The result has been a dramatic improvement not only in the likelihood of survival but also the ability of surviving foals to mature into sound, healthy individuals that are able to perform their intended function. Since that time there has been a steady increase in our understanding and ability to successfully treat and manage the critically ill foal. Owners were very interested in optimizing foal survival, and this interest, along with the increasing capability for providing effective critical care for foals, led to the development of neonatal intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide in the 1980s. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 As the knowledge base grew dramatically, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 there was increasing interest in providing improved care for the equine neonate, in large part because of the substantial investments of time, energy, and equity involved in the lengthy process of conception, gestation, parturition, and juvenile development. 5, 6 Significant strides were also being made in the understanding of the physiology of the equine fetus and neonate, in large part because of the efforts of a group of researchers working in the UK. The foundations of equine neonatology were built on the earliest descriptions of specific conditions in foals by clinician researchers, such as septicemia, joint ill, and hemolytic icterus, 1, 2, 3, 4 as well as the “dummy foal” syndrome and the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) associated with primary surfactant deficiency. Although the field of human neonatology has provided critically important guidance regarding the physiology and pathophysiology of the neonatal foal, and will continue to do so, fundamental insights have been achieved into the unique characteristics of this special population. Tremendous advances have been made in the medical care of newborn foals over the past 50 years, thanks to the pioneering efforts of many individuals and research groups and the increasing sophistication of veterinary medicine as a whole.
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