Incidence of omphalitis in foals with different umbilical disinfection protocols.

BACKGROUND

Omphalitis, a common umbilical disorder in foals, can lead to complications and systemic diseases. An adequate disinfection protocol of the umbilical stump after birth is recommended to prevent infection.

OBJECTIVES

Comparison of different disinfection solutions and their efficacy in preventing omphalitis in foals.

METHODS

A total of 288 clinically healthy foals were included in this prospective, blinded cohort study during the foaling seasons of 2023 and 2024 on one stud farm. Foals were randomly allocated to one of six disinfection groups. The umbilical stump was examined clinically during the first days of life and treated twice daily with either 0.5 % chlorhexidine, 1 % iodine in 90 % ethanol, 0.05 % hypochlorous acid, or one of two different "effective microorganism" products. In an additional group, 0.5 % chlorhexidine was applied once daily. Umbilical ultrasonography was performed on the second and eighth day of life.

RESULTS

Overall, 13.9 % (40/288) of foals developed omphalitis. The lowest number of omphalitis cases was observed in the hypochlorous acid group, with 4.3 % foals affected (2/47); the highest incidence occurred in the group treated with chlorhexidine once daily, with 20.8 % of foals affected (11/53). Compared to the overall incidence of 13.9 %, hypochlorous acid was the only treatment that led to a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of omphalitis (p = 0.033). All foals recovered following antibiotic treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypochlorous acid was associated with the lowest incidence of omphalitis and appears a promising option for umbilical disinfection.