A severe combined immunodeficiency disorder was demonstrated in two Arabian foals which were full siblings. The defect in the B-lymphocyte system was shown by hypogammaglobulinemia, lymphopenia, and absence of germinal centers. The almost total absence of thymic tissue in one foal and the lack of thymic dependent lymphocytes in the spleens of both foals demonstrate a T-lymphocyte defect. In a r...

Oral swab samples, serum and colostrum was taken from 15 mares and 14 of their foals, within 24 h of birth. The presence of antibody against Actinobacillus spp. isolated from the oral cavity was investigated using agar gel immunodiffusion. Antibodies against 48 out of the 77 Actinobacillus isolates from all horses in the study were present in the respective sera of 13 mares and 9 foals. In 11 m...

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY Anecdotal speculation suggests that prognosis for survival of mares and foals following correction of uterine torsion has improved over the past 30 years. OBJECTIVES To determine statistically the outcome of uterine torsion according to duration of clinical signs, stage of gestation, parity, physical examination findings, method of correction, prognosis for surviv...

Pregnant Anglo-Arab and Thoroughbred mares (n = 24) were divided randomly according to age and breed into 4 groups of 6 mares each from approximately 6 weeks before their expected foaling date. Diets received by the 4 groups varied in essential amino-acid and total protein contents. Serum progestagen, FSH and LH concentrations were determined from the day of parturition until foal heat and duri...

In experiment 1, 6 pregnant mares received a concentrate that contained a trace mineral premix that provided 14.3 mg Cu, 40 mg Zn, 28 mg Fe, 28 mg Mn, 0.08 mg Co, 0.16 mg I, and 0.16 mg Se/kg concentrate (group A). Seven mares received the same concentrate plus 502 mg Zn and 127 mg Cu once daily (group B). No differences (P .05) in foal growth data, or Cu, Zn, and Fe concentrations of mare milk...

Foal scores from the International Sporthorse Registry and Oldenburg Registry North America were used for statistical and genetic analysis. Scored traits include type and conformation (TC), athletic ability of movement (AM), overall development as related to age (OD), and total score (TS) calculated as a weighted average of TC, AM, and OD. Premium status (PS) was analyzed as a binary trait. Pre...

A 10-day-old female, 42 kg pony/Paint horse cross filly was presented to the University of California Davis, William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) for low head and neck carriage, suspected to be caused by a fractured cervical vertebrae. For 3 days after parturition, no abnormalities were noted. At 4 days of age, the foal began to exhibit progressive weakness, an inabi...

Atresia coli is a congenital defect that result in an inability to pass feces since birth. In the present study, type IIIa atresia coli (blind ends) was identified in a male Arabian foal with clinical signs of abdominal distension, colic, failure in defecation and depression. At necropsy, segmental agenesis affected left ventral and right dorsal colon. The dorsal right colons, transverse, small...

The epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi foal pneumonia is changing and remains ill-defined. Few foal-specific or farm-specific factors have been correlated with occurrence of this disease. The density of mares and foals and the airborne concentration of virulent isolates of R. equi are associated with the disease, but a causal relationship has not been established for either factor. Author’s addre...