I am in shock! PSSM results...

[Ellietotz]

My mare's PSSM type 2 panel results came back today...

She is clear from P2, P3, P4 and Px!! Type 1 was clear too.

She responded so well to vitamin E and lots of rugging, I am honestly gobsmacked.

She is Arab x Warmblood x TB so I truly thought she was bound to have it alongside having symptoms but perhaps she really just hates the cold because she's thin coated or perhaps she has another undiscovered type but I'm not so sure.

I won't change what I'm doing as it obviously helps but still, I can't believe it!

 

[ihatework]

I think this is the trouble sometimes with the internet. There are ‘diseases of the moment’ which while helpful to know about, do kind of have people convinced of things based on the broadest of symptoms. The odds are usually a management and/or orthopaedic in nature.

 

[Roxylola]

And this is why I've never tested. We had a very negative reaction to molassed chaff when we started an ulcer supplement - muscle tremors, and a hugely positive reaction to magnesium, vitamin e being kept warm etc. There's something somewhere clearly and if the management works it works all you can do is stick with it really ?‍

 

[BBP]

She could have vitamin E deficiency myopathy? So muscles purely affected by a deficiency in vitamin E? BBP has blood tested low for vitamin E for years now, maybe yours is the same?

 

[SEL]

She could have vitamin E deficiency myopathy? So muscles purely affected by a deficiency in vitamin E? BBP has blood tested low for vitamin E for years now, maybe yours is the same?

I was going to say the same - Valberg has some good articles on how it presents like a myopathy.

OP - there are a tonne of things which present like PSSM but aren't , which is personally why I think testing / bloods / biopsy options are so valuable. If vitamin E is working then that's brilliant.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's little welsh was out on loan many years ago. He had an episode of tying up and that was diagnosed as vitamin E deficiency. I believe an injection sorted him and he never had another episode.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I was saying to MrPF yesterday that PSSM symptoms are so vague that it's probably possible to diagnose most horses with it, especially energy conserving cob types. (MrT was needing a wee on our hack so was behaving like he was thinking about tying up. Apart from he was edging onto the grass verge as well ? poor boy.) I also think if you haven't seen a proper tye up it is hard to imagine how dramatically obvious it is! I still ought to test Beast for type 1 at least but I kind of think 3 obvious tying up episodes is enough to convince me. If she hadn't had the third one I'd suspect it could be a vitamin E thing but she was on high natural vitamin E for the last one, she tyed up because I hadn't kept her warm then I worked her too hard because walking on sand us more strenuous than I appreciated.

If I didn't get a positive type 1 test I'd completely freak out though so I'm probably better just carrying on as I am!

 

[shortstuff99]

I will also point out that they haven't found all the genes that are part of PSSM and there are many that are confirmed via muscle biopsy that are negative for the type 2 genetic tests (which is why I say they are not accurate). If the management is working for her though then I would keep doing it.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There’s something up with my IDx which elevated levels of vit E and warm rugging sorts. If I stop with either, she reverts.

I call it PSSM, so does the vet. She’s -ve for type 1, but I have not gone on to have further tests or the biopsy as I have nailed the management.

There’s summat up with her metabolically, for sure.

 

[PapaverFollis]

When talking to normal people I say she "has a muscle problem". It doesn't really matter what I say though because they glazed over 5 minutes ago and I still can't shut up.

 

[SEL]

When talking to normal people I say she "has a muscle problem". It doesn't really matter what I say though because they glazed over 5 minutes ago and I still can't shut up.

That's exactly what I say and mine is confirmed type 1. They also glaze over .....

I also strongly suspect she'll have a zillion other types which is why she is a nightmare to manage. I may test for interest at some point but right now funds are needed for the other sick note (I am seriously incapable of owning a horse without something unusual going wrong with it - and for unusual read expensive)



ETA - even if you tell professionals (think physio, osteos, most vets) she's type 1 PSSM they give you that slightly confused, glazing over look. Muscle problem is just easier.

 

[shamrock2021]

A lot of horses act like they have PSSM when they don’t and are completely normal. Also the internet doesn’t help They label everything as PSSM . When it could be something as simple as A lack of vitamins .

 

[Tiddlypom]

ETA - even if you tell professionals (think physio, osteos, most vets) she's type 1 PSSM they give you that slightly confused, glazing over look. Muscle problem is just easier.

This is very true.

I struck lucky in that both my regular vet and my chiro vet were already familiar with PSSM, and both agree that my mare’s symptoms and her response to certain management changes strongly indicate that she has some or other version, albeit not type 1.

 

[Ellietotz]

She could have vitamin E deficiency myopathy? So muscles purely affected by a deficiency in vitamin E? BBP has blood tested low for vitamin E for years now, maybe yours is the same?

Yes, potentially. I haven't actually tested her vitamin E levels. Would I need to stop feeding it prior to testing to get accurate results?

 

[BBP]

Yes, potentially. I haven't actually tested her vitamin E levels. Would I need to stop feeding it prior to testing to get accurate results?

If you had tested before you started supplementing that would have given you a baseline, but if it’s helping I certainly wouldn’t bother stopping it just to test. I’m not sure how long it takes to affect blood serum levels. You could blood test next time you have the vet out to see if you need to feed more or if she’s ok. Mine is deficient even on vitamin E, so it’s worth it for me to test occasionally.

 

[spotty_pony]

Interesting. I had my boy tested years ago after thinking the same - he too was PSSM negative.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Mine has tied up twice in the 6 years I've owned him.

At the time the only test for type 2 was muscle biopsy but vet and I agreed that it's very invasive and treat with extra vit e and keeping warm to see if that works and it has.

His parents were type one negative so it's not type one either.

I do think people should supplement vit e more and some do let their horses get a bit too cold and it shows up in pssm type behaviour.

I know if I am cold my muscles are stiff and hurt so why wouldn't it be the same.