By Alice Collins/Jump Media
Keeping an eagle eye on foals in their first weeks of life is not only fun, but close monitoring can also be lifesaving, as FEI dressage rider Lauren Knopp discovered in July. Luckily, quick action from Knopp, her home veterinarian, her reproduction veterinarian and the team at Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC) in Wellington all came together to bring about a positive outcome.
Knopp noticed that something wasn’t quite right when her two-month-old Hanoverian foal-at-foot Poof started having diarrhea. She called her reproduction vet Dr. Erin Newkirk, who handles her foals’ wellness care, and asked her to look at the filly, who is by Dark Pleasure out of Knopp’s Dancier mare, Dakota.
“Dr. Newkirk came on the second day of diarrhea and did an exam, pulled blood and gave her Bio-Sponge [an equine health supplement designed to help support healthy gastrointestinal function] and probiotic, and within a few minutes she became ataxic, meaning that her coordination and balance became really abnormal,” Knopp recalled.
That is when they contacted the experts at PBEC.
“As soon as Poof exhibited neurological symptoms, Dr. Newkirk and I got on the phone with PBEC,” Knoff said. “We immediately rushed Poof and Dakota to the clinic, where the clinician in charge of her care, Dr. Candelaria Chunco, and her team were waiting for us. Poof was diagnosed with central neurologic dysfunction of the brain due to low blood sodium.”
When Poof arrived at PBEC, she had a fever and neurological symptoms resulting from an electrolyte imbalance caused by 48 hours of diarrhea.
“Upon arrival, we carried out a physical exam, neurological exam, and an abdominal and thoracic ultrasound was performed,” explained Dr. Santiago Demierre, the referring veterinarian. “Poof was severely ataxic, hyperresponsive to stimuli, exhibiting compulsive behavior, and had proprioceptive deficits, unilateral circling, head tilts and tremors.”
He noted that blood work revealed severe dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance.
“Intravenous fluids were immediately started to correct imbalances, and within a few hours, Poof’s neurological signs began to improve. She was maintained on intravenous fluid therapy, antibiotics, Bio-Sponge and probiotic paste,” Demierre said
Knopp was thrilled with the care the foal received at PBEC.
“The team at PBEC went above and beyond to care for Poof. They were all extremely professional and kept me informed every step of the way. I visited a lot and was always greeted by a tech and given an update,” she said. “Aside from their quick action to get fluids into Poof and working tirelessly for six days — especially the first night — I really appreciated the care and attention my mare Dakota also received during her stay at PBEC. They always made sure she was calm and well-fed. Both Poof and Dakota are used to turnout with the option to come in and out as they please, so the staff made sure Dakota was just as comfortable as Poof during their stay.”
After almost a week of monitoring and treatment, Poof was passing normal manure, acted bright and alert, had no fever, and her normal appetite had returned. She was ready to return home.
“Even though the experience itself was immensely stressful, the team at PBEC made me feel secure knowing they were doing everything they needed to,” Knopp said. “No stone went unturned. The service was amazing, and they provided me with a detailed list of aftercare and checked in with me to make sure Poof settled in well at home.”
Knopp extended her thanks to the entire PBEC team.
“I am so grateful. It can make all the difference when an owner is paying attention to their horses, and the littlest details matter. Because of everyone acting so quickly, we were able to get Poof the care she needed. The moral of the story is not to wait to call your vet, because the outcome may have been different if I had waited,” she said.
To learn more about Palm Beach Equine Clinic, call (561) 793-1599 or visit www.equineclinic.com.
