Lavendelfohlensyndrom Titelbild

Lavender Foal Syndrome

This disease is fatal, and cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the horse.

Lavender foal syndrome is a rare congenital disorder that affects Arabian and Arabian-cross horses.

It is characterised by a distinctive lavender or blue-grey colouration of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, caused by an accumulation of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a product of the breakdown of red blood cells, and in normal horses, it is removed from the body by the liver and excreted in the feces.

However, in horses with lavender foal syndrome, the liver is not able to remove the bilirubin from the blood, resulting in jaundice and the characteristic colouration of the skin and eyes.

Symptoms

Exclusively found in

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for lavender foal syndrome, and the prognosis is poor. Affected foals often die or are euthanised shortly after birth.

Prevention

Prevention of Lavender foal syndrome is not possible if a foal is born with it.

Lavender Foal Syndrome can however be prevented through genetic testing, which allows identification of carriers and enables selective breeding practices to avoid mating carriers and reduce the risk of producing affected foals.

How Happie can help you manage your horse's health

Happie Horse App digitale Gesundheitsakte

Digital health management offers numerous benefits in modern equine healthcare.

With the Happie Horse App, you can track symptom patterns and body values, such as Temperature, Pulse and Respiration. Allowing you to notice abnormal changes in body and behaviour early on, leading to more successful treatments.

The Happie symptom checker allows you to add all of your horse's abnormal symptoms in order to present potential causes and diseases.

Related articles

Heart valve dysplasia in horses is a congenital defect causing improper valve formation, leading to impaired blood flow and heart failure.
Cardiovascular

Heart Valve Dysplasia

Heart Valve Dysplasia Seek veterinary advice if you suspect this disease. Heart valve dysplasia is a congenital heart condition in

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) in horses is a congenital heart defect with a septal hole causing abnormal blood flow.
Cardiovascular

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) Seek veterinary advice before applying any treatment. Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a congenital heart condition