colostrum - MDAs
*Normal gut flora = 2-3months

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5
Q

What are the changes seen to the urogenital system?

A

*Urachus, umbilical arteries + vein become ligaments
*Increase GFR + urine production

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6
Q

What should be observed with behaviour?

A

*1hr = foal standing
*2hr = foal nursing
*3hr = Mare passed placenta
*4hr = foal passed meconium

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7
Q

When should menace response develop?

A

*2 weeks

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8
Q

What is the resp rate of foals for the first hour?

A

*80breaths per minute

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9
Q

What is a foals heart rate?

A

*40-80bpm for first few minutes
*70-100 by day 1

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10
Q

What should be assessed with GI tract +abdomen?

A

*Palpate for hernias
*MEconium - dark brown pellets all passed within 24hrs

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11
Q

What should be assessed in the urogenital system?

A

*Evaluate external genitalia
*Umbilicus = dry v moist
-urine production within 6-10hrs

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12
Q

What should be assessed with the MSK system?

A

*Malformations / injuries
*Laxity
*Joint distension
*Lameness

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13
Q

How much milk should foals drink daily?

A

*20-28% BW @ 45-55kg BW = 10 litres

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14
Q

How much milk should foals drink daily?

A

*20-28% BW @ 45-55kg BW = 10 litres

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15
Q

if a mare is running milk before term what does this indicate?

A

placentitis

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16
Q

What should be seen day before foaling?

A

Teat waxing

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17
Q

What is premature / dysmature?

A
  • Premature: born <320 days
  • Dysmature: born >320 days but with signs of prematurity
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18
Q

What are signs of prematurity / dysmaturity in foals?

A
  • Low birth weight
  • Short, silky hair coat
  • Floppy ears
  • Domed head
  • Joint laxity = weakness, prolonged time to stand
  • incomplete ossification of tarsal and carpal bones
  • Severe cases = multiple organ dysfunction
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19
Q

How is colostrum absorbed?

A

*Specialist enterocytes absorb by pinocytosis

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20
Q

What is failure of passive transfer?

A

*Inadequate transfer of IgG - <4g/L

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21
Q

What are predisposing factors to FPT?

A

*Loss of colostrum via premature lactation = twinning, placentitis
*Inadequate colostrum production = illness
*Failure to ingest enough colostrum = weak foal / rejection of foal
*Failure to absorb colostrum = premature foals / foal illness

22
Q

When would you diagnose FPT?

A

*18-24hrs after birth
*Specific gravity + IgG test kit

23
Q

How would you treat FPT?

A
  • > 12-24hr = NEED PLASMA - mare, commercial, geldings
  • <12hr = COLOSTRUM - mare, banks, commercial
24
Q

What are consequences of FPT?

A
  • Immediate = septicaemia
  • Later = rotavirus infection, respiratory disease
25
Q

What is sepsis difficult to distinguish from in foals?

A

peri natal asphyxiation syndrome -PAS

26
Q

How can you diagnose sepsis?

A

*Clinical signs
*Blood culture
*Sepsis score

27
Q

What are signs of sepsis?

A
  • Foal goes off-suck and is lethargic
  • Increased respiratory rate and effort
  • Acute severe lameness
  • Discharge or swelling of umbilicus
  • Fever is not consistent
  • Congested, dark mucous membranes or severe cases petechial haemorrhages
  • Hypopyon
  • Diarrhoea (often only once fluid Tx started)
  • Meningitis
28
Q

How is sepsis treated?

A
  1. Control infection - antimicrobials - culture (E. coli)
  2. Haemodynamic support - fluids
  3. Respiratory support - body position + O2
  4. Anti-inflammatory therapy - NSAIDs
  5. Supportive therapy - nutrition, heat
29
Q

What are common respiratory diseases of foals?

A
  • Neonatal septicaemia (bacterial pneumonia)
  • Viral pneumonia
  • Rhodococcus equi pneumonia
  • Respiratory distress syndrome
  • Meconium aspiration
  • Aspiration pneumonia
  • Haemothorax and pneumothorax
  • Fracture ribs
  • Central respiratory depression
30
Q

How would you diagnose respiratory disease?

A

*Auscultation
*Imaging - endoscopy

31
Q

What is SCID?

A

Severe combined immunodeficiency = failure to produce B + T lymphocytes
-Arabian horses

32
Q

What is foal immunodeficiency syndrome?

A

*FIS = causes fatal anaemia + compromised immune system
autosomal recessive

33
Q

What is Perinatal asphyxia syndrome?

A
  • Ischaemia, oedema + reperfusion injury to foals brain, kidneys + intestines
    -due to in utero hypoxia
  • May not be apparent until foal is 12-24hrs
34
Q

What are mild, moderate + severe signs of PAS?

A
  • Mild = poor suck reflex
  • Moderate = aimless wandering, abnormal phonation + blind
  • Severe = seizures, coma
35
Q

What are urinary abnormalities?

A
  • Patent urachus
  • Ruptured bladder
36
Q

What is the cause of ruptured bladder?

A

*Excessive pressure during parturition on distended bladder
*Can be congenital

37
Q

What are clinical signs of ruptured bladders?

A

*Dysuria / Stranguria

38
Q

How is a patent urachus diagnosed? Tx?

A

*Ultrasound
* Conservative Tx = umbilical dips, antibiotics if infection
* Surgery = remove umbilical structures

39
Q

What are differential diagnosis for colic signs?

A
  • Meconium impaction
  • Ruptured bladder/uroperitoneum
  • Overfeeding/lactose intolerance
  • Distension associated with diarrhoea
  • Gastric ulcers
  • SI/LI obstruction
  • Congenital abnormalities
40
Q

How is meconium impaction diagnosed / treated?

A
  • Dx = palpation, radiography, assess IgG levels
  • Tx = fleet enema / retention enema
    Laxatives
41
Q

What can cause gastric ulcers in foals?

A

*NSAIDs
*Gastric acid
*Hypoxia
*Decreased GI blood flow

42
Q

How are gastric ulcers diagnosed? Tx?

A

*Gastroscopy
* Tx = omeprazole / sucralfate

43
Q

What are differential diagnosis for diarrhoea?

A

*Foal heat diarrhoea
*Clostridial diarrhoea
*Viral diarrhoea - rotavirus (Corona,adeno, parvo)
*Others = crypto / giardia, rhodococcus equi

44
Q

What is foal heat diarrhoea?

A

*5-12days of age, change of bacterial flora (time of mare’s 1st oestrus)
*CS = mild, self-limiting diarrhoea

45
Q

What is clostridial diarrhoea?

A

*Severe + frequently fatal
*Cl. difficile / perfringens - severe gas distension + colic

46
Q

How is a clostridial diarrhoea diagnosed + treated?

A

*Dx = culture, ELISA
*Tx = metronidazole, penicillin

47
Q

How does rota virus diarrhoea occur?

A

*Invade epithelial lining in intestinal villi = blunting tips of villi
* maldigestion due to loss of intestinal enzymes + malabsorption due to loss of surface area = diarrhoea

48
Q

How would you diagnose + treat rotavirus diarrhoea?

A

*Dx = ELISA, PCR of faeces
*Tx = vaccinate pregnant mares

49
Q

What is neonatal isoerythrolysis? + Clinical signs?

A

*Maternal MDA’s destruct newborn red cells
* CS = * usually develop between 12-48h post partum
* Lethargy, depression, reduced suck, increased recumbency
* Tachycardia and tachypnoea
* Icteric mm
* Pigmenturia
* In severe cases collapse and death

50
Q

How is neonatal isoerythrolysis diagnosed + treated?

A

*Dx = clinical signs, history, lab tests - detect Ab on red cells
*Tx = supportive therapy + nutrition, Blood transfusion

  • Avoid incompatible pregnancies in future