Septicemia in a Percheron foal

Abstract

A one month old Percheron foal was presented to Cornell University's Large Animal Clinic in April of 1996 with a chief complaint of fever, accompanied by stiff gait and a general reluctance to move. At birth the foal appeared normal, however, the owner reported a swollen tarsus at three days of age followed by a fever and stiff gait. Despite initial treatment with antibiotics, the foal continued to decline and became recumbent with neurological signs. Upon presentation, physical exam and ancillary diagnostics were performed, including CBC/serum chemistry panel, IgG serum quantification, cerebrospinal fluid examination, cervical and thoracic radiographs, neurological exam and a computed-tomography scan. Differential diagnoses were generated, including failure of passive transfer, septicemia, vertebral abscess and/or discospondylitis. Due to the foal's poor prognosis and lack of sufficient healthy tissue for cervical stabilization, euthanasia was recommended. At necropsy, a cervical intervertebral abcess with focal myelomylacia was diagnosed.