Sepsis in foals

By Dr Maxine Brain

With the breeding season now upon us, the paddocks will soon be filled with bouncing happy, healthy foals. The birth of a new foal is usually a very emotional time for owners, as the arrival of the newest member of the equine family often brings with it huge expectations and dreams of future successes. Sadly, for some, the joys of a new foal are short-lived when within hours to even days or weeks the foal becomes ill and dreams are shattered, and the overwhelming concern becomes whether the foal will live or die.

Septicaemia is an infection caused by the presence of bacteria or small microorganisms in the bloodstream that can trigger a response by the body’s immune system, resulting in sepsis. Sepsis occurs when the body releases chemicals into the bloodstream in response to the infection. These chemicals bring about a deluge of inflammatory reactions in multiple organs of the body that can be so profound they lead to multi-organ failure and death. It is one of the major causes of deaths in foals...

Read the full article in the September issue of Equestrian Life magazine here.