Diseases in neonatal foals. Part 2: potential risk factors for a higher incidence of infectious diseases during the first 30 days post partum.
BACKGROUND
The development of clinical illness in foals is usually predetermined by perinatal history, management or stressful environmental conditions.


OBJECTIVE
To determine potential risk factors for an increased incidence of infectious diseases during the first 30 days post partum.


METHODS
The population consisted of Thoroughbred foals born on stud farms in the Newmarket (UK) area in 2005 (n = 1031). They were followed for their first 30 days. Factors suspected to influence the incidence of infectious neonatal diseases were examined in a logistic regression approach for each of the 3 outcomes (total infectious diseases, systemic disease with diarrhoea and total infectious diseases excluding diarrhoea). All 28 factors were either foal or mare or stud farm related.


RESULTS
Several significant risk factors for a higher disease incidence, such as birth complications, colostrum intake by stomach tube and leucocytosis 12-48 h post partum were identified. The factor 'boarding stud' seemed to be protective against disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Some factors, such as the mare's time at stud before foaling, the mare's rotavirus vaccination schedule and fibrinogen-values that empirically had been linked to the outcome previously were not confirmed as relevant. This included the reported useful prophylactic treatment with antimicrobial drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors to be considered when evaluating newborn foals include: stud management, the birth process, route of colostrum intake, white and red blood cells, and the date of birth. These may help to detect foals at risk to develop an infection so that targeted prophylactic measures can be initiated.
Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Switzerland.
F D
FD
Wohlfender
F E
FE
Barrelet
M G
MG
Doherr
R
R
Straub
H P
HP
Meier
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006736:Horses; D015994:Incidence; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D049590:Postpartum Period; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary