Equine Neonatal Medicine and Surgery

Acknowledgements Dedication Introduction 1. Perinatal review Peripartum adaptation of the foal Review of neonatal physiology Normal reference values Understanding immunity in the foal Nutrition of the foal 2. Risk category of the foal Assessment of fetal health and preparation for birth The placenta Assessment of risk category of the foal 3. The foal at delivery Events following delivery in the normal foal Parturition injuries in foals Evaluation of the newborn foal immediately post partum Resuscitation at foaling and caesarean-section 4. Routine management and clinical examination Routine management of the newborn and neonatal foal Routine veterinary examinations and procedures of the newborn and neonatal foal Clinical examination of the newborn and neonatal foal Recognizing the potentially abnormal foal 5. Congenital abnormalities and inherited disorders (including conditions that manifest at an older age) Alimentary system Respiratory system Cardiovascular system Urinary tract Reproductive system Musculoskeletal Nervous system The eye Endocrine Cutaneous 6. Neonatal syndromes Prematurity and dysmaturity Seizures, weakness and abnormal behaviour Lethargy Immunocompromise Pyrexia Icterus Anaemia Diarrhoea Colic and tenesmus Dysphagia Respiratory distress and coughing Limb deformities Lameness and other gait abnormalities Umbilical diseases Nasal discharge The painful and cloudy eye Dermatological conditions Weight loss and poor growth Sudden and unexpected death 7. Procedures and diagnostic aids 1. Identification methods 2. Injection sites 3. Blood sampling 4. Blood/ cerebrospinal fluid/ synovial fluid culture 5. Intravenous catheter selection, placement and complications 6. Regional limb perfusion 7. Intraosseous/ intramedullary (fluid/ antibiotic) therapy 8. Blood pressure measurement 9. Rapid blood glucose estimation 10. (oral) lactose tolerance test 11. Urine collection and bladder catheterisation 12. Ultrasonography 13. Fetal electrocardiology 14. Foal electrocardiology 15. Radiography 16. Endoscopy 17. Tracheal aspiration/ wash 18. Nasogastric and enteral intubation 19. Intranasal oxygen intubation 20. Abdominocentesis 21. Liver biopsy 22. Joint aspiration 23. Cerebrospinal fluid sampling 24. Phytohaemoagglutinin skin test for T lymphocyte function 25 'Jaundiced' foal agglutination test 26. Method for washing red cells 27. Test for foal blood compatibility 28. Assessment of colostral quality 29. Tests for serum IgG status 30. Blood and plasma transfusion 31. Bone marrow biopsy/ aspirate 32. Euthanasia 33. Post mortem examination 8. Intensive care, therapeutics and nursing Initial evaluation of the sick neonate Equipment required for a foal intensive care unit Critical A.Specific critical care therapy B.Nursing therapy C.Standard post foaling treatments D.Record keeping E.Daily plan and monitoring of the critical care patient F.Daily nursing care Guidelines for drug use in the neonate Ventilation Nutrition of the sick foal Fluid therapy in the foal Sedation and anaesthesia 9. Miscellaneous Referral of foals to a specialist centre Transportation of the sick or injured foal Management of the orphan foal A.Hand-rearing the orphan foal B.Fostering the orphan foal Appendices Placental examination forms Reference values for haematology and biochemistry Neonatal foal history chart Neonatal foal clinical examination charts Intensive care forms Vital signs chart Feeding and fluid therapy protocol Treatment sheet Haematology results Biochemistry results Blood gas results Intravenous catheter table Drug names and dosages for foals Sepsis scoring for neonatal foals Post mortem examination form