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Discussion on Neurelogical issues with foals 
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| New Member: eqacres |
Posted on Wednesday, Jul 24, 2013 - 2:44 pm: So I am new to the horse breeding business but it has always been my passion. However it seems like I am destine to hit all possible problems in one year... This is my 3rd year of producing more than one foal and I have never had problems before. Last year I purchased a herd of Andalusian and Andalusian cross mares that were all claimed to be in foal. Of 10 mares, 4 foaled even though all had been with the stallion for several months prior to my purchase. They would have been in their first trimester when I brought them home. These mares came from a place well known for "skinny" horses, and most were underweight when I bought them. All the mares I owned previously foaled without problem for the most part, with the exception of one dystochia, but 3 of the 4 foals from these new mares have had problems. I will attempt to explain my problems as best I can, but I appoligize in advance for the length!Foal 1: late march baby, born normal, still has had no problems. Out of a 10 yr old azteca mare that has had 4 foals previously. Foal 2: early April filly. Born extremely weak, could not even sit up by herself, back was not straight, but c shaped. Very poor suckling reflex, had to be lifted to her feet and supported in order for her to stand. I milked the mare and syringe fed baby to make sure she received adequate colostrum, and I fed every hour to two hours. After the first 12 hours she could support her weight, but would fall as soon as she tried to walk. Her hind legs especially were unstable, and she would buckle over and stand on her fetlock. Her legs started swelling, and stiffening. She was put on excenel (Antibiotics), and her mobility improved and she could shuffle around the stall by 32 hrs. Legs continued to swell and stiffen and sucking reflex got slightly stronger but she never could latch on to the mare. She was taking approx one cup of milk ever 1-2 hrs from the bottle. She was very alert mentally, and would lift her head and call to me whenever she saw me. She was able to stand on her feet if I could assist her in rising, but would not lay down unless she fell over. So I would stand her and lay her down between feedings. At hour 50, she only took half a cup and started to develop a fever. I called the vet to come back out but my filly was gone before she got there. The vet figured it was premature development due to lack of nutrients early in gestation. But regretfully I never had blood tests or a post mortem done. Mare was a purebred andalusian bred as a 2 yr old to foal at 3. Foal 3: I was there for his birth and everything went normal. He was alert and attentive and struggling hard to get to his feet, but just threw himself around the stall. After an hour I helped him to his feet, and got him nursing the mare, but he could never get back to his feet without assistance. He also needed me to stabilize his hindquarters to stay on his feet. So again I would come and help him to his feet to nurse every hour. At hour 6 when he could still not rise without assistance I took him to the vet and the vet put a catheter in his neck to keep him on excenel intravenous. This weakness was also attributed to lack of nutrients during parturition. I took him home again, and stood him to nurse every 1-2 hrs, and his lower legs started to swell as well, and after about 18 hrs he could stay standing without support and could move around a bit. Antibiotics were given every 8 hrs for 9 days, and eventually he could stay on his feet, so I would leave him standing for an hour or two then come lay him down for an hour, since he too refused to lay down by himself. He would call to me whenever he saw me as well, and would follow me around the stall around his mom  day 5 he gave his first playful buck! And he also struggled harder to get to his feet but only succeeded in rubbing his joints raw day 7 he only needed a little support to help him up and day 8 he could stand without assistance! He kept getting stronger, and seemed normal for a while though maybe not as strong as foal 1, but now maybe seems to be getting weaker? He still acts normal but every once in a while his hock will turn out as he takes a step, and he doesn't resist well when you pull his tail. His dam is also a purebred Andalusian bred as a 2yr old. Foal 4: born same day as foal 3, and was up nursing and moving around normally and with everything going on with him she got her umbilical treated and I didn't do much else with her. She was always very alert and playful and could perform the most amazing buck/leap/rear/kick all in one. She always looked a bit funny when she trotted though, and it took a while for me to clue in to the fact that she was pacing. So I just wrote her funny movement off to her being gaited... Well around 2 months old I started noticing that she was getting weaker, and started getting the vet involved. Now at almost 3 months she is severely ataxic/weak, and can hardly walk straight. She randomly falls over, sometimes even when just walking. I have been working with my vet plus consulting 2 other vets to try to figure out what is wrong but nothing yet. Vet came out and drew blood when I became concerned, and filly has been getting progressively worse ever since. She is normally very friendly, and is halter trained, but she hated the vet... We had a really hard time getting blood, as the filly became terrified as soon as the vet got close with the needle, so vet sedated her to get Blood. Blood tests came back negative for west Nile, all micronutrient levels were normal, and she had low levels of EHV-1,4 detected (17 ab units). Complete blood count also came back normal. My one vet suspects a possibility of congenital cerebellar hypoplasia, another vet suggested EDM or EMND. We will continue running tests on her I guess but it seems like the more stressed she gets the more this progresses. The only thing the vets can really agree on is that it is neurological, and none of them expect her to make it. They are already talking Post mortem exam, but I am not ready to write her off yet! She started off just taking the occasional off step with her hock turning out like Foal 3 is currently doing now, then got progressively worse to where she was stumbling, then dragging her hind legs slightly when she walked to now where she hardly knows where her legs are going. She also seems to be DrOpping weight now. I am also aware that the previous owner of these horses had a colt born early this year that couldnt get to his feet, but I am not sure if she ever got the vet out and he died after the first day. He was called premature. She has also had a mare with a venal rupture where the foal had to be pulled, and he couldnt stand (possibly due to trauma from being pulled), and mare and foal both died after the first day, plus she had a mare prolapse. Not sure if the latter 2 could be related. I am grasping at straws, we cant figure out what is wrong, and I need to know if it is something that I have done wrong, or if there is something I can do to prevent it from happening in the future! I really dont want to loose any more foals, so hopefully I dont have to find out post mortem. I am thinking that it is something that began in utero, since I have had no problems with my previous horses. Also I thought that since the CBC came back normal wouldnt that rule out viral or bacterial causes? (just thinking the white blood count should have been up if she were fighting a virus or bacteria off?) Any other suggestions as to what tests to run? I have an appointment to take the filly in next week again, but not sure how many more trips she can handle Sorry again for the lengthy question! |
| Member: dres |
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| Member: sdms |
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| New Member: eqacres |
Posted on Thursday, Jul 25, 2013 - 7:34 pm: Yes these mares do share bloodlines, but the horse they all share is an old stud, and I have known most of his foals and no problems before this. He is the sire of mares 1,4 and grandsire of 2,3. All the foals I had problems with have the same sire but the foals that the previous owner had problems with came from the same sire of the only colt I haven't had trouble with... The Dam of foal 4 is 5-6? Can't remember off the top of my head and she has had one colt before.I would rather have no foals than sick foals and if these mares weren't already bred I wouldn't have bred them anyways! They were all so skinny one mare that didnt foal has been on free feed plus supplements since I got them and she is still skinny! Plus I like to work with my horses before I breed them so I know if they have the temperament I am breeding for. Most of these mares weren't even halter broke...
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| Moderator: DrO |
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