The foal brigade

The veterinarians of the Foal Brigade of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to care for newborn sick or weak foals. That way, precious young life receives the best treatment and care as soon as possible.

But to be able to provide this intensive care, new equipment, materials and research are regularly required.  

Infusion pumps

When a foal arrives at the Foal Brigade, it is often very weakened and dehydrated. Then special infusion pumps are used with which the colleagues can give exactly the right amount of infusion and medication.

At the moment, the Foal Brigade has sufficient infusion pumps to provide the necessary care for two foals at the same time. But if a foal needs very intensive care, there are sometimes not even enough infusion pumps for a second foal, let alone a third. In order to be able to provide the necessary care for a third foal at the same time, the following is required:

- 1 Braun Perfusor Space Infusion Pump = € 1100

- 1 Braun Space stations (including accessories) = € 1840

- 2 Braun Infusomat Space Infusion pumps = á € 1075 (total € 2150)

Intensive Foal Care cart

In addition to the special infusion pumps, the Foal Brigade uses the custom-made "Intensive Foal Care cart". The foal cart functions as a large incubator. The foal then lies between two firm, but sufficiently soft cushions, and receives the infusion in this way. The mare can watch her head from the side of the cart and in this way can keep in touch with her foal.

At the moment the Foal Brigade has two Foal carts available, but would like to have a third cart:

- 1 tailor-made Foal Intensive Care cart = € 4,622

Research 'Better prognosis of sick foals'

Because the treatment of foals is often intensive and expensive, it is important for both foal and owner to estimate the prognosis of a sick foal as quickly and as accurately as possible. Determining Serum Amyloid A (SAA) in the blood can be helpful in this. The colleagues of the Foal Brigade would like to do more research to determine whether repeated SAA measurements say something about the prognosis and most effective treatment for an individually ill foal.

- SAA analysis for a foal (3 measurements) = € 75 (€ 25 per measurement)

Research 'Better dosage of antibiotics in foals'

Foals in intensive care are often treated with antibiotics, including gentamicin. But unfortunately any drug can also cause side effects, including gentamicin. In severely ill children in hospital, the blood level of gentamicin is therefore measured repeatedly, and on that basis it is decided when the next dose should be given and how high it should be. We would like to make this possible for IC foals as well.

- Blood level analysis for a foal (3 measurements) = € 225 (€ 75 / measurement)

Help us today

Do you also want newborn, sick foals to receive better care? With your contribution you make a difference for young life!