title: Ophthalmic lesions in neonatal foals evaluated for nonophthalmic disease at referral hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine types and frequency of ophthalmic lesions detected in neonatal foals evaluated for nonophthalmic disease at 3 veterinary referral hospitals and to investigate associations between systemic and ophthalmic diseases in these foals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  70 foals < 30 days old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed. Signalment, clinical signs, mentation during ophthalmic examination, results of clinicopathologic tests, and diagnosis of systemic disease were recorded. Descriptive data analysis including a χ(2) test for associations was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most foals (39/70 [55.7%]) with systemic disease had ≥ 1 ophthalmic lesion detected. Of the 39 foals with ophthalmic disease, 24 (61.5%) had potentially vision-threatening lesions. Clinically important abnormalities included conjunctival hyperemia or episcleral injection (30/70 [42.9%]), uveitis (18/70 [25.7%]), ulcerative keratitis (13/70 [18.6%]), nonulcerative keratitis (10/70 [14.3%]), entropion (8/70 [11.4%]), retinal hemorrhage (8/70 [11.4%]), and cataract (6/70 [8.6%]). Foals with sepsis were significantly more likely to have uveitis than were those without sepsis. Foals with sepsis and uveitis were also significantly less likely to survive to discharge than were foals that had sepsis without uveitis. Acquired ophthalmic disease (detected in 37/70 [52.9%] foals) was significantly more common than congenital ophthalmic disease (detected in 9/70 [12.9%]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ophthalmic lesions were detected in 55.7% of neonatal foals with systemic disease. Acquired ophthalmic disease was more commonly detected than congenital ophthalmic disease. Foals with sepsis were more likely to have uveitis than were foals without sepsis. A complete ophthalmic examination is indicated in neonatal foals evaluated for systemic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA. alabelle@illinois.edu
authors.forename: Amber L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Labelle
authors.forename: Ralph E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hamor
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Mitzi K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Zarfoss
authors.forename: Carrie B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Breaux
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Thomasy
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006736:Horses; D006762:Hospitals, Animal; D008297:Male