Pneumonia in foals is common, but if treated aggressively most foals will recover well and lead normal lives. Up to 10 percent of all foals will contract pneumonia, reports The Horse.
Pneumonia is suspected when a foal is breathing hard and fast, and has an elevated heart rate with a fever. Vets often confirm that suspicion using an ultrasound or X-ray, but a definitive diagnosis requires a transtracheal wash. If the foal has pneumonia, the wash will contain white blood cells and bacteria.
A culture and sensitivity report will show which antibiotics are appropriate to treat the condition. A combination of antimicrobials, anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, and bronchodilators are often used. Intravenous fluids and oxygen may also be needed.
Though most horses recover uneventfully, horses which sustain lung tissue damage from severe pneumonia may be at risk of lower airway bleeding during exercise (exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage) and recurrent infections because of the amount of mucus the horses are unable to clear.
Information provided by the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries suggests that foals which have had pneumonia may be less likely to make it to the racetrack. However, those horses that made it to the track do not seem to have any repercussions from having pneumonia as a foal.
Read more at The Horse.
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