Acompanhamento clínico de potro neonato proveniente de gestação com placentas.

Background: The equine placenta is the organ where gas and nutrients are exchanged between the mare and the fetus and, as such presents two main functions: protection and regulation of the fetal environment. Maternal or placental disorders can lead to fetal or neonatal impairment, fetal death, development of abnormalities, dystocia, or to the delivery of premature or dysmature foals. The aim of this work is to report the placental findings, the clinical evaluation and the therapeutic measures adopted during the clinical monitoring of a foal birth from a mare with placentitis. Case: The patient is a Thoroughbred mare, 18 years-old, from a farm in the south region of Brazil. The mare was submitted to colic surgery 90 days prior to delivery. The gestational length was 365 days and the mare did not present any symptoms of placentitis during pregnancy. At delivery both the amniotic fluid and the foal showed meconium staining, suggesting passage of intrauterine meconium. The time lapsed from birth to the observation of postural and behavioral reflexes was: eight min to the adoption of sternal recumbency; 35 min to begin sucking reflexes, and 110 min to stand. After the observation of the sucking reflexes, the foal received 250 mL of colostrum with a bottle. The foal weight at birth was 50 kg. Yellow/brownish stains covering on the allantoic surface to its full extent were identified during the macroscopic evaluation of the placenta in addition to laceration areas in the region corresponding to the uterine bifurcation. The thickening of the amnion was observed, with marked edema. Placentitis was confirmed post-foaling through histologic evaluation. The foal was submitted to clinical evaluation and hematological and biochemical analyzes at birth (0 h) and at 6, 12, and 24 h of life. Allopurinol (40 mg/kg) was administered after 6 h of birth, with the aim of avoiding the development of clinical signs due to birth hypoxia. Signs of sepsis and respiratory involvement have not been identified. A splint support was used due to the identification of a bilateral laxity of the flexor tendon group with hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint. The foal was kept in movement restriction for approximately one month. Two months after the foal's release to the pasture, ruptures in both sesamoid ligaments was identified by radiological examination. This foal was not destined for training and was kept for breeding. Discussion: The foal was diagnosed with dysmaturity based on the observations of flexural deformities, delayed neuromuscular reflexes and behavioral signs, intrauterine meconium passage and hematological and biochemical findings. The histopathological evaluation of the placenta was useful for the identification of the placental impairment that was not observed during pregnancy. The use of neuroprotective and antioxidant medications such as Allopurinol may prevent the development of clinical signs due to birth hypoxia. Factors such as postnatal growth and the prognosis for the growth potential are not easy to predict. Despite the unfavorable prognosis for competition, the foal's lesions were not incompatible with the animal's life, that was maintained for breeding given its high livestock value. Based on the above one can conclude that the delivery monitoring and the follow-up of the foal allows an early diagnosis of dysmaturity and the determination of absence of sepsis, guiding the therapeutic approach and management measures that can lead to the survival of the foal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]