Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2012 | Page 101
EQUESTRIAN
equine veterinary diary
Left - normal urine, Right - urine from a horse with Urine from a horse with atypical myopathy
atypical myopathy
• Breathing which becomes more
laboured with time
• Increased heart rate
• Affected animals are often still keen
to eat.
Symptoms usually occur extremely
rapidly, although occasionally
owners report prior signs of lethargy,
decreased appetite, colic, stiffness or
lameness. In this latest UK outbreak
more unusual clinical signs have
been noted. These include vigorous
head-shaking and nodding, frenzied
vocalisation and choke-like retching
neck spasms when feeding.
I think my horse is showing
these symptoms, what should
I do?
• Call your vet as soon as you see signs
that are compatible with the disease.
• Try not to move your horse.
Movement will aggravate the muscle
destruction
• Keep them warm.
• If your horse urinates try and collect
a sample to give to the vet as this will
aid diagnosis.
• Do not let it eat from the pasture. If
your horse is hungry it may be allowed
small handfuls of concentrate feed
provided it is able to swallow.
• Fresh water in a bucket taken from
a drinking water tap can be offered.
Do not give water from troughs in the
field or neighbouring watercourses.
What about other horses
sharing the same field?
• Bring in other horses sharing the
same grazing and keep them stabled. If
there is not enough stabling for all the
horses bring in those that are under
the age of 5 or over the age of 20 as
they are most at risk.
• Feed with concentrate food only
• Provide water fresh from a drinking
water tap only.
• Closely monitor horses for the next
72 hours.
• If in doubt ask your veterinary
surgeon to take a blood sample from
your horse to look for signs of muscle
damage.
Horses are often found in the field recumbent and
unable to rise
• Provide a salt block.
• Avoid pastures where previous equine
deaths have occurred.
• Avoid pastures with bare grassland,
pastures surrounded by watercourses,
boggy pasture or pasture covered with
a lot of dead leaves.
• If you are supplementing pasture
with hay make sure it is given in a dry
area in a non-humid environment.
• Remove toxic plants and moulds
from pasture.
• Regularly remove manure from
pasture.
Treatment
Supportive treatment is given in the
form of pain relief, intravenous fluids,
anti-inflammatories and nursing care.
Sadly there is a 75-90% mortality rate
for this disease.
Preventative measures
Will a cure ever be found?
• Keep up to date with routine
healthcare such as vaccinations and
worming and ensure your horse
maintains a healthy bodyweight –
(good body condition not obese!)
• &W7G&