Equine Muscle Disorders Flashcards
what is special about muscle physiology in horses?
increased muscle mass
greater locomotor efficiency
high mitochondrial volume
high intramuscular store of glycogen
high buffer and lactate transport capacity
can improve all of the above with training
what gene determines whether they are better at distance or sprint?
myostatin gene
when does sporadic exertional rhabdomyolysis occur?
after very hard exercise
unfit horse
when does recurrent rhabdomyolysis occur?
beginning of light exercise
stress
what is recurrent rhabdomyolysis due to?
abnormal intracellular calcium regulation causing lower threshold for contracture
what are the chief complaints with rhabdomyolysis?
reluctance to move
discolored urine
more in quarter horses and draft horses
what are some distinguishing physical exam findings with rhabdomyolysis?
hard muscles
muscles sensitive to touch
what is the main pathogenic mechanism of rhabdomyolysis?
myocyte lysis
what can you test to check for rhabdomyolysis?
creatine kinase
aspartate transaminase
lactate dehydrogenase
what does creatine kinase do in an injury?
increases by 6 hours and peaks at 12 hours after
if ongoing injury, will continue to rise
when does lactate dehydrogenase increase with muscle injury?
by 2 days
will continue to rise with ongoing injury
what are some key diagnostic test results with rhabdomyolysis?
muscle pain
markedly elevated muscle enzyme activities
myoglobinuria
what are the main treatments for rhabdomyolysis?
rest
intravenous fluid therapy for perfusion and kidneys
manage/monitor electrolytes
flunixin meglumine NSAID if well hydrated
acetominophen if worried about AKI
butorphanol or morphine if severe pain
acepromazine as anxiolytic if euvolemic
what are the clinical signs of polysaccharide myopathy?
severe cases indistinguishable from exertional rhabdomyolysis
chronic low-grade disease: poor performance
what happens in polysaccharide storage myopathy I?
glycogen made all the time but not broken down properly
how can you test for polysaccharide storage myopathy?
take creatine kinase before and 6 hours after trotting
genetic test if PSSM-1
muscle biopsy
what are the main treatments for polysaccharide storage myopathy?
rest
IV fluids if myoglobinuria
low-nonstructural carbohydrate diet
what are the chief complaints with atypical myopathy?
same as exertional rhabdomyolysis but not associated with exercise
more severe
sudden death
what is the pathogenesis of atypical myopathy?
hypoglycin A in sycamore and box elder
multiple acyl CoA deficiency
who gets post-anesthesia myopathy?
large or heavily muscles horses