Thoracic trauma in foals: post mortem findings.
Authors: Schambourg M A, Laverty S, Mullim S, Fogarty U M, Halley J
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Thoracic Trauma in Newborn Foals: Understanding Birth-Related Injury Thoracic trauma represents a significant but under-recognised cause of neonatal foal mortality, occurring in approximately 9% of necropsied foals over a ten-year period. This retrospective analysis examined post-mortem findings in 67 foals with thoracic injuries, stratifying cases by whether trauma directly caused death (19 foals) or represented incidental pathology (48 foals with fractured ribs or contusions). The most striking findings were the consistent anatomical pattern—ribs 3–8 accounting for 86% of fractures, with 94% of injuries concentrated at or immediately above the costochondral junction—and temporal clustering, with fatal cases occurring predominantly within the first eight days postpartum. Haemothorax with subsequent pulmonary collapse was the primary cause of death in 53% of fatal cases, though diaphragmatic rupture also occurred. This highly localised injury pattern during the immediate perinatal period strongly implicates trauma during parturition itself, suggesting that birth-related compression against maternal pelvic anatomy or difficult delivery mechanics may be responsible. For practitioners managing neonatal foals presenting with respiratory compromise, poor nursing behaviour, or unexplained deterioration in the first week of life, heightened suspicion of thoracic trauma and appropriate diagnostic imaging may facilitate early intervention and improve survival rates in what is otherwise a frequently fatal condition.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Veterinarians assisting dystocia should be aware that thoracic trauma is a significant cause of neonatal foal mortality and can present with varied clinical signs or as sudden death in the first week of life
- •Post-mortem examination findings of rib fractures at the costochondral junction in foals <8 days old should prompt investigation of birth trauma and associated haemothorax or pulmonary collapse
- •Recognition of thoracic trauma patterns may help identify obstetric complications during assisted deliveries and improve preventive management strategies
Key Findings
- •Thoracic trauma occurred in 9% (67/760) of necropsied foals, with fractured ribs as the cause of death in 19 cases
- •Ribs 3-8 accounted for 86% of traumatised bones, with 94% of injuries occurring at the costochondral junction or immediately above it
- •Haemothorax and subsequent pulmonary collapse was the most common cause of death (53%) in foals with fatal thoracic trauma
- •All but 2 foals with fatal thoracic trauma died within the first 8 days postpartum, suggesting injury occurs during parturition