Tying up?? How best to prevent it? Please advise.......

[Vicky7041]

My Quarter Horse X tied up really bad at a comp last w/e. Its the first time this has ever happened to me, I have had his back and saddle checked and the back lady said he had just tied up. But in 27 years I have never come across this.
Can anyone give me some advice please? Someone also mentioned that young Q.H are prone to it, is that true?

 

[lucy245]

Hrebalwise Loose & Free, worked well for 1 of mine that tied up last year.

 

[Vicky7041]

Where can you buy that from? and who make it?

 

[vieshot]

What does tying up mean?

 

[PapaFrita]

I've not had a horse that ties up, but I've always been told you should reduce his hard feed by at least half on his days off, and I've always done this, just in case!
I think the type of feed a horse is getting can also predispose to tying up, starchy feeds containing stuff like maize being the worst.
Have you changed his feed recently?

 

[charlie76]

Naf make a supplement called D-tye.

 

[AmyMay]

There are several factors to horses tying up.

Feeding too much with too little exercise and not warming up or down properly (to name a few).

In order to pinpoint why it happened you need to consider your regiment and what could have contributed to it.

 

[vieshot]

what is tying up?

 

[AmyMay]

Tying Up

 

[lucy245]

Herbalwise make it. PM me if you want the address of a shop that sells it.

 

[Kelly1982]

I agree with Amymay and i would also cut out any sugar he has in his feeds

 

[Daffers]

My mare tyed up just over a week ago due to being given haylage as they went through a stage of not eating hay, also she lost a shoe for 3 days so couldn't be ridden as didnt have a hoof boot and we also ran out of product called azodine which they where being given over the winter months, all 3 elements stuffed up what had been a good winter for us. she is currently on rest for another week and then i can only ride slowly, basically starting from scratch all over again. I can only blame our human error for not managing it better!!!!!!!

 

[GTs]

I would seek advice of your vet -

 

[Twiglet]

First and foremost, seek advice of your vet, particularly at the time of the attack - they can test the level of the particular chemical (can't remember name!) in the blood, to see how severe the attack is.

Cut out as much starch as possible from the diet (obviously gradually) -and this includes in chaffs etc, as they can contain extra sugars and starches. Saracen and Dodson & Horell both make azoturia-specific comp mixes (Saracen's is Releve).
For added calories and condition, try oils for slow release energy.

Haylege can contain too high a level of sugars for azoturia prone horses, so may need to switch to hay.

Always always warm up thoroughly and correctly - an exercise sheet is a must in cold weather to ensure the quarters aren't overworking when cold.

Cooling down is equally important, as are coolers after work.

Some breeds and types are more prone to it than others, and some work seems to bring it on more.

 

[Happytohack]

Will pm you with a copy of an article that might help.

 

[Hettie]

[ QUOTE ]
what is tying up?

[/ QUOTE ]

Tying up is another name for among others; azutoria, monday morning disease, equine exertional rhabdomyolysis or set fast.

I believe it can occur following a period of rest without having diet altered (hence monday morning disease)or intense or long periods of exercise (possibly follwing a period of rest).

That's just the standard explanation though and unfortunately some horses seem more predisposed to this condition than others and will get it even if none of the above has happened!

I would call my vet so they can take some samples etc and suggest a suitable management program for her. That should put your mind at rest as well.

Other advise on tying up I found included making sure she has good quality hay and reduce hard feed gradually (maybe try a feed balancer instead?), and when she is well enough to be exercised again try to maintain a regular program with no time off (walker, or light hack or similar on day off).

Think I might have read somewhere that Quarter horses are prediposed to it..?

Hope she gets better soon!

 

[Fantasy_World]

Hiya vieshot I don't mind answering your question.
It is a fairly common condition in racehorses and I have witnessed it a few times first hand and on appearance it does look a painful condition for the horse, rather like a bout of cramp in our muscles and we all know how painful that can be.

CAUSES AND THE PROCESS OF ER
Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (ER) or Tying Up or Azoturia or Monday Morning Disease is a syndrome that damages the muscle tissue in horses. It is usually due to overfeeding a horse carbohydrates

There does not seem to be a single cause of ER in horses. Exercise is seen in every case, but exercise is always accompanied by another factor. It is likely that several factors must act together in order to cause an ER attack.

Other possible factors include:

The overfeeding of carbohydrates (grain and pellets, for example)
Poor conditioning or fitness, sudden increase of workload
The work of a horse after a period of rest, if the grain diet was not reduced
Electrolyte or mineral imbalances, especially seen with potassium
A deficiency in selenium or vitamin E
Imbalance of hormones, including the reproductive hormones in nervous fillies and mares and thyroid hormones in horses with hypothyroidism
Heredity
Wet, cold, or windy weather conditions

The more factors that are present, the greater the likelihood that the horse will develop ER. However, the most common cause of ER is an imbalance between the animal's diet and his workload, especially when he has a high-grain diet.

ER occurs when there is an inadequate flow of blood to the muscles of an exercising horse. The muscle cells, lacking in oxygen, begin to function anaerobically to produce the needed ATP. The anaerobic work creates a buildup of waste products, acid, and heat. This subsequently alters the cell by preventing the cell's enzymes from functioning and the myofilaments from efficiently contracting. The cell membranes may then be damaged if the horse is forced to continue work, which allows muscle enzymes and myoglobin to leak into the bloodstream.

The body builds up a store of glycogen from converted carbohydrates in muscle cells. Glycogen, a fuel used by muscles for energy, is depleted during work and restocked when a horse rests. Oxygen-carrying blood metabolizes glycogen, but the blood can not flow fast enough to metabolise the excess stored glycogen. The glycogen that is not metabolized aerobically (by the oxygenated blood) must then be metabolized anaerobically, which then creates the cell waste products and heat, and ER has begun. A horse on a high-grain diet with little work collects more glycogen in its muscles than it can use efficiently when exercise begins, which is horses on a high-grain diet are more likely to develop ER.

Proper conditioning can help prevent ER, as if promotes the growth of capillaries in muscles and the number of enzymes used for energy production in muscle cells. However, improvement in these areas can take several weeks. Thus, ER is more common in horses that are only worked sporadically or lightly, and in horses just beginning an exercise regimen.

A common misconception is that ER is caused by the buildup of lactic acid. Lactate is not a waste product for a cell, but a fuel, used when the cell's oxygen supply is insufficient. Lactate does not damage a cell, but is rather a byproduct of the true cause of cell damage: inadequate blood supply and altered cell function. Lactate naturally builds up in an exercising horse without harming the muscle cells, and is metabolized within an hour afterward.

The pain is caused by the inadequate blood flow to the muscle tissue, the inflammation from the resulting cell damage, and the release of cell contents. Muscle spasms, caused by the lack of blood to the muscle tissue, are also painful.

SYMPTOMS

horse developing ER will usually begin showing signs right after the beginning of exercise, although for mild cases, signs may not be seen until after the horse is cooled out. Signs include reluctance to move, stiffness or shortened gait when the animal if forced to move, and muscle spasms or cramps, with hard, painful muscles (especially the hindquarters) when palpated.

Usually there is a correlation between how long it takes the signs to be seen and how severe the bout of ER is, with the more severe bouts of ER displaying signs right after work has begun.

Signs of a severe bout of ER may include: sweating, elevated heart and respiratory rates as a result of the pain, anxious expression, shifting of weight from side to side, standing hunched and tense, passing redish brown urine, dehydration, shock, and inability to rise.

If signs of ER are seen, DO NOT MOVE THE HORSE. Movement can cause further muscle damage. If the animal is far from the barn, it is best to trailer him back than to move him.

After a bout of ER, blood levels of CPK (Creatine kinase) and AST (aspartate transaminase) rise.

Treatment

Mild or Moderate Cases

The horse should receive several days of NSAIDs, rest, and grain or pellets should be withheld. To improve blood flow to the muscles and help to with muscle spasms, heat therapy and Equine Massage may be beneficial, as well as hand-walking if the horse is comfortable walking. Turn-out in a pasture or paddock will encourage movement. A horse should be moving normally within 12-36 hours after the attack.

Severe Cases

A horse may need fluids, especially if his urine is colored, the horse is receiving NSAIDs, or if he is dehydrated. Fluids will increase the production of urine that will in turn help flush out the excess, and potentially damaging, myoglobin from the kidneys and will reduce NSAID-produced kidney damage. Fluids should be administered until the urine is clear, which usually takes from a few hours to a few days.

Vasodilators, such as acepromazine, can help improve blood flow to the muscles. However, the owner should only give ace if it is prescribed the horse's veterinarian, as it can lower the animal's blood pressure and can cause collapse in a severely dehydrated horse. The human drug dantrolene is sometimes given to alleviate the muscle spasms and prevent further degeneration of muscle tissue.

Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant, and so may help prevent further cell degeneration in the affected muscles. However, vitamin E products must be used with caution if they also contain selenium.

Bicarbonate will not help offset any lactic acid in the bloodstream, as lactic acid generally only accumulates in the affected muscles.

Except to get a horse to his stall, a horse showing signs of severe ER should not be moved until he is comfortable enough to do so eagerly. This may take several days. After this point, it is important to either hand-walk the horse a few times each day, or to provide him with a few hours of turnout in a pasture or paddock

Returning the Horse to Work

A horse may be returned to work after it is no longer showing signs of ER, and is no longer on NSAIDs--which can hide signs of another bout of ER. If NSAIDs are needed to keep the horse comfortable, or if the horse is reluctant to continue work, the animal is not yet ready for a return to his regular training program. Blood tests should reveal that the horse's CPK concentration and AST levels are normal before returning the horse back to work.

RETURNING A HORSE TO WORK

To begin bringing the horse back, he should be exercised at the walk and trot for 10-15 minutes at least once every day. This regimen will gradually be increased as the horse becomes more willing. For a moderate or severe bout of ER, this may take 4-6 weeks to return to the regular program. It is important not to push the horse more than he is ready or a relapse may occur. A second bout of ER is usually more severe than the first, not only taking the horse out of training for a longer time, but possibly causing permanent muscle damage.

Grain is gradually reintroduced as exercise resumes, but grain can contribute to the development of ER.

PROGNOSIS

For mild to moderate cases of ER, the prognosis is excellent, with the horse successfully returning to its former level of competition. However, if the vet's recommendations for preventing ER are not followed, ER may likely reoccur.

Horses who experience a severe case of ER (the muscle degeneration is significant) are less likely to return to their previous level of competition, as fibrosis may have occurred which would result in loss of muscle function. The prognosis is guarded for these horses.


PREVENTION

Diet

Reducing any extra energy in a horse's diet is essential to maintaining a horse that has experienced ER. Decreasing carbohydrates and increasing the daily intake of hay or pasture can usually accomplish this. Grain may need to be cut out altogether and replaced by a substitute, such as vegetable oil, to meet the individual energy needs of the horse.

Grain should be reduced or removed from a horse's ration on days when he cannot be worked.

Exercise

Proper conditioning is very important in preventing ER. Beginning with a base of long, slow distance work will ensure that the horse has a foundation before proceeding on to more strenuous work. The horse should always have a 10-minute warm-up at the walk and trot before more strenuous work is begun, and should always have a proper cool down of 10 minutes.

It is best that a horse receive exercise everyday, or possibly twice a day, to prevent the recurrence of ER. If possible, avoid breaks of the horse's exercise schedule. If for some reason the horse cannot receive training, he should at least be ridden, driven, longed, or turned out.

Daily pasture turnout is ideal for horses likely to suffer from ER, as it provides exercise and adds roughage to the animal's diet.

Supplements & Drugs
As with any supplements and drugs, it is best to confer with your vet as to the recommended dosages. Some drugs are not allowed in competition, and may need to be withheld a few days before.

Adding potassium and salt to the diet may be beneficial to horses that suffer from recurrent bouts of ER. Horses in hard training may need a vitamin E supplement, as their requirements are higher than horses in more moderate work. The horse may also be deficient in selenium, and need a feed in supplement. Selenium can be dangerous if overfed, so it is best to have a blood test to confirm that the horse is in need of supplemental selenium.

Thyroid hormone supplementation is often beneficial for horses with low thyroid activity (only do so if the horse has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism).

Other drugs that have been used with success include phenytoin, dantrolene, and dimetyl glycine.

Bicarbonate and NSAIDs are of no use in preventing ER.


Hope that helps a little.
Cazx

 

[Fantasy_World]

Hettie yes you are correct they are and as are thoroughbreds too, have just read the same article.
Glad you could answer too as no one else seemed to be bothered about answering the question unless I was reading the wrong thread.
Cazx

 

[GDB]

I can highly recommend Equine America's Tye Guard.Dol has always tied up and was hopeless on anything else.. Since being on it for the past 5 years, she hasnt tied up once!! As an Advanced Dressage Horse her feeding regime had to be stable, but kt was very careful about warming up and down and in winter she always wore a quarter rug when working.. Regular excercise is a must to prevent the cramping of muscle.
You can find info on their website or pm me for their phone number...


HX

 

[LoneRanger]

You need to get the vet to do blood tests if it happens again. Cramp and tying up have the same symptoms but different treatments. With one you should walk the horse if it has an attack but with the other you must NOT walk it or you risk damaging the muscle. I can't remember which way round it is though, sorry. I think the blood test needs to be done within 24 hours.

I had a horse that used to get cramp. We put him on azodine and another supplement and he never had it again.

Best of luck

 

[eventrider23]

I would recommend getting a full blood test done to see if there is anything more sinister going on before going any further. I had 2 eventers that used to tie up...one of them very badly. We talked to a nutritionist who recommended a low starch/high fats/oils diet and also the use of Equine America Tye-Guard. Neither horse every looked back!
They were both placed on Bailey's Ultimate Finish as this is a pure oil additive feed, as well as Bailey's #4 due to the fact that they were in high work and this feed is very high in oils as well as vits and mins. (There are many other similar and suitable feeds around though.)
In addition to this they went onto the tie guard. I have to say - on this combination these horse's looked and still look amazing! One is now advanced and a member of the British YR eventing team and the other is the reserve horse (not with me I hasten to add) and neither has tied up since.
Of course in addition to the correct diet it is also ensured that they are both warmed up and cooled down after working for extremely long periods. Having the added benefit of a horsewalker, both horses would go on for 20 mins before and after working as well as being ridden at walk b4 and after for ages.
In addition, with the worse sufferer of the two, we tried to ensure that she lived out or at least got turned out as much as possible. Indeed in the event season she lives out 24/7 and only comes in on the morning of events, etc.
By managing them this way we have never had a recurrant attack in either horse since and both are now competing at a high level without a prob.
Hope this helps.

 

[jinglejoys]

eventrider23 is this the diet you're talking of?

http://www.ruralheritage.com/vet_clinic/epsmdiet.htm

 

[Hettie]

A horse tying up must not be walked around. If out hacking get someone to get you with a lorry/trailer. If in arena only move if neccessary (put a cooler on or blanket if cold) and phone vet straight away for advise! Any movement can cause irreversable damage to muscle and obviously a great deal of pain to the horse.

Don't know about cramp sorry, but I think I'd be too scared to walk it around just in case!

 

[Partoow]

Its very interesting that your horse is a Quarter Horse as there have been studies done and this is one of the breeds that have been geneticaly identified as having congenital set fast. I have also been told by my vet that it has also been found on the genes of Welsh horses and ponies. I encountered this congenital set fast in a Luso x welsh cob mare that was with me for training. She had had episodes before so after she had a foal she was brought to me to bring back in to work. Here are a few of the things i found out and they may be a little different than tying up due to just over feeding and not enough work idea.
My mare is HIGHLY temperature sensitive. This is one of the biggest triggers, not only on her body but also on the grass, so it is a problem when being out as much as possible is vital. I think sugar content of feed has been shown to have some effect too and this is altered in 'frosted ' grazing' somthing to do with the fructain levels being raised.
So keeping them warm wearing rugs at all times ,plenty if exercise with turn out and long warm ups and work down.
Feeding wise high fibre trickle feeding where possible but for those in hard work Dodson and Horrell do an exellent feed called ERS pellets and i have known fit hunt horses prone to tying up do very well on this and have no further problems.
Also feeding a good quality selenium vit E suppliment with Lysine also is supposed to aid the hores ability to recover from work we also used Perform aid from Nutri Science, this is supposed to be a free radical mopper upper again helping reduce the problem.
I think from the sounds of things your horse is prone to tying up due to genetics so management will be even more important.
Good luck and be carefull on frosty days as we found temperature the biggest trigger.

 

[LoneRanger]

Yup I agree about the walking round thing. That's why it's important to have blood tests to find out whether it's cramp or tying up. It was such a long time ago (over 10 years) I can't remember all the details.

 

[Vicky7041]

Thanks for all your comments/tips.
The only thing that changed in his diet was giving him horsehage that w/e. but I have removed the chaff he was on.
His fitness is very good, and I always walk for about 10/15mins before and after. I alway ride with a quarter sheet on too.
He has never done it before. He seams fine now, but it was a horrible experience and I wouldn't want him to do it again.

Thanks again to everyone for helping!!