Factors associated with outcome in 94 hospitalised foals diagnosed with neonatal encephalopathy

Abstract

Overall survival was good and similar to previous reports. Vasopressors/inotropes were the only therapeutic intervention associated with nonsurvival, suggesting that persistent hypotension is associated with nonsurvival in the current population. Foals with concurrent disease, high total calcium and low alkaline phosphatase at admission, and that were recumbent or required treatment with vasopressors/inotropes during hospitalisation, were significantly less likely to survive.

Neonatal Encephalopathy in Calves Presented to a University Hospital

“…Overall, survival was 77.6% for calves diagnosed with NE in this study. This is similar to a recent foal retrospective that reported 79.8% survival but higher than another that reported a 45.6% survival . The only risk factors associated with calf nonsurvival in this study were birth to a primiparous dam or being a twin; however, this is difficult to interpret given the low number of nonsurvivors.…”

“…Advanced imaging of the brain to confirm hypoxic‐ischemic damage is not routinely performed in veterinary medicine and a definitive antemortem test has not been established. More recently, the term neonatal encephalopathy (NE) has been suggested to describe the clinical syndrome in humans and foals . While clinical descriptions vary, inability to find the udder and nurse were identified as the most common clinical signs in foals diagnosed with NE …”

Magnetic resonance imaging of presumptive neonatal encephalopathy in a foal

“…The utility of MRI in foals with neonatal encephalopathy remains to be determined as the prognosis for survival is generally good (80% in a recent study) and the risks of anaesthesia, such as hypotension and cardiac arrest as noted in the foal described here, must be considered (Fischer and Clark‐Price ; Lyle‐Dugas et al . ). Moreover, preliminary evidence suggests that some injectable and inhaled anaesthetics may be neurotoxic in neonatal rats (Sanders et al .…”

“…; Lyle‐Dugas et al . ). Initial treatment included a 1 l bolus of isotonic fluids and administration of 500 ml of the dam's colostrum via naso‐oesophageal tube.…”

“…; Lyle‐Dugas et al . ). Despite the frequent occurrence in foals, minimal investigations into pathophysiology, diagnosis or prognosis of this disease process specific to the equine species is available in the scientific literature with most veterinary knowledge of this condition being extrapolated from studies in man and other animal models (Dickey et al .…”