UQ vets save tiny Philomena

Veterinarians at the University of Queensland Equine Hospital have saved the life of a tiny pony that weighed in at a mere 10 kilograms.

Miniature horse Philomena arrived at the hospital when she was only four days old, with sepsis and acute renal failure.

Equine Internal Medicine specialist Dr Joan Norton said Philomena had made a full recovery, thanks to early recognition of the problem and round-the-clock treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

“Philomena was so tiny when she was brought in that we had to borrow a scale from the cat ward to weigh her,” Dr Norton said.

​“Unfortunately foals are susceptible to sepsis – a bacterial disease in the blood stream – as they don’t have a mature immune system when they’re born.

“Signs that your foal could be suffering from this condition include not nursing as well as they normally would and a lack of energy.

“We are very pleased that Philomena has made a full recovery and she is back with her owners running around the paddock.”

The UQ Equine Hospital at the UQ Gatton Campus offers a 24-hour emergency service. Contact details:  (07) 5460 1799 or http://www.uq.edu.au/vetschool/equinehospital.

Media: Erin Pearl, UQ Gatton, (07) 5460 1229, 0409265587, e.pearl@uq.edu.au, or Dr Joan Norton, (07) 5460 1139, j.norton@uq.edu.au.