Neonatal Intensive Care Services
Veterinarians, nurses, and Foal Watch volunteers provide unmatched, around-the-clock care for critically ill neonatal foals — and their mothers — at the EMC.
The EMC has a Level 3 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), meaning that we provide advanced specialty care with life-support capabilities. We have state-of-the-art equipment to monitor vital signs, provide oxygen supplementation, and provide ventilator support.
Within their first days and weeks of life, foals (neonates) are susceptible to a variety of illnesses: birth-associated oxygen deprivation, bacterial septicemia, developmental problems, and prematurity. With appropriate care and treatment, many of these foals can survive, develop, and thrive without lasting effects. Early care of the neonate at the EMC with monitoring 24 hours a day gives the best chance of survival with fewer complications.
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Our expertise
Managing and treating compromised foals requires expert care and round-the-clock monitoring. Dr. Martin Furr, Dr. Harold McKenzie, and Dr. Anne Desrochers have nearly 50 years of combined experience in treating neonates.
- They have taught others in the field, conducted original research, and published papers that have helped advance the field of equine neonatal intensive care.
- They have treated thousands of critically ill foals, and can draw on their extensive experience to understand a disease’s progression and prescribe the appropriate corrective action.
- Their success rate of 80% is as high as any veterinary hospital in the country, and it is directly attributable to their industry-leading expertise.
Our facilities
The EMC is ideally equipped to diagnose and treat life-threatening disorders in neonates with:
- state-of-the-art equipment for oxygen supplementation and ventilator support
- a 5-stall Intensive Care Unit with life-support capabilities
- 24-hour hospital services and nursing care
- an on-site clinical diagnostic laboratory for rapid results
- trained staff to monitor and identify changes in the foal’s status
Resources
- Foal Pneumonia, by Dr. Harold McKenzie
- Care for high-risk mares and health challenged foals available at Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center
- Equine Medical Center faculty care for critically ill foals
Scholarly research by EMC faculty members
Faculty members at the Equine Medical Center have conducted original research and published journal articles that have helped advance the field of equine neonatal intensive care. Below is a selection of their publications.
- Annear M, Furr MO, White NA. Septic arthritis in foals. Equine Vet Educ 23(8);422-431, 2011.
- Johns I, Desrochers A, Sweeney R, Wotman KL. Presumed Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in two foals with Rhodococcus equi infection. J Vet Emerg Crit Car 2011 Jun; 21(3) :273-78.
- Dickey, E. J., McKenzie, H. C. III, Johnson, A. and Furr, M. O. Use of pressor therapy in 34 hypotensive critically ill neonatal foals. Aust Vet J, 2010 December: 88 (12): 472-477.
- McKenzie, H.C. Feeding management of sick neonatal foals. Vet Clin N Am: Eq Pract. 2009 April;25(1): 109-119.
- Hollis A.R., Furr M.O., Magdesian K.G., Axon J. E., Ludlow V. and Corley K.T.T. Blood Glucose Concentrations in Critically Ill Foals: a retrospective study. J Vet Intern Med 22(5), 1223-1227, 2008.
- Rohrback, B., Buchanan. B., Drake, J. Andrews, F., Bain, F., Byars, T., Bernard, W., Furr, M., Paradis, M., Lawler, J., Giguere, S., Dunkel, B. Use of a multivariable model to estimate the probability of discharge in hospitalized foals that are 7 days of age or less. J Amer Vet Med Assoc 2006;228 (11):1748-1756.
- Corley, K.T., Donaldson, L., and Furr, M. Arterial lactate concentration, hospital survival, sepsis and SIRS in critically ill neonatal foals. Equine Vet J 2005;37(1):53-59.
- Seco Diaz O, Desrochers AM, Hoffmann V, Reef VB. Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in a foal. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2005 Jan-Feb;46(1):83-5.
- Corley, K., and Furr, M. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation of the Newborn Foal. In: Current Therapy in Equine Practice. 5th Edition. Ed: N. E. Robinson. Saunders, St. Louis Mo., 2003.
For more information about neonatal intensive care services
- Most of our patients that require neonatal intensive care are referred by the family veterinarian, although clients are welcome to contact us for these care services directly. Call (703) 771-6800 or email emcinfo@vt.edu.
- The emergency checklist in our Client Care Packet is useful to review; please see In Case of Emergency and Emergency Checklist (PDF) and Client Care Packet (PDF)
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