Evaluation of Blood Glucose and Lactate Concentrations in Mule and Equine Foals.
Authors: Boakari Yatta Linhares, Alonso Maria Augusta, Riccio Amanda Vallone, Affonso Fernanda Jordão, Losano João Diego de Agostini, Nichi Marcilio, Belli Carla Bargi, Fernandes Claudia Barbosa
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Mule foals have received minimal physiological characterisation in the literature, leaving practitioners with limited reference data for assessing neonatal health in this species. Researchers compared blood glucose and lactate concentrations in healthy mule and equine foals from birth through 30 days of age using two analysers: a benchtop laboratory system (Randox Daytona) analysing plasma and a portable point-of-care device (Accutrend Plus) using whole blood. Whilst the laboratory analyser detected statistically significant differences in both glucose and lactate between species, the portable analyser showed comparable results between mules and foals—suggesting potential species differences or methodological effects. Both species demonstrated similar metabolic patterns: glucose rose then fell, and lactate showed initial elevation followed by gradual decline. The portable device's intraclass correlations were low for glucose but moderate for lactate, and its absolute values did not correlate closely with laboratory results, indicating the two methods are not interchangeable. However, because the point-of-care analyser tracked the same temporal patterns as laboratory analysis, it remains clinically viable for real-time neonatal assessment if practitioners establish standardised protocols for their specific equipment and samples. This distinction matters: farriers and field practitioners could use portable analysers to monitor metabolic trends in at-risk foals (mule or equine) during the critical first month, though any abnormal values should be confirmed by laboratory analysis before making clinical decisions.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Point-of-care glucose and lactate analyzers can be used for immediate neonatal assessment in practice if the technique is standardized for your specific equipment and samples, despite not perfectly matching laboratory values
- •Expect glucose to rise then fall and lactate to fall from birth through the first 30 days in healthy foals; mules and horses follow similar metabolic patterns in this period
- •Laboratory confirmation may still be warranted for critical clinical decisions, as point-of-care devices show moderate agreement with benchtop analyzers
Key Findings
- •Glucose and lactate concentrations differed between mule and equine foals when measured with benchtop analyzer (LAB) but showed no difference with point-of-care system (ACP)
- •Both species demonstrated similar glucose pattern with initial increase followed by decrease from birth to 720 hours
- •Lactate showed initial higher values with subsequent decrease in both mule and equine foals over the same period
- •Accutrend Plus system (ACP) demonstrated same pattern of variation as laboratory analyzer despite lower correlation coefficients, suggesting utility for clinical real-time monitoring if properly standardized