Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy

[Andelusional]

Does anyone have a horse with this problem? Would love to hear how others are dealing with it.
We have a five year old warmblood gelding who is in his second week of low starch and sugar, high oil diet and hates the special feed. We have already noticed changes to his body shape but at the moment it would be easier to carry him than it is for him to work!!

 

[Weezy]

If you go to the bottom of the vet forum page and stick EPSM in the search box you will get loads of info ome up - good luck

 

[sqippa]

Loads of us on here!

My boy was diagnosed 18mths ago and yes he still hates the diet!

It is a long road to getting them back to 'normal' but its worth sticking with it.
pm me if you want to or ask away here.

Squip

 

[Andelusional]

Thats good to know. Thanks.
How long did it take your beasties to get enough energy to work for any length of time?

 

[Sags_Deer]

does the oil have to be in liquid for what about linseed from simple systems its high in oil.

 

[Andelusional]

I dont know, but some of the others on here might.

 

[sqippa]

It was never energy that was the issue with my boy, more pain. He couldn't do any collected work and simply planted his front feet bucked and said 'get off!'. He presented symptoms of azotoria/kissing spines/sacroileac issues but non of these were found to be the case on investigation. Diet change and biopsy together enabled EPSM to be diagnosed and after i'd say 4-6 months he was massively improved and we haven't had the issue since. He does have occasional blips but I just up his oil and back off for a few days then he seems fine again. His canter work however has not fully returned to the best it was but I am content with my happy horse so do not mind.

He has however developed a considerably bigger jump!

I make very ggod use of a local equine sports massage therapist to keep his muscles free and to soothe them when he has a wobble.

Any bits of advice you need just post a message and I'm sure you'll get the answer or at the very least the reassurance that you are not the only one dealing with this.

Sqip

 

[sqippa]

I've just swapped my boy onto simple systems after chatting to them about it. He HATES having to eat 640ml of oil a day (understandably) and simple systems seem to feel that their feeds should provide the fatty acids needed indirectly through the digestion of fibres. Their supplements are also linseed based and they have instant linseed which is a powder type supplement that is 40% oil so I am trying to use some of that and cut back on his liquid oil source. I'll have to wait and see how it goes.

Sqip

 

[tavvaden]

I put my boy on the EPSM diet about 18 months ago with absolutely fantastic results. He went from getting about 50% in Prelim dressage tests to qualifying for the regionals and working at Medium level without a problem. I wouldn't go back now but the only problem is getting him to eat it in the summer. He's far more interested in the grass and its a balancing act between allowing the 24/7 turnout lifestyle (that he loves) but being aware that the grass increases his sugar/starch intake. I just do what I can and get as much oil down him as possible and it seems to work all in all.

 

[Andelusional]

This is really encouraging to hear folks, as the horsey in question is the second one to 'go wrong' for us in the last few years. His mother had to stop work at 6 due to sudden severe DJD. We would love to get him right. Will go look up simple systems on Google.

 

[Andelusional]

Hi all.
Can you with 'recovered' people let me know how long it was before you could work your horse properly and if they were worse in the first few weeks of the new diet? We have been using the diet now for almost the month, but there have only been two days that Vorts has wanted to work and he is showing a lot of touch sensitivity on his near side but not on the other. He seemed much better in the first week and then worse and he seems stuck at that stage. What did you all notice at first? Any info welcome as we are puzzled why he is not feeling better!