Neonatal care

Neonatal period

used to refer to the first 4 weeks of life followed by weeks 4 to 8 when weaning occurs

A thorough history of a neonate involves

getting information regarding littermates and parents

Dark pink ventral abdominal skin color

indicates normal color

Bluish ventral abdominal skin color

indicated cyanosis

Dark red ventral abdominal skin color

indicates sepsis

What should you check the neonates head for?

open fontanels, cleft palate, and signs of ocular and other infections in the structure

How much do puppies and kittens sleep?

80% of the day and nurse every 2 to 4 hours

Able to lift head

3 days old

Crawlings

possible within a week

Puppies and kittens temperature at birth

94.5 to 97.3F

Puppies and kittens temperature during the 1st week

94.7 to 100.1F

Eyes open

at about 7 to 12 days

Ear canals open

14 to 16 days

Puppies and kittens venipuncture

jugular vein

Blood drawing in puppies and kittens

limit the amount to 10% or less of the animal’s blood volume in a week, and it should be 5% in a ill puppy

To collect urine sample in puppies and kittens

by gently rubbing the genital area with a moist cotton ball; it stimulates it

Deworming puppies

with pyrantel pamoate is recommended beginning at 2 weeks of age. Provide 3 doses at 2 week intervals

What signs to look for if the body temperature is between 88-94F

restlessness, crying, red mucous membranes, and cool skin

What signs to look for if the body temperature is between 78-85F

lethargy, uncoordinated movement, lowering of heart rates and respiratory rates, moisture around corners of mouth, and impaired metabolism leading to hypoglycemia

Kittens and puppies with hypothermia

should be adequately rewarmed at a rate of 2F per hour, and audible gut sounds should be present before oral nutritional support is provided

Tacky to dry mucous membranes

dehydration of 5 to 7% is apparent

lower skin elasticity and dry mucous membranes

dehydration of 10%

One of the most common causes of seizure in neonatal puppies and kittens

hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia

occurs when the serum glucose level is less than 30mg/dL in dogs anf less than 50 mg/dL in cats

To treat hypoglycemia

deliver an infusion of dextrose (5 to 10% in normal saline) via IV or IO, 0.5 to 1g/kg, don’t give dextrose subcutaneously

Neonatal isoerythrolysis in kittens

occurs in kittens of blood type A born to a queen of blood type B mated to a blood type A male

Cats with type B type blood

they have high titers of naturally occurring antibodies to type A blood cells

The milk replacer formulation

should be as close as possible to that of the mother’s milk

Critical neonates can have a variety of causes but frequently present with common clinical signs like

anorexia, lethargy, or emaciation

Fading puppy/kitten syndrome

they appear healthy at birth then gradually decline over the following weeks

Causes of fading puppy/kitten syndrome

insufficient care and feeding from the mother, congenital defects, or the defect or diseases present at birth, and infectious diseases, parasites, malnutrition, and others

Milk dripping from the udder of mares before delivery

is imminent indicates the presence of twins, placentitis, or delivery date miscalculation

Horse labor stage 1

lasts 1 to 4 hours, includes, uterine contractions, changes in behavior, lifting of tail head, sweating around shoulders (foaling to occur within 30 minutes)

Horse labor stage 2

delivery usually occurs within 30 minutes

Horse labor stage 3

occurs within a few hours of foal delivery, includes, the passing of the placenta, which is often painful

Foal standing

within 1 or 2 hours of birth

Foal nursing

within 2 hours

Foal 1st urination

occurs within 12 hours

Foal running

24 hours

Failure of passive transfer (FPT)

occurs when a foal does not ingest an adequate amount of colostrum within the first 12 to 24 hours of life or if the colostrum is of poor quality

A premature foal

is born after fewer than 320 days of gestation

Dysmature foals

are those that are delivered at full-term gestational age but present with similar characteristics of premature foals

Postterm foals

are carried for an extended period past full term and become increasingly abnormal the longer they’re in utero

early signs of disease in critically ill foals

lethargy and depression, lower sucking reflex, decreased nursing, and increased sleeping and recumbency

Neonatal encephalopathy

“Dummy foal” or neonatal maladjustment syndrome, which results in abnormal behavior, poor nursing ability, and weakness and is associated with other problems, such as sepsis, neonatal gastroenteropathy, and neonatal nephropathy

Neonatal gastroenteropathy

Abnormal gastrointestinal (GI) tract motility and absorption leading to intolerance of enteral nutrition, such as reflux noted after feeding

Neonatal nephropathy

Renal insufficiency that may resolve or may be too severe for recovery

Neonatal isoerythrolysis

Acute, severe anemia caused by destruction of the foal’s red blood cells as a result of maternal antibodies causing an incompatibility reaction

Sepsis or septic shock

Acute, severe bacterial infection causing multiorgan dysfunction, including poor perfusion of the limbs, cardiovascular collapse, and metabolic derangements, such as profound hypoglycemia

Meconium retention

retained in the colon, and the foal will display abdominal discomfort, such as tail flagging and rolling

Colitis

Development of acute diarrhea, often caused by an infectious organism, such as rotavirus, Salmonella spp., or Clostridium spp., requiring immediate treatment in an isolated stall

Patent urachus

Foal’s urachus not closed and leaks urine

Ruptured bladder

Foal’s urinary bladder or associated structures (e.g., ureters) developing a tear, with urine leaking into the abdomen

Septic arthritis or septic physitis

Development of an infected joint or growth plate

Musculoskeletal abnormalities (e.g., flexural deformities, angular limb deformities)

Tendon contracture, valgus, or varus problems causing deviated limbs

Entropion

Lower eyelid rolling inward to the cornea, causing corneal abrasion or ulceration

Congenital

defects or diseases present at birth

Placentitis

infection of a mare’s placenta

Meconium

1st feces passed by a foal shortly after birth