Equine
WVC 92nd Annual Conference
Management of Umbilical Problems in Foals & How to Prevent Them
Sabrina Brounts, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVS/ECVS, DACVSMR
Clinical Professor
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Jerry Billquist, DVM, MS
owner
Billquist Animal Care
The umbilical remnants are the urachus, umbilical vein and the paired umbilical arteries. Normally these structures regress after birth and become the vestigial part of bladder apex, round ligament of the liver and lateral ligaments of the bladder. However, infection, herniation or a combination of both can occur to these umbilical structures. Some umbilical problems can be treated medically and others need to be addressed surgically. Surgical correction of an umbilical problem is frequently practiced as a field procedure by equine general practitioners. In this talk we will discuss miscellaneous abnormalities of the umbilicus and how to diagnose them. In addition, we will summarize treatment options (medically and surgically) and identify factors that help prevent umbilical problems.