Shire foal saved from deadly infection by WSU vets

After a frantic, five-hourdrive through the night from her home in Montana to Washington State University in Pullman, Rena Shockey braced for the worst as the doors of her horse trailer swung open.

Inside, a 24-hour-oldShire filly lay limp, barely clinging to life.

"Opening the back door was one of the scariest moments in my life," Shockey said. "We honestly didn't think she was going to make the drive to Pullman."

In the days that followed, the filly, since named Vienna, received round-the-clock intensive care and the most advanced treatments at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital as she battled a condition known as septicemia, a dangerous bloodstream infection. Two weeks later, surprising even her veterinarians, Vienna was finally healthy enough to return home.

"We really didn't have high hopes when she arrived," equine surgery resident Dr. Sebastian Larriva said. "She was in really rough shape, but she pulled through."

Shortly after Vienna was born, it became clear something wasn't quite right. A test revealed Vienna had not absorbed any of the crucial antibodies from her mother's colostrum, leaving her with zero immunity.

Without specialized care, Vienna's chances of survival were slim. After discussing their options with a local veterinarian and her husband, Shockey decided to make the long drive to WSU for help.

A test revealed Vienna had not absorbed any of the crucial antibodies from her mother's colostrum, leaving her with zero immunity.

Upon arrival, WSU's veterinary team quickly diagnosed Vienna with septicemia, a severe infection that occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and cause blood poisoning. The condition can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that causes tissue damage and organ failure. Foals younger than four weeks old are particularly susceptible to septicemia, as they are born with weak immune systems and rely heavily on the colostrum they receive from their mothers to gain immunity.

"Foals are born immunodeficient, so they can't really fight against pathogens on their own," Larriva said. "That's why they need colostrum from the mare. The main concern was that the bacteria would spread throughout her body and into her organs, creating a more severe case from there."

Vienna was treated with intravenous antibiotics, which helped her battle the infection. While the treatments appeared to be working, Vienna's weakened state was preventing her from standing or walking properly, leading to what is known as severe tendon laxity. Fortunately, physical therapy - or play in Vienna's eyes - alleviated that issue. Daily, veterinary students would move the filly from her stall in the hospital to an area outside where she could get exercise.

"She learned that every time she went into the gurney, she'd get a ride across to the park where she could be free for a second," Larriva said. "She really started to enjoy that."

The Shockeys normally take the first few weeks of a foal's life to get to know its personality before choosing a name, but since they couldn't be with Vienna, they asked the hospital staff for suggestions.

"One of the names was Vienna, and that struck a chord with us because her mother's name is Midnight in Paris and we have a gelding named Midnight Star over Rome," Shockey said. "So, Vienna became Moonlight over Vienna."

While Vienna fought for her life, her mother, Paris, also was not thriving as expected. Veterinarians soon discovered she had atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm likely triggered by an underlying infection or inflammatory process. The cardiology team started Paris on antibiotics to manage the condition, but she will need further treatment once Vienna is weaned.

Now back home in Montana, Vienna is thriving, her personality beginning to shine through. Like many Shires, she's calm and easygoing but has a curious streak that sometimes leads her to explore beyond the boundaries of her fences, to her owners' dismay.

Shockey, though, is grateful to have both Paris and Vienna back home.

"I've never had staff treat us with such care and respect while taking care of our animals before. Both Paris and Vienna are still alive because of WSU," Shockey said. "They outweigh me by a lot, but they are still my babies. That's just what they are to us."

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