Ventricular Tachycardia - any experiences?

CharlesMax

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Had quite scare last week thinking my horse had colic after coming down in his stable after being out at night. Vet arrived also thinking he showed signs of colic which he treated on the spot. Because his heart rate was sky high (80-100) he referred him to an equine hospital to be safe and I am so pleased he did! After a thorough check they diagnosed him with Ventricular Tachycardia and not colic! In brief, VT is a very fast heart rhythm that begins in the ventricles caused by a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system.

It took them about 36 hours, working around the clock, to get his heart rate back to normal trying various drugs and ways of administering them until it finally worked. Bizarrely, he seemed content and not stressed at all when his heart rate was 80-100!

Once his heart rate was stable for 24 hours we agreed he should be at home where he is on rest for 4 weeks before being tested again to see how his heart copes with exercise and recovery whilst we check his heart rate daily which it has been for a week now, thank goodness.

I have never come across anything like this and don't know anyone who has. He was perfectly fit, healthy and happy before this occurred with no routine change soon before the incident.

Now, my question is, has anyone else had this happen with their horse and what was the outcome?

Thanks in advance!
 
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planete

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How weird. This happened to me last week (heart rate 188!) and I was carted off to A & E. I am now waiting for a stress MRI to determine possible causes as nothing found with echocardiogram. I do hope your horse is ok and would like to be able to compare his problems and treatment with mine in the next few weeks. Fingers crossed for your horse, please keep us updated.
 

oldie48

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Never come across it in a horse but my daughter has it. When my daughter has it her heart beat goes over 200 and she does feel quite ill. she has a number of ways of stopping it and fortunately she's not had to be hospitalised. As said it is caused by a faulty electrical pathway in the heart that creates a feedback loop, this can be erased quite successfully using radio ablation. In the rare cases when it goes wrong the patient will need a pace maker. Daughter is a hospital doc so spends her life (seemingly) in hospital so I don't worry about her quite so much as if it goes on too long it can lead to heart failure but I understand that this is extremely rare, Planete, I don't want to worry you. She started with it aged 7 and she's now 29 and has long periods without an episode. A friend has had the radio ablation, very successfully and now no longer has it. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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