2.3.2 Surgery
The foal was taken to surgery for an omphalectomy. Pre-operative antibiotics were administered and continued post-operatively (procaine penicillin G 22,000 IU/kg, intramuscularly, q 12 hours and gentamicin sulfate 6.6 mg/kg, intravenously, q 24 hours; 2 days). An umbilical vein marsupialization was additionally performed due to the markedly enlarged, friable umbilical vein extending to the level of the liver identified at surgery. The procedure was performed as described forCase 1 with the umbilical vein sutured to the right of midline and subsequent routine ventral midline incision closure.
Butorphanol (0.01 mg/kg, intravenously) was administered as needed for pain control post-operatively. The foal was discharged two days post-operatively with instructions to continue antibiotics for another 7 days.