Examination of the newborn foal is incredibly important! This exam should be performed between 12 and 24 hours of age.
The exam should focus on early identification of any congenital defects like cleft palate, hernia or limb deformity, as well as signs of traumatic birth, like scleral hemorrhage (red around the eyes) or fractured ribs.
The exam can also identify signs of existing or pending infection (sepsis) by evaluating joints for fluid (effusion), thickened naval (umbilicus), fever, abnormal heart or lung sounds, and more.
Blood testing is also critical to ensure that the foal received good immunity from it's mother's first milk (colostrum). This test is performed at the farm, and should be done between 12 and 24 hours of age, since this is the best time to provide treatment if the foal did not receive adequate immunity. We also like to run a serum amyloid A, which is another blood test that identifies inflammation within the body.
Finally, as part of the new foal exam, the afterbirth (placenta) is evaluated for any abnormalities or missing pieces that could affect the health of the mare and foal.