Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Septic Arthritis, Osteitis, and Osteomyelitis in Foals

Septic arthritis and osteomyelitis is a serious complication of septicemia in foals. Within a given joint, the disease can involve the synovial membrane, the epiphysis, the physis, the metaphysis, and/or the small cuboidal bones of the tarsus or carpus. Early identification and early institution of an aggressive therapeutic protocol can result in a successful outcome. Concurrent systemic illness, type of septic arthritis, multiple joint involvement, pathogenicity of the organism, presence of osteomyelitis, and expected use of the foal are factors that can help formulate a prognosis.