Electrolyte, blood gas and electrocardiographic profile of neonatal foals in the first 48 hours of life

ABSTRACT

Background: The neonatal period is characterized as a physiological and metabolic adaptation phase, when organic systems need to face new challenges from extra uterine life. The knowledge in physiology, the evaluation of the newborn vigor and a fast intervention regarding to resuscitation, are essentials to decrease neonatal mortality. The aim of this study is to improve the understanding about clinical and laboratory evaluations of newborn foals through the determination of preventive or corrective methods, observe changes and describe the electrolytic blood gas and electrocardiographic profiles of Paint Horse foals in their first 48 h of life.Material, Methods & Results: Twenty foals born in eutocia were evaluated at birth, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36 and 48 h thereafter. Clinical examinations (heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature), blood gas and electrocardiography were performed in all moments. No significant differences were observed in blood gas parameters during the analysis. Significant increases (P < 0.001) occurred in body temperature at birth, at 20 h and 36 h after foaling. The animals showed significant decreases in anion gap at birth, at 16 h and 24 h (P < 0.01); in sodium levels from birth to 20 h, and at 24 h (P < 0.001) and potassium levels between 4 h and 48 h after birth (P < 0.05); these concentrations were associated with variations in the electrocardiographic parameters. The electrocardiogram resulted in progressive decreases in QT interval, and in lengh and amplitude of T wave. There were negative correlations between QT interval and T wave amplitude at 16 h (ρ = -0.56, P = 0.009), the QT interval and cell volume at 24 h (R = -0.48, P = 0.03), the QT interval and hemoglobin level at 24 h (R = -0.48, P = 0.03), and the QT interval and temperature at 36 h (R = -0.057, P = 0.007).[...](AU)