Very Common
Less Common
You also might be observing
Observation
What you see. The starting point for addressing any equine health related issue is your observation.
YOU ARE OBSERVING
Foal or Newborn, Coughing
Summary
Coughing is a reflex action intended to clear the airway. Tactile stimulation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (wind pipe) causes the cough reflex.
Age is a clue as to the cause of a cough in a foal. Persistent coughing in a newborn foal might indicate a congenital or hereditary problem with the swallowing reflex or the mechanical form or function of the esophagus or larynx.
Older foals and weanlings are susceptible to viral and bacterial respiratory infections and parasitic disease. As with adults, air quality can always be a factor affecting the respiratory system. Dusts and molds cause irritation and allergic responses.
Age is a clue as to the cause of a cough in a foal. Persistent coughing in a newborn foal might indicate a congenital or hereditary problem with the swallowing reflex or the mechanical form or function of the esophagus or larynx.
Older foals and weanlings are susceptible to viral and bacterial respiratory infections and parasitic disease. As with adults, air quality can always be a factor affecting the respiratory system. Dusts and molds cause irritation and allergic responses.
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Code Red
Call Your Vet Immediately, Even Outside Business Hours- If the foal is not nursing or seems depressed.
- If the foal has milk run out its nostrils while nursing.
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Code Orange
Call Your Vet at Their First Available Office Hours- If the foal appears otherwise normal, i.e. is active and nursing normally.
your role
What To Do
Assess the foal's general health, paying particular attention to their general attitude and appetite. Take a rectaul temperature. Look for any nasal discharge, especially of milk around nursing time. If a foal also appears depressed and is not nursing or shows any other signs of illness, contact your vet immediately to discuss your findings and concerns, because it may be a veterinary emergency. Do not force a coughing horse or one with nasal discharge to stand with its head elevated. It may cause inhalation of material into the lungs and predispose to pneumonia.What Not To Do
Do not force a coughing horse or one with nasal discharge to stand with its head elevated. It may cause inhalation of material into the lungs and predispose to pneumonia.
Skills you may need
Procedures that you may need to perform on your horse.
your vet's role
Your vet uses physical exam and observation of the cough to better understand the nature of the problem causing it. Endoscopy, blood work and x-ray are additional diagnostics often used to make a diagnosis and determine a treatment plan.
Questions Your Vet Might Ask:
- Is the foal active and nursing?
- When was the foal born?
- Did the foal stand and nurse normally after foaling?
- Does the foal appear bright, alert and responsive?
- Was an IgG antibody test done on the foal after birth?
- Does the foal seem able to swallow?
- When is the coughing most obvious (eating, exercising, or other)?
- Do you notice milk coming out of the foal's nostrils?
Diagnostics Your Vet May Perform
Figuring out the cause of the problem. These are tests or procedures used by your vet to determine what’s wrong.
Diagnoses Your Vet May Consider
The cause of the problem. These are conditions or ailments that are the cause of the observations you make.
Very Common
Less Common
Rare
Treatments Your Vet May Recommend
A way to resolve the condition or diagnosis. Resolving the underlying cause or treating the signs of disease (symptomatic treatment)
Very Common
