Umbilical Care In Foals
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As foaling season approaches, it's a good idea for people to review proper umbilical care. The umbilicus is an important route of infection in foals, and can be associated with problems including local umbilical abscesses, large abdominal abscesses extending to the liver, and overwhelming body-wide infection (sepsis). The reason the umbilicus is such a critical structure is that it contains three major blood vessels (two arteries and one large vein) and the urachus (which connects the umbilical cord to the foal's bladder) . When the umbilicus ruptures shortly after birth, these structures are exposed to the bacteria-laden environment of the outside world and can be a route of entry for local and deep infections. Care of the umbilicus during the initial high-risk period is a key part of raising a healthy foal.
Do all foal's need specific umbilical care? Not really. Most foals, especially those born normally in a clean environment to a healthy mare and who received adequate colostrum, don't need anything done. However, it's not always easy to differentiate these low-risk foals from others, and it is possible for the healthiest foal born in the cleanest environment with ingestion of an adequate volume of good quality colostrum to develop complications, so most people perform some form of post-birth umbilical care (and that's a good thing). The key is making sure that it's the right umbilical care.
The goals of umbilical care are pretty basic:
- Prevent bacteria from entering the umbilicus.
- Avoid damaging the umbilicus and other body tissues, and avoid delaying normal drying of the umbilicus.
What to use?
- Research has indicated that a 0.5% chlorhexidine solution is the optimal umbilical dip. Other disinfectants can also kill local bacteria on the umbilicus but may not be as effective, may not work as well in the presence of debris (dirt, manure...), or may be irritating to body tissues.
Read the label:
- Make sure you are actually using 0.5% chlorhexidine and that it's a solution (diluted in water), not a tincture (diluted in alcohol). If you don't have 0.5% chlorhexidine solution and are unsure about how to dilute it properly, ask your veterinarian.
More is not better!
- Don't think that since 0.5% is good, 5% must be 10 times better. The stronger the concentration, the greater the chance of damage to local tissues, which can increase the risk of complications. Stick with 0.5%.
More is not better! Part 2
- The umbilicus should be dipped in disinfectant, not marinaded in it! The goal is to cover the umbilicus and not other tissues (e.g. the abdominal wall). You don't need to soak the umbilicus or hold the disinfectant in place over it. Short term contact (dip) is adequate. Dip it and walk away. The umbilicus needs to dry up - repeated soaking isn't helpful.
More is not better! Part 3
- The umbilicus should be disinfected shortly after birth, then every 6-8 hours for the first 24 hours of life. That's usually enough. If the umbilicus still appears wet at that time, it can be dipped again. Continued dipping "just is case" is not needed.
Don't tie off the umbilicus:
- Tying off the umbilicus can actually increase the risk of complications such as infection and patent urachus (urination through the umbilicus).
Hands off!
- Don't touch, poke or otherwise make contact with the umbilicus with your hands. It's not needed and it's a great way of transferring bacteria to the umbilicus.
If in doubt, call your veterinarian:
- A proactive call to your veterinarian is much better and cheaper than an umbilical infection, umbilical abscess, septic foal or patent urachus. These are all expensive complications and often difficult to treat successfully. Foals can change very quickly, and waiting to "see what happens" for a day or two can be the difference between a minor complication and a life-threatening problem.
