Referentinnen und Referenten

Abstract

Homeopathy in horse medicine: First weeks of life – getting on your feet with homeopathy

Welcoming a newborn foal to life is a magical experience, when all goes well. 

First there is the struggle of getting out the uterus, breathe on its own and finally the challenge to stand on its own feet. Sometimes troubles occur even before delivery.

As always in homeopathy, observation is extremely important. We need to observe the pregnant mare weeks before she is due, we need to observe and recognize healthy and proper behavior of the newborn foal and recognize signs of disease or problems that may indicate something is out of ordinary in a newborn animal. Normal, healthy foals should have a good attitude, be willing to nurse, be active in the stall, and interact with the mare. When a foal is lying down while others are playing or stands close to its dam with head down and ears drooped, it may be sick and needs attention. Such foals may have a fever.

Most common problems that we face right at the beginning are placentitis, weakness and maladjustment syndrom, rejection by mare, umbilical infection, meconium impaction, mechanical injuries and development issues like contracted tendons, croocked legs.

Colostrum, or “first milk,” has many properties which are very beneficial to this newborn foal. It is high in nutrient content, has laxative properties and most importantly, is very high in antibodies and other factors important for developing the foal’s immunity. Unlike the human newborn, the foal is born deficient in antibodies and lacks adequate immunity. Therefore, the newborn foal is relatively incapable of fighting off disease before it obtains colostrum.

Septicemia, a common foal disease, is caused by bacterial invasion though the navel stump.

The foal must start nursing within two to three hours after birth to obtain adequate colostrum. The large immunoglobulin molecules in colostrum, which provide antibody protection, can only be absorbed in the first 12 hours after birth.

Foals observed nursing often but not gaining weight may not be getting adequate milk because the mare is agalactic. Many foals are constipated since fecal material (meconium) accumulates in their rectum during gestation.

Trauma, like broken ribs, leg, abcesses is often a cause of problems in first days.

Presented clinical cases demonstrate treating different conditions with homeopathy.

Tiny horses can have big problems!