Clinical and clinicopathological characteristics of the septicaemic neonatal foal: Review of 38 cases

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Abstract
To identify improved methods for diagnosis of infection in the neonatal foal, clinical records from 38 septicemic foals of < 1 wk of age were examined for trends in history, physical examination and clinicopathological findings. The survival rate of septicemic foals, 26%, was markedly less than the rate for all other foal admissions. Blood cultures were valuable in diagnosis and treatment of septicemia and identified a preponderance of Gram-negative infection. Zinc sulfate turbidity test results were abnormally low in all septicemic foals tested. The clinical course was often distinguished by severe complications and multiple organ dysfunction, leading to death. Conditions present in the mare pre-partum resulted in weak or diseased foals; bacterial placentitis, vaginal discharge and premature lactation were most common. There was no single diagnostic criterion of the septicemic foal. Fever was not a consistent finding. The most useful white blood cell parameters were neutropenia, the presence of band neutrophils (> 0.2 .times. 109/l) and toxic changes in the neutrophil population. Hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis and hypoxemia were also common findings.

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