Twitching foal while sleeping

[Marnie]

Does any one know why a 4 day old foal would twitch while sleeping. Not just a little bit but a lot. Sometimes it's almost constant for five minutes, sometimes so much twitching she is almost on her back. Then she might get up and nurse a little or just get up and take a few steps and lay back down. Right now she's sleeping almost quietly.

I had my vet here yesterday, he said the babys temp was up one degree, he thought she may be a little septic and gave her some gentimiacin sp?? in the vien and a half cc of penicillan. He told me to do the penicillan today and tomorrow yet. Does this sound right?

I just have never seen a foal twitch so much, I can barely stand to watch her on camera any longer, she's making me crazy with worry. Can anyone offer me any advice?

 

[Genie]

I have seen them twitch the odd time but not a lot and not so much that I worry.

Yours sounds a little extreme but I could only guess an immature nervous system?

Sounds like a vet question.

 

[Marnie]

I asked my vet yesterday and he just said that some foals twitch. I've had horses for yrs and quite a few foals and have never seen this. That's why I thought I'd come here where people have seen a lot and can some times give good ideas. I wrote it into my search engine too and can't find much on extreme twitching.

 

[Genie]

I checked the web too. The only thing I saw was that problem with the horses with Impressive breeding.

I have had many foals that have a bit of twitching as they sleep, but nothing extreme and they do less and less as time goes on.

Some will wake themselves up with a big twitch. But it doesn't go on for 5 minutes, it's just random.

 

[Sixstardanes]

Could it be just like what it is for puppies?

Twitching & jerking in newborns help develop muscles and the nervous system.

With pups its a real good thing.

 

[Miniv]

I agree with Sixstar........it's usually a GOOD thing.....except it means you may have your hands full as the foal grows up!

 

[Tammy C]

Yes I have heard that in puppies it is called active sleep and is a very good thing.

 

[Mona]

Marnie, does your foal seem otherwise normal? If so, I am sure all is OK. I am asking as I recently had trouble with an impacted filly at a week old, and the movements from her while laying down was one of the things that signalled me to her problem. She showed other signs as well, this was only one.