Scours Scald in Foals

Few foals escape scours or diarrhea. Even if they’re fit as fiddles otherwise, foals usually have diarrhea when their dams experience foal heat, which is the mare’s first estrus following foaling, generally 5 to 14 days after birth. If foals are vigorous despite the diarrhea during the mare’s foal heat, there is no cause for concern.

More severe cases of scours often hit foals and may be due to viruses, bacteria, or protozoa. If a foal is anorexic or dehydrated during this period, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately.

Though cases of foal heat diarrhea vary in severity, one unfortunate but common side effect of scours is the loss of hair on both sides of the tail as well as a possible trail of hair loss down the hind limbs. There is little to be done in the way of prevention, though some horse owners will slather petroleum jelly on these areas around the time they expect scours to begin and continue to do so until the diarrhea ends. The petroleum jelly acts as an effective barrier between feces and hair, though this task is messy and time-consuming.

Other horse owners will clean the soiled areas two or three times daily with warm water and a mild soap. This vigilance might reduce hair loss and will almost certainly avoid any open sores, which can occur if the scald is completely ignored and the foal allowed to remain dirty day after day.

Some veterinarians and horse owners recommend using calamine lotion or Desitin diaper rash ointment on the hairless areas to soothe any discomfort, and both seem to be effective.