Physiological responses to weaning procedures were studied in 21 foals assigned to one of five treatments: (1) abrupt, total separation of mare and foal, no preweaning creep feed (TSNC); abrupt, total separation with preweaning creep feed (TSC); partial separation of mare and foal allowing fenceline contact, no preweaning creep feed (PSNC); (4) partial separation with creep feed (PSC); and (5) ...

Intragastric pH profiles in sick newborn foals often differ from those seen in healthy animals. Within the population of diseased foals, there exists wide variation in profile, related primarily to type and severity of illness. The increase in intragastric pH after H2 receptor antagonism (ranitidine, 2.0 mg/kg IV) was predictable in healthy animals but was inconsistent in many diseased foals. I...

Diarrhea is a major clinical problem affecting foals up to 3 months of age. The aim of this study was to identify enteric microorganisms involved in monoinfections and coinfections and the associated virulence factors in healthy and diarrheic foals. Diarrheic (D) (n = 56) and nondiarrheic (ND) foals (n = 60) up to three months of age were studied. Fecal samples were analyzed for identification ...

Procedure – A proprietary formulation of ATCC 33701 Rhodococcus equi known to contain the virulence plasmid was developed and tested on 72 horses. Antibody levels to Rhodococcus equi Virulence associated protein A (VapA) were determined relative to a Standard Plasma. A clinical trial was performed on 28 foals. Seven foals were administered hyperimmune plasma and seven foals were administered pu...

Neutrophils play an important role in protecting against infection. Foals have age-dependent deficiencies in neutrophil function that may contribute to their predisposition to infection. Thus, we investigated the ability of a CpG-ODN formulated with Emulsigen to modulate functional responses of neutrophils in neonatal foals. Eighteen foals were randomly assigned to receive either a CpG-ODN with...

The maze learning ability of six pony foals that had been weaned at birth was compared to that of six foals reared normally. The foals' learning ability was also compared to their mothers' learning ability at the same task; the correct turn in a single choice point maze. The maze learning test was conducted when the foals were 6 to 8 mo old and after the mothered foals had been weaned. There wa...

Severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) is a fatal, inherited disease of Arabian foals. Studies characterizing the immunophenotype of lymphoid cells and the defect in V(D)J recombination in SCID foals has improved our understanding of the disease. A definitive test that identifies SCID foals and carrier horses is now available. Author’s address: Dept. of Medical Sciences, University of ...

BACKGROUND Macrolide-resistant isolates of Rhodococcus equi are emerging, prompting the search for clinically effective alternative antimicrobials. HYPOTHESIS The proportion of foals with ultrasonographic evidence of pneumonia presumed to be caused by R. equi that had a successful outcome when administered gallium maltolate (GaM) PO would not be more than 10% inferior (ie, lower) than that of...

Lateral luxation of the patella in four femoropatellar joints of three foals was repaired by recession sulcoplasty and medial imbrication of the joint. One foal was euthanatized because of septic arthritis caused by incisional dehiscence, and the other two foals were normal 2 years after surgery. Recession sulcoplasty combined with medial imbrication of the joint capsule resulted in a functiona...

BACKGROUND Real-time, quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods for detecting Rhodococcus equi in feces have been developed as a noninvasive, rapid diagnostic test for R. equi pneumonia, but have not been evaluated in a large population of foals. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of fecal PCR as a diagnostic test for R. equi pneumonia in foals using receiver ope...