Ridecamp: Re: [RC] sick foal

Does the foal have any neurologic deficits?
Were the spinal radiographs taken under anesthesia?
Was a myelogram done? Plain films don't always show compression clearly, 
particularly in an unanesthetized animal where positioning is rarely perfect.
As long as we're on the topic of radiographs, were chest films done? Did 
they show any evidence of penumonia?

As to Bette's post, Corynebacterium (now renamed Rhodococcus ) equi crossed 
my mind, as well, as it can cause a nasty pneumonia as well as joint infection.
I've not heard of using tetracycline to treat it, though, I've always used 
a combination of rifampin and erythromycin. 
Apparently  azithromycin   (Zithromax) is also being used these days, and 
once therapeutic levels are reached, it can be administered every other 
day. No personal experience with it.

My best guess on the Vitamin E deficiency disease would be equine 
degenerative myelopathy. If that is suspected, the foal should be on high 
doses of vitamin E.

                    CMNewell, DVM
  


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