Serum Electrolyte Changes in Foals Receiving Rhodococcus equi-Specific Hyperimmune Plasma.

Administer frozen plasma products cautiously in critically ill foals, monitoring serum electrolytes closely due to hypernatremic content.

This study investigated the electrolyte and protein changes in neonatal foals following administration of Rhodococcus equi-specific hyperimmune plasma (Re-HIP), a product routinely used to prevent rhodococcal pneumonia in foals. The researchers measured serum concentrations of sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), potassium (K), albumin, and globulin before and after Re-HIP administration in healthy neonatal foals. Key findings revealed that Re-HIP itself contained sodium concentrations exceeding normal plasma values, making it a hypernatremic product. Following administration, foals demonstrated statistically significant increases in serum sodium, chloride, albumin, and globulin concentrations, while potassium was not significantly affected. In healthy neonatal foals, these electrolyte changes were deemed clinically insignificant due to their compensatory physiologic reserves. However, the authors highlight an important clinical concern: administering hypernatremic frozen plasma products (FPPs) to already compromised foals—such as those with sepsis, dehydration, or failure of passive transfer—could potentiate dangerous electrolyte imbalances. This is particularly relevant because FPPs are commonly used therapeutically in critically ill neonates, the same population most vulnerable to electrolyte dysregulation. The study underscores the importance of characterizing the electrolyte composition of commercial plasma products prior to administration and advocates for vigilant monitoring of serum electrolytes in critically ill foals receiving any frozen plasma product. These findings have broader implications for neonatal foal management protocols in both field and hospital settings.

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