ABSTRACT: The neonatal period is the time when the foal adapts to extrauterine life. During this challenging time the client and veterinary professional need to be familiar with the normal differences and changes that happen to the healthy foal. This article will provide some insight into the physiological and physical characteristics unique to the equine neonate.

The first few hours of a foal’s life are its most precarious. After a gestation period of 320-360 days, the parturition process is rapid and complex, with the foal entering the world physiologically independent from the dam. This means that a great many adaptations must take place for the transition to be successful.

Author

Bonny Millar CVK (USA).RVN,REVN

Bonny received a Veterinary Technology Degree from Harcum College. Pennsylvania (USA) and started her career as an EVN at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, specialising in medical nursing. Bonny married and moved to Britain in 1991, settling in Newmarket where she was head nurse at Rossdale and Partners in Newmarket, for 12 years, specialising in equine critical care nursing.

She regularly teaches and mentors equine veterinary nursing students while focusing on equine critical care, wound management and neonatology. At present Bonny is on the BVNA Executive Advisory Board and was president in 2008-09. She also served as a Vet Tech in the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.

Keywords: Clinical, Neonatal, Foal

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 28 (11) • November 2013 • pp352-355

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