How to Care for a Sick Foal

Having a foal takes planning: you pick the right broodmare, find the right stallion to compliment her, get her bred and then wait and wait for eleven months. Once the foal arrives, its heart-breaking to find that he's sickly. Prompt and thorough care is important to help him survive.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Enclosed Stalls
• Rectal Thermometers (for Animals)
• Animal Water Buckets
• Notebooks
• Foal-size Nylon Halter
• Lead Ropes

1. Good care for your foal starts long before he's born. Pick a mare and stallion who do not have congenital defects or genetic diseases they can pass on to your foal. Make sure the mare gets proper nutrition when bred, while in foal and once the foal arrives. Discuss a proper vaccination and de-worming schedule for the mare during pregnancy with your veterinarian and stick to it.
2. When your foal is born, observe him. Does he stand and nurse within the first hour of birth? Does he pass manure and urinate? If not, call your veterinarian.
3. Have your veterinarian out to check on your foal between 12 and 24 hours after he is born. Ask the veterinarian to pull blood and check for IGs. Immunoglobulins (IGs) are passed from the mare to foal in her colostrum, or rich first milk. The IGs your foal gets in colostrum are what give a newborn foal immunity to diseases until his own immune system kicks in and begins producing its own IGs. If your foal hasn't gotten IGs, your vet with give him IV antibodies.
4. Watch your foal for signs of illness: runny nose, coughing, lethargy, lack of appetite, diarrhea, etc.
5. If your foal shows signs of illness, tack his temperature. A normal temperature is between 99 and 101 F. If he has an elevated temperature, call your veterinarian. If he does not have a fever but signs of illness persist for more than twelve hours, call your veterinarian.
6. If your foal shows signs of distress such as unwillingness or inability to raise, refusal to eat or nurse, elevated pulse or respiration rate, call your veterinarian immediately.
7. Keep your ill foal with his dam separated from other horses so he does not spread disease.
8. Keep your foal warm and dry.
9. Follow all veterinarian's instructions precisely.
10. Keep an eye on your foal and watch for behavioral changes, even after he appears to have recovered.
11. Be sure to handle your sick foal once you are done handling all other horses or foals. Then immediately leave, wash your hands and exposed skin carefully and wash your clothes. This can help prevent spread of disease.

Tips & Warnings

• Minor illnesses can quickly turn serious, so keep careful watch on your foal and inform your veterinarian of any changes.
• This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.