Azoturia advice wanted

[Gilly2301]

Now before I start I do have a vet coming out to see my horse but Im looking to see if anyone can shed anymore light on Azoturia as Iv never heard of it before

I took my horse to a show 2 weeks ago but he really struggled with his back end, I pulled him out of the class as I knew he wasnt right. The judge then came over to me at the trailer after the class and said that it looked like the early signs of Azoturia, all the symtoms she described matched what he had being doing, I did google it when I got home and again it matches what has been happening.

From what Iv read so far in brief its cramping of the muscles in the back end and around the groin and is very painful for the horse, horses can look like their struggling to wee and are reluctant to move forward. More common in mares but can happen in geldings. when it happens you must stop riding and rest the horse as soon as possible. It can be managed through vet care and carefully managed exercise plan


Since the show he has been completly rested and now were waiting on the vet to come out to give a full assesment

 

[FfionWinnie]

What breed is he? Google PSSM and RER in horses and see if you recognise any of the behavioural symptoms.

 

[paddy555]

What breed is he? Google PSSM and RER in horses and see if you recognise any of the behavioural symptoms.

there is lots on google about azoturia but it depends on the cause as to how you deal with it. Before going any further I would await the blood tests results. Get a copy of the blood test results don't just rely on what the vet says. You may need to retest and you will find it usefull to have the full results to compare.
In the meantime I would go through exactly what happened at the show, what were you feeding, any salt being fed, was the back covered with a rug, how long was the journey there, how long did you warm up for. Keep a diary of everything, it will be useful as you try to find the cause.

 

[fatpiggy]

I would have had the vet out as soon as I got home from the show. Azoturia is classed as a medical emergency, and pain relief is essential. For now, no feed or the lowest calorie you can find. Someone I know filled her mare with competition mix for the week before a show to "liven her up a bit". Pony went into the ring and tied-up before it had done 3 laps and had to be taken straight home. Waste of entry fee, travel costs and a vets bill because she wouldn't listen to people who told her not to change/increase the feed.

 

[Gilly2301]

Sorry forgot to mention, we did have the vet out after the show, he is coming out again next week, he is a traditional cob, the vet did say it is usually the more athletic type horses that are prone to it, but horses will be horses and not stick to the norm. He has been on the exact same feed/supplement and exercise for the past 3 years, I cant think of anything we did differently before the class so the cause is still a bit of a mystery so Vet advised to rest him untill he could come out again, so then we can hopefully pin point what the trigger is. but looking to get as much info on it as I can untill I see vet again so I know what to look out for/ try to prevent it reoccurring.

 

[Goldenstar]

Do you give the horse Electrolyes daily if not do so .

 

[FfionWinnie]

Sorry to disagree but do not at this stage give him electrolytes daily.

If he has PSSM, (mine is also a cob, and is type 1 PSSM, is he an Irish import by any chance?) you will find that most supplements, electrolytes and feeds are not suitable for him. This is because they are molasses based or contain other danger ingredients which can cause him more problems than they will solve. I have not managed to find any electrolyte which doesn't contain sugar in some form. I feed 2 table spoons of salt per day plus a free access lick in the field.

You can get a tail hair test done by animal genetics for £30 quid for PSSM type 1. Type 2 and RER is more invasive to diagnose. However if you google these diseases you are likely to have a lightbulb moment when you read the possible symptoms list, they are many and different horses have different ones. Now I know, I can look back and realise she was mildly symptomatic when I bought her.

If his blood work shows the levels are slow to return to normal compared to what the vet would have expected, do the tail hair test.

Theres a very good Facebook group called PSSM forum. It's US based but they know far more about it than we do in the UK (it's rife in QHs). Cobs, in my opinion over here, it's also rife, however cobs are less likely to be as symptomatic as other breeds possibly because they are so stoic. There's plenty of good advice to be had on there about all forms of tying up.

You want to feed low NSC hay (non structural carbohydrate), remove all sugar and starch from the diet as a starting point until diagnosis.

A PSSM horse needs different care to a normal horse that has tied up so it's important to establish as soon as possible if there is a disease element to the tie up.

 

[ycbm]

Sorry forgot to mention, we did have the vet out after the show, he is coming out again next week, he is a traditional cob, the vet did say it is usually the more athletic type horses that are prone to it, but horses will be horses and not stick to the norm. He has been on the exact same feed/supplement and exercise for the past 3 years, I cant think of anything we did differently before the class so the cause is still a bit of a mystery so Vet advised to rest him untill he could come out again, so then we can hopefully pin point what the trigger is. but looking to get as much info on it as I can untill I see vet again so I know what to look out for/ try to prevent it reoccurring.

Your vet seems ill informed. Type II EPSM causes tying up and is found in draft horses and being a trad cob, your horse will have draft genes.

 

[Hanson]

I have an Anglo Arab/ Welsh cross who suffered with hind limb stiffness as a youngster and then had several attacks of azatouria when in his 'teens'. The first attack was bought on by a virus. However, with vetinanary help we later learn he did not retain calcium, which aid muscle repair / function.

There is so much more research and development since my boy first started having his 'attacks'. So please please please take the advice of your vet. They will need to find out the cause and will be able to advise you on a management plan. This will be life long, BUT, with correct management this condition is avoidable, IF you are aware of the triggers.

I feed my boy a daily supplement of calcium and electrolytes and he is never left standing in his stable for long. We do lots of walking in hand as well as his normal ridden exercise.

He is always kept warm- he has more variety of rugs ( and quarter sheets) than I own coats!

Exercise must be gradually increased and decreased. Days off are worked down to and up from.

Each horse will be different. Because my boy also has a low immunity, I also feed ( on vetinanary advice) aloe Vera to boost his immune system in the autum when the grass goes off.

Don't be scared. It's all about management.

Take your vets advice. And enjoy your horse.

PS, my boy turned 22 last week and is an utter joy still, a handful to ride and an optionated Sod at that! Love him to bits.

 

[paddy555]

Sorry to disagree but do not at this stage give him electrolytes daily.

If he has PSSM, (mine is also a cob, and is type 1 PSSM, is he an Irish import by any chance?) you will find that most supplements, electrolytes and feeds are not suitable for him. This is because they are molasses based or contain other danger ingredients which can cause him more problems than they will solve. I have not managed to find any electrolyte which doesn't contain sugar in some form. I feed 2 table spoons of salt per day plus a free access lick in the field.

You can get a tail hair test done by animal genetics for £30 quid for PSSM type 1. Type 2 and RER is more invasive to diagnose. However if you google these diseases you are likely to have a lightbulb moment when you read the possible symptoms list, they are many and different horses have different ones. Now I know, I can look back and realise she was mildly symptomatic when I bought her.

If his blood work shows the levels are slow to return to normal compared to what the vet would have expected, do the tail hair test.

Theres a very good Facebook group called PSSM forum. It's US based but they know far more about it than we do in the UK (it's rife in QHs). Cobs, in my opinion over here, it's also rife, however cobs are less likely to be as symptomatic as other breeds possibly because they are so stoic. There's plenty of good advice to be had on there about all forms of tying up.

You want to feed low NSC hay (non structural carbohydrate), remove all sugar and starch from the diet as a starting point until diagnosis.

A PSSM horse needs different care to a normal horse that has tied up so it's important to establish as soon as possible if there is a disease element to the tie up.

this plus I don't think all vets are up to speed on EPSM (PSSM). Mine wasn't,. My horse tied up, the CK and AST levels didn't reduce in the way they should and finally, after research vet suggested PSSM and I had also arrived at that point from my own research.

I joined the above facebook group but did endless reading on EPSM and decided to treat mine as an EPSM horse. He was probably unlikely to be positive on a type 1 test due to his breed and the type 2 muscle biopsy I decided to put on hold. For mine had rapid improvement with high levels of vit E. This led me onto learning about vit e deficiency myopathy. I still however do everything suggested for EPSM horses, oil based diet, always rugged, never allowed to get cold, warmed up and cooled down slowly etc. No sugar, very careful on the grass etc. None of the EPSM management routine is bad horsemanship in fact it is very good management and there is nothing to loose. EPSM horses also need exercising preferably daily. Part of the treatment for azoturia horses is rest until the enzyme levels go down.

I also had a horse many years ago with exactly Hanson's problem and agree everything written. All the time with these azoturia type horses you are thinking of taking care of the muscles

I am suprised your vet didn't blood test last week. Mine told me not to blood test immediately after the event but to do it the following day. (something to do with the CK levels from memory)
good luck, I hope you get some answers.