The birth of a long -awaited foal is a special time for every breeder, but it can also be an opportunity to do with fear. Even if you do everything right – feed your mare correctly, keep them in good condition, let them vaccinate on schedule – and are present during the birth, unexpected things can still happen.
In some cases, a foal may seem normal if it is born, but then no milestones such as standing, care and compliance with the mare. This is often known for foals with newborns -misleading syndrome (NMS), also as a “dummy foal syndrome”, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or perinatal asphyxia. Quarter Horse News spoke to Dr. Rudy Madrigal at Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery in Weatherford, Texas, to get more information about what Dummy Foal causes and how you can continue if you think you may be affected.
Increased mirrors of neurosteroids can cause NMS
It was originally assumed that NMS is caused by a low oxygen content during the birth, which led to damage to the foal's central nervous system. Modern evidence indicates that instead this can be due to the failure of Placenta hormones or neurosteroids to lose weight after birth and to keep the foal in a sedated state. The signs of NMS include the inability of the foal to find and suck the udder, as well as a lack of interest in following the mare after standing. Foals can build symptoms within minutes after birth, or it can take up to 48 hours until something is unusual.
“Foals show a variety of neurological signs – reduced affinity for mare, not breastfeeding, aimless, faint to the lack of absorption reflex, depressed, respiratory changes and seizures,” said Madrigal. “It can be seen in about 1 to 2% of the births without a breed or discipline preference.”
Foals that are not properly positioned before birth and need assist to pass the birth canal. Foals in which a placenta separation occurs, which is known as red bag deliveries, or placentitis that is the infection of the placenta; Caesarean section deliveries; Vibration stoxicity; And other diseases can all predispose a foal for NMS.
Supporting care is of necessary importance for recovery
As soon as the signs develop and an NMS diagnosis is confirmed, foals must be treated, otherwise they can develop secondary problems. The most common of these is sepsis that can lead to death.
“Treatment in these foals largely supports IV fluids, oxygen supplementation with respiratory arrest, IV antibiotics, nutritional support, antioxidants, antioxidants, anti-an-s egg medication and immunity support,” said Madrigal.
The treatment is exhausting and can be high-priced. Foals may have to be fed, and those who have seizures may have to be placed in a padded environment in order to protect them from injuries. Some foals can recover in a few days, others may need support for more than a week. However, all of these work can pay off – the average survival rate is 85%, and most of these foals can live and even lead a normal life. Those who have no infection or no parliamentary paralysis have a better view.
The Madigan Squeeze technology can be life-saving for some foals
Depending on the foal, a technique called Madigan Squeeze technology could be useful to correct NMS. Named after his developer Dr. John Madigan was developed to create pressure to create pressure that imitates through the birth canal. Since a quick delivery is suspected as the cause of NMS during birth and Dummy foals behave as if they are sleeping, it is assumed that the pressure on the foal signals its transition from sleeping in the womb to vigilance.
According to the UC Davis Center for Equine Health, the Madigan -Squeeze Technology works by pushing the pressure on the ribs with ropes that are wrapped around the chest for 20 minutes. The normal time it takes to drive through the birth canal. You can find complete instructions here; However, this procedure should only be carried out by a veterinarian or under his direct supervision. Madrigal warned that not every foal is a candidate for the procedure.
“Madigan Squeeze technology is only shown that it works at foals with increased levels of neurosteroids,” said Madrigal. “This should be used with caution, since other causes can imitate the dummy foal, which can lead to a behind schedule transfer and intervention.”
Do not confuse other conditions for NMS
The symptoms in Dummy foals can also indicate other diseases. Therefore, it is always best that your veterinarian is involved if you suspect NMS. Other causes of reduced care and lethargy are sepsis, aspiration pneumonia, broken bladder, broken ribs and real hypoxic condition, a disease in which the tissue of the body preserves inadequate care with oxygen and no normal physiological function can maintain.
The earlier your veterinarian can intervene in these problems, the better the forecast for your foal, said Madrigal. It is therefore essential not to jump on an NMS diagnosis without excluding other problems.
Research on dummy foals helps human medicine
NMS is associated with autism in humans – the behavioral sanomalies that are observed in foals such as replacement are similar to the symptoms that children express with autism. Researchers in veterinary and human medicine work together to examine whether an increased level of neurosteroids could contribute to both disorders.
In humans, there are indications that tactile pressure is essential for newborns. For this reason, many hospitals “kangaroo care” in the child who wrapped the child in a featherlight ceiling and provided the mother for skin-to-skin-contact standard procedures and handed over to the mother. If this procedure, which has similarities with the Madigan Squeeze technology, is used, studies show that the child's premature survival is significantly improved. Further studies are required, but so far the possibility that increased neurosteroids could contribute to autism in relation to birth could be convincingly proven.
