Equine atypical myopathy

F

faith16120

New User
Joined
22 December 2006
Messages
2
Visit site
I am a fifth year veterinary student in Kosice, Slovakia (although I am from Norfolk). As part of my degree, I have to carry out a thesis. My thesis is to investigate the prevalence of atypical equine myopathy and its link to the sycamore tree toxin.

I am comparing horses affected to see if there is a link between age, gender, time of year clinical signs were first seen, breed etc. The data will be used to try and increase awareness of this condition and also as extra data alongside similar projects. If anyone has any experiences of horses affected by this condition please follow this link to the online survey which should only take 5 minutes to fill out. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6ZVPQ5F . I would really appreciate your time in collecting this data. If you have biochemical/hematological blood results for these cases then it would be appreciated if you could email these to me to include. If this is not the best way for you to deliver the data to me just let me know and we can discuss a better alternative.

Any questions just let me know! Also if you are able to share this link on social media, or between friends I shall be most grateful!
Thank you very much
Lucy x
 
Hi, I have filled one in but cannot email you the biochemistry results - off the scale CK without dilutant. Hopefully you can work out which result was mine.
 
Have answered it althoughi lost my horse in 2010 before it became a well known condition and before the link to sycamore trees. He went downhill very quickly. Was competing the night before and qualified for a national championship and was pts the next afternoon.

Also the same weekend we lost him 5 other horses came into the practice with it and they also did not survive.
 
Hi, I filled in the survey but I don't have the clinical reports. I am happy to give permission for you to obtain these from the vets if you feel it would be useful.

Here is some additional anecdotal account that you may also find useful

Nov 2014

Mare, 18 years old, 16.2 out during day, in at night, haylage whilst in, Fast Fibre and supplements, in daily work as a light hack, vacs/worming up to date. Existing conditions- COPD Arthritis. 3-4 sycamores in treeline at bottom end of field.

Respiratory distress, stiffness, lethargy. Vet called. Vet decided to take bloods and admit horse to hospital for supportive treatment for EAM as a precaution in the meantime. Bloods were inconclusive and horse recovered within 48 hours- was attributed to respiritory infection.

Horse did recover but was never quite as robust, needed more support for COPD, change of bedding etc.

April 2015
Horse now 19, turned out in same field, lots of sycamore seedlings. On the day before I called the vet I noticed horse was quiet but put this down to horse having been turned out 24/7 the week before. This time the vet did not admit her to the hospital whilst waiting for blood test results. The rest is covered in the survey but essentially horse went downhill really quickly and was euthenised on 28 April.

Horse is the only fatalilty on our yard or in our area that I have heard about- there is a generally held belief that horse succumbed because she was already compromised by other health issues.

There are a few things I wish I had done as an owner which may have changed the outcome here, a hard lesson to learn.
 
Hi,

I have filled in your survey. Both mine had EAM in April 2014.
The first died within a few hours having initially appeared to be "not right" in an indefinite sort of way quickly tying up & then collaspsing. CK & AST were both off the scale. Treatment was fluids, muscle relaxants, pain killers at the yard.
2nd horse was a few days later despite being moved to a different field & being fed haylage. Initially presented as lethargic followed by fine muscle tremors. He was taken straight to vets & received IV fluids for 5 days, muscle relaxants & pain killers. Also vitamin supplements & electrolytes in feed. He survived & is back in full work. Happy to give permission to speak to my vet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top