A fully equipped unit to support foals in critical condition
Bringing a healthy, active foal into the world is one of the most rewarding horse-ownership experiences. Fortunately, most foalings are uneventful, and we are blessed with a beautiful new baby horse that just needs good basic health care.
Some foalings, however, go terribly awry. The baby can be inadequately developed and unable to function outside the womb without supportive care. The mare can have foaling problems (dystocia) causing damage to the foal’s body, brain, and internal organs. The mare can also not produce milk or can reject the foal. All these scenarios as well as innumerable other situations can be life-threatening to the foal if it is not hospitalized for intensive care within hours after birth. Babies have no reserves, so timing is critical and quintessential to their survival. Always call your veterinarian if your foal does not seem right after birth. Waiting even a few hours can mean the difference between life and death.
At BEMC, we’ve established a full-service neonatal foal intensive care unit with a heated and fully padded foal stall. With it, we have the ability to do complete supportive care, including controlled intravenous fluid care, indwelling stomach catheter (parenteral nutrition), supportive bed care, urinary support, lung support ranging from oxygen insufflation to full ventilatory support, and complete internal medical treatments and diagnostics for all neonatal diseases. As you can see, these are very time- and labor-intensive cases. A critically ill foal needs to be tended at least hourly throughout the day and night. Some foals are so critical that they can never be left unattended.
Our goal is to provide the optimal care for your sick foal to give it the best opportunity for survival. This often requires a substantial emotional and financial commitment on the owner’s behalf. We keep owners informed of their foal’s prognosis and progress to ensure optimal care of the foal while tailoring therapy to individual and financial needs.
Related Diagnostics and Treatments
Ultrasonography
Our clinicians use ultrasound extensively for reproductive work and to diagnose a variety of injuries and conditions. Our team has received specialized training in both performing ultrasounds and interpreting results. Ultrasound allows us to look at different internal...