Congenital bilateral laryngeal paralysis in a neonatal foal—Expanding our understanding of neonatal airway dysfunction

Abstract

The case report by De Maré et al. 2025 describes a rare but instructive case of bilateral laryngeal paralysis in a newborn Warmblood foal with suspected neonatal encephalopathy (NE). The foal presented with inspiratory stridor from birth and was successfully managed through supportive medical therapy and temporary nasotracheal intubation, with complete resolution of clinical signs. This case provides an important reminder that bilateral laryngeal paralysis may not always represent a congenital structural abnormality, but rather a transient neurological dysfunction occurring within the spectrum of NE or other neonatal diseases. It likely reflects the same laryngeal and pharyngeal dysfunction that has long been recognised in some foals with NE. The clinical signs accompanying the neurological dysfunction can be variable, depending on the severity and specific laryngeal and pharyngeal structures involved.