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Sepsis, or generalized infection of the bloodstream, is one of the leading causes of death in foals. It may lead to organ dysfunction, hemodynamic shock and devastating localized infections such as joint or growth plate infections. These suggestions can help minimize the risk of this occurring in your foal:

1. Be sure pregnant mares are current on all vaccinations and deworming protocols. They should be boostered and dewormed four to six weeks prior to their anticipated due date to ensure that the mare's colostrum is enriched with antibodies and clear of parasites.
   
   
2. Remember to vaccinate broodmares against equine herpes-1 (EHV-1), a cause of abortion, with Pneumabort-k® at five, seven and 9 months of gestation.
   
   
3. It is crucial to have a clean foaling environment. Stalls where horses are regularly housed are not ideal foaling areas as they are very difficult to adequately clean. A large, freshly bedded stall that has been scrubbed clean and is designated solely for foaling mares is most appropriate or, if weather permits, a clean grass pasture. Have your veterinarian review your foaling areas and if the mare is housed in a stall, make sure it is cleaned out as frequently as necessary to keep the stall free of manure.
   
   
4. Bathe the mare before placing her in the broodmare stall. In addition, wash and clean the mare's udder and perineal area immediately after birthing and before the foal suckles. This will remove bacteria that adhere to the mare's udder and perineum which can infect the foal during its initial attempts at nursing. Foals tend to suckle on whatever they come into contact with during their early attempts to nurse, so cleanliness is extremely important.
   
   
5. Make sure the mare has adequate colostrum after foaling. The specific gravity of good quality colostrum is 1.060 via colostrometer. Your veterinarian can analyze the colostrum or, if you have a large number of broodmares, a colostrometer may be a good investment.
   
   
6. Make sure the foal has absorbed an adequate concentration of antibodies from colostrum. A veterinarian can assess this at 12-24 hours of age using monitoring tests such as CITE® or SNAP®.
   
   
7. Remember the "one, two, three rule." Most foals will stand within one hour of birth, nurse by two, and the mare should pass the placenta by three. If these events do not occur by an additional hour respectively, then your veterinarian should be contacted immediately. Delays in these natural processes may indicate an impending problem in the foal such as hypoxic encephalopathy ("dummy foal"), which places the foal at great risk for sepsis.
   
   
8. Dip the umbilicus in 1:4 chlorhexidine (Nolvasan) solution (diluted one to four parts water). Tinctures of iodine are excessively irritating and cause necrosis of the umbilicus, setting up the perfect environment for infection.
   
   
9. Your veterinarian should perform a routine mare and foal check after the delivery to detect any subtle problems that, if caught early, can be treated. If there is any concern about the conditions of the foaling or post-partum events, the veterinarian may want to place the foal on prophylactic antibiotics for three days, even if the foal seems fine, to prevent subsequent infections.
   
   
10. Watch the foal closely because neonates can change very rapidly. Make sure the foal nurses several times an hour. It should pass meconium (the foal's initial fecal material) and urinate within eight hours of birth. Thereafter, it should urinate a few times each hour and defecate once to twice a day.
    

The Horse Report is Copyrighted © 2001 by the Regents of the University of California. Use of this material for re-publication is allowed only by permission of the Center for Equine Health.

Reprinted with permission of the copyright holder and the Center For Equine Health. The materials offered in this article are intended for educational purposes only. Always consult your veterinarian in matters regarding the health of your animals.

The research conducted by the UC Davis Center for Equine Health is supported with funds provided by the Oak Tree Racing Association, the State of California pari-mutuel fund, and contributions by private donors. Please visit The UC Davis Center For Equine Health website for addtional information at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh

The Horse Report
Laurie Fio Editor/Writer
Center for Equine Health School of Veterinary Medicine
University of CaliforniaOne Shields Avenue Davis, CA 95616-8589
Phone: (530) 752-4434 Fax: (530) 752-9379
e-mail: ltfio@ucdavis.edu