NEWS NOTES

Good Prognosis for Foals with Septic Arthritis

The prognosis for survival in foals with septic arthri- was detected in 80 (61.5%; 95% CI 52.6% to 69.9%) tis is good, according to a recent study from New samples. The most frequent organism isolated was South Wales, Australia. Streptococcus (32%), followed by Enterobacteriaceae

Future racing performance does not appear to (28%) and Staphylococcus (15%). Thirty-nine foals be affected, the researchers said. However, younger (34%) required repeat lavage of the affected synovial foals and those with concurrent diseases are less structure, most commonly the stifle (35%) and tarlikely to survive. socrural joints (20%).

The researchers did a retrospective study of fu- Ninety (78%) of 115 foals diagnosed with septic arture racing performance for 114 Thoroughbred foals thritis were discharged alive. Foals <26 days old at the (<180 days old) with septic arthritis and compared time of admission were 5 times less likely (P=0.003) them with their maternal siblings to investigate fac- and foals with concurrent multisystemic disease were tors associated with survival. 6 times less likely (P=0.02) to be discharged alive. Sixty

The foals had undergone arthroscopic, cannula (67%) foals discharged alive started in at least 1 race, and or through-and-through needle lavage for the treat- there was no difference in the proportion of foals that ment of septic arthritis over a 6-year period. In addi- started in a race or racing performance between foals tion, synovial fluid samples were obtained for cyto- treated for septic arthritis and their maternal siblings. logical analysis and bacteriologic culture. The researchers suggested that veterinarians use

Overall, 130 synovial fluid samples were submit- bacterial culture of synovial fluid samples to guide ted for culture and cytology. Bacteriological growth treatment, if possible.

For more information:

O’Brien TJ, Rosanowski SM, Mitchell JB, et al. Factors associated with survival and racing performance of 114 Thoroughbred foals with septic arthritis compared to maternal siblings (2009–2015). Equine Vet J. 2020 Nov. 8 [Epub ahead of print]. https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/evj.13387