Clinical Signs Observed in the Sick Equine Neonate Considered Normal at Birth

I. SOME FOALS may be normal at birth and develop any of these signs within the first few days of life. These signs are not specific for any particular disease or infection but represent a need for evaluation.

1. Depression - Mild.
2. Change in behavior.
3. Loss of suck reflex or affinity for mare.
4. Diarrhea with mild depression with or without colic is of special concern in foals less than 6 days of age.
5. Seizures - (See Neonatal Seizures)

1. Early or "mild" seizures in foals seen as staring and blinking frequently and an unawareness of the environment.
2. Grand mal.
3. Post seizure depression and blindness may be all that is noted in some foals. May only observe evidence of trauma from seizure and recumbency.

6. Petechial hemorrhages - Ears and mucous membranes. Normal birth trauma can produce episcleral hemorrhages.
7. Fever (not present in 50% of septicemias).
8. Any lameness in a foal less than 4 weeks of age.Never assume the mare stepped on the foal - Rule out infection always.
9. Swollen, hot or painful joint.
10. Injected, substantially icteric or blue mucous membranes. Mild icterus seen in some normal foals with no other clinical signs.
11. Jugular pulses, palpable thoracic thrill.
12. Labored respiration. A cough is uncommon even with severe respiratory disease in equine neonates.
13. Colic - Constipation or abdominal distension.
14. Dysuria, stranguria.
15. Milk in nostrils may be caused by a cleft palate or weakness. Differentiate from temporary pharyngeal paresis; a syndrome seen which self-corrects within several days. Feed by tube initially.
16. Ocular abnormalities - Hyphema, hypopion, corneal ulcers.
17. Umbilical abnormalities

1. Increase size, presence of drainage, moisture, swelling or heat.
2. Patent urachus.