Rhinebeck Equine provides a full spectrum of care for neonatal foals.
At the farm, our veterinarians perform neonatal examinations within 24 hours of birth, assessing IgG levels, routine blood work, and the overall health and condition of the foal and dam. Any problems identified can be immediately addressed on the farm or referred to the hospital, if warranted.
The internal medicine department is well equipped to handle all problems of neonatal foals and their dams, from the routine to the critically ill. In the hospital, we can provide intensive care for compromised foals and their dams in our specially designed facility. We are experienced in treating foals with birth asphyxia (Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome, “Dummy” foal), prematurity, septicemia, diarrhea, septic arthritis, limb deformities, and many other conditions. Our experience and dedication to providing the most current care for your foal help to ensure the best outcome possible.
We treat foals with a wide variety of problems, and our goal is to achieve the best outcome for each patient while staying within the budget of the owner. By frequently assessing the patients’ progress, our internists can help owners make appropriate decisions. We are proud of the many successful outcomes that our team achieves.
Dystocia (difficult birth) is a team effort at Rhinebeck Equine. Our dystocia team includes specialists in surgery, reproduction, and internal medicine, and anesthesia staff members, each with a well-defined role. Each case is immediately evaluated and handled quickly to maximize foal survival. The surgeon and reproductive specialist correct any malposition and then deliver the foal with the mare standing, under anesthesia, or via Caesarean section if necessary. The internal medicine specialist and neonatal team provide care for the foal during and following delivery as these foals often require intensive care to survive.
High-risk pregnancies can be managed at the hospital to ensure the best possible outcome.
Colostrum Bank Donations
Millbrook Equine and Rhinebeck Equine are working together to make a colostrum bank available to local breeding farms. In order to make it successful, we need your help! Your donation to the bank will ensure that we have colostrum on hand for all foals in need.
Click here for more information and instructions.
Internal Medicine
Our Internal medicine specialists are experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous, urinary, immune, ocular, and endocrine systems. Many diagnostic modalities are utilized to assess these body systems in critically ill patients and patients with chronic, complicated, or uncommon diseases. Diagnostic tests include advanced collection and laboratory testing of tissue, fluid, and blood samples; biopsies of masses or internal organs; and diagnostic imaging including digital radiography, ultrasound, upper and lower respiratory tract endoscopy, lower urinary tract endoscopy, and gastroscopy. Ultrasonography (ultrasound) is frequently utilized to aid in the diagnosis of diseases affecting the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Although these diagnostic procedures are generally performed in our hospital, many exams and advanced diagnostics can be performed in the field.
For patients needing intensive care, our facility is equipped with oxygen ports to provide intranasal oxygen, and constant rate infusion pumps for the administration of IV fluids, intravenous nutrition, and/or blood products. Specially designed padded stalls equipped with a hydraulic lift allow for the care of neurologic patients. The isolation unit allows the treatment of patients with infectious diseases while protecting the rest of the hospital population. Neonatal patients rest comfortably on specially designed, padded foal beds, and can be safely separated from their dams inside our roomy stalls. Our 24-hour professional staff and in-house laboratory allow extraordinarily attentive and comprehensive medical and nursing care of our patients.
In the spring, the medicine department’s focus is on critically ill neonatal foals and their dams. We receive and treat foals with a wide variety of problems, and our goal is to achieve the best outcome for each patient while staying within the budget of the owner. By frequently assessing the patients’ progress, our internist can help owners make appropriate decisions. We are proud of the many successful outcomes that our team achieves.
Referral to our internal medicine specialist may be appropriate if:
- Your horse’s disease is uncommon, complicated, or undiagnosed after standard testing.
- The outcomes of the current treatments are not going well or as expected.
- Your horse requires a sophisticated procedure that is best performed by an experienced specialist.
Referral from your primary veterinarian is recommended, as they are a vital part of your horse’s ongoing care. Depending on the case, our internists may work closely with our board specialists in surgery, reproduction, and ophathalmology to obtain the best possible care for your horse.
Our Internal Medicine Doctors:
Learn more about Board-certified Large Animal Internists