Question
My mare delivered a foal with a wry nose. What will the foal’s general dietary needs be in terms of feed form?
Answer
Wry nose is a congenital malformation of the facial bones in which the muzzle twists to one side. In severe cases, the deviation may be 90°. Depending on the severity of the malformation, the anatomy of the teeth and other skull structures, as well as the physiology of the bite, may be abnormal.
While mildly affected foals may require no treatment, those with severe deviation may need immediate intervention. Surgical correction intended to foster respiratory health and enhance cosmetic appearance has been successful. Given this, veterinary and dental consultation is important in cases of wry nose at birth and continues as the foal matures.
Crafting in-depth nutritional guidelines for your foal is difficult, if not impossible, even with full knowledge of these specifics: the extent of the malformation, the ease with which the foal nurses or drinks milk, and the disposition of the deformity, specifically whether surgery will be performed to alleviate long-term issues, notably respiratory obstruction and misaligned teeth that may cause chewing problems.
As far as dietary needs for a severely affected foal, these will likely depend on the timeline outlined by the veterinarian overseeing care. If the foal can nurse or drink from a bucket satisfactorily, then management issues typically arise as weaning approaches and introduction to traditional feedstuffs begins. A mash diet may be sufficient to maintain the severely affected weanling until surgery. Potential feeding solutions include (1) a mash or slurry made from a complete feed formulated for growing horses, or (2) soaked forage pellets (e.g., pelleted hay or a hay-stretcher product) with an appropriate amount of soaked pelleted growth feed.
Some foals will dig into whatever is offered. Others, though, will be more finicky about the consistency of the meals, so some trial and error may be necessary. Keep an eye on the feed bucket to make sure the foal is consuming its feed, and discard any meal that is not eaten within an hour or two. In hot weather, mashes and slurries can sour quickly.
If dental problems persist, it might be prudent to work closely with an equine nutritionist—in combination with a veterinarian and dentist—to ensure the foal is adequately supported from a nutritional perspective.
