With the AAEP Convention coming up fast and knowing how hard it is to get to all of the talks you want to hear each year, EquiManagement and Zoetis have partnered to bring you short summaries from the 2021 AAEP Convention! Whether you missed these presentations or table topics or you just would like to listen to the presenters speak on the topics again, we invite you to tune in for all 12 of these podcasts.
“Management of the Neonate in the Field” was presented at AAEP by Laura Javsicas, VMD, DACVIM (Large Animal), of Rhinebeck Equine in New York, and Ernie Martinez, DVM, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Kentucky.
Javsicas joined us on the Daily Vet Life podcast to give a run-down of the discussion held at AAEP and to add a few extra comments you might not have heard there.
She talked about administration of plasma to foals, which is common in many practices that deal with breeding and foaling. She quoted a recent study that said giving 2 liters of plasma instead of 1 liter of plasma might provide a more appropriate level of antibodies to the foal.
In the podcast, she talked about R. equi management, which Javsicas said is the issue that veterinarians battle a lot in many ages of foals. “We’re seeing more resistance of R equi to antibiotics,” she added.”
Another topic that Javsicas discussed in the podcast was umbilical care. She talked about when and how to dip the umbilicus, and stressed that it is important that the cord be stertched and broken naturally rather than cut. “It doesn’t shrivel up as good if it is cut,” she noted.
Foal diarrhea was another point of the podcast discussion. Javsicas talked about testing and treatment in the field, but said that “some cases are best managed in a hospital.”
One note she made about foals with diarrhea is that they get thirsty and often drink their dams’ water. That can cause additional issues with sodium balances. Javsicas recommended either adding electrolytes to the mares’ water buckets or moving them up so the foals can’t reach the buckets.
Dr. John Madigan had been in the audience for the live AAEP presentation, and Javsicas talked about his technique for resetting “dummy” foals to help them transition to life outside the uterus.
“A big caveat: Make sure the foal doesn’t have fractured ribs” before you do the reset procedure, she said.
Sponsored by Zoetis.
Connect with Zoetis Equine on Instagram and Facebook
