Exam 1 - Equine Myopathies Flashcards
what is a myopathy? what does it cause in horses?
dysfunction of the muscle fiber
poor performance, exercise intolerance, weakness/stiffness, & rhabdomyolysis
when working up a horse with a suspected myopathy, why are CK & AST useful values?
CK - evaluates for muscle damage
AST - evaluates the horse for any hepatic damage, 1/2 life of 8-10 days, always measure a CK alongside an AST to rule out concurrent muscle injury
what are the differences between exertional & non-exertional rhabdomyolysis?
exertional - seen in a horse usually concurrent with exercise, from exertion
non-exertional - many causes but not related to the animal moving/exercising, caused by sources other than exertion, including genetics and can be triggered by stress, reactions to certain vaccines and infections (particularly streptococcus), and a poor diet
why are NSAIDS contraindicated in severe cases of tying up?
in rhabdomyolysis - there is myoglobinuria from the muscle damage causing acute kidney injury
NSAIDS are nephrotoxic alone - so very concerning for an animal who’s kidneys are already compromised
what is the mode of inheritance of PSSM?
type 1 - autosomal dominant inheritance
mutation in the glycogen synthase 1 gene
type 2 - unknown
what is the mode of inheritance of HYPP?
autosomal dominant - point mutation in the SCN4A gene
mutation in the Na channel gene that controls muscle contraction
what is the mode of inheritance of IMM?
usually a complication from a primary infectious disease with an autoimmune response affecting skeletal muscle
genetic mutation of the myosin heavy chain 1 - myosin heavy chain 1 myopathy
what are the similarities between PSSM & HYPP?
both are autosomal dominant genetic inherited conditions
both can be induced by triggers - diets high in CHO/NSC for PSSM & diets high in K+ for HYPP
both majorly affect quarter horses
clinical signs - both cause the horse to not want to move around much
both can be diagnosed on the AGHA 6 panel/muscle biopsy
similar management plan - avoid long periods of rest, diet changes, daily turnout
what are the differences between PSSM & HYPP?
HYPP - non-exertional myopathy!!
clinical signs of HYPP look more like colic/tetanus horse
different treatment needed for HYPP because you need to drive potassium into cells
what is calciphylaxis?
calcium accumulates in the small blood vessels of fat & skin tissue, animal will have a high Ca:P ratio
what medication & route of administration has been implicated the most in the development of clostridial myonecrosis?
banamine given IM
what is the most important therapy for a horse with clostridial myonecrosis?
oxygen therapy
what type of tree has been associated with atypical myopathy?
box elder tree
what is the pathophysiology of equine motor neuron disease? how does it relate to the clinical signs appreciated?
horses deficient in vitamin E for more than 18 months
deterioration of lower motor neurons from lack of vitamin E, (the nerves that supply the direct neurological input into all muscles) muscles atrophy, resulting in the clinical signs of weakness and weight loss characteristic of this disease
condition affects the neck (cervico-thoracic) and back (lumbar-sacral) areas of the spinal cord - clinical signs such as low head carriage & raised tail head, elephant on a ball stance, & shift weight lameness/recumbency
what clin path values are you paying special attention to in a horse you suspect has some sort of myopathy going on?
CK & AST
renal values
urinalysis - look for myoglobinuria
what are the 2 chronic exertional myopathies that are genetically inherited?
recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis & polysaccharide storage myopathy
what are the 2 types of exertional myopathy?
sporadic & chronic
what are the types of non-exertional myopathies covered in this lecture?
circulatory, myotonic, inflammatory/infectious, traumatic, nutritional/toxic, & misc
what are some other common names for exertional rhabdomyolysis?
tying up
monday morning sickness
azoturia
what is the clinical presentation that is commonly seen in a horse with exertional rhabdomyolysis?
onset of signs occurs shortly after the beginning of exercise
firm & painful muscles & tremors - lumbosacral region & gluteal muscles
excessive sweating, tachycardia/tachypnea, reluctance/refusal to move, elevated CK (>10,000-100,000)
myoglobinuria & AKI
how is a horse with exertional rhabdomyolysis treated?
stall rest & diuresis - electrolyte & fluid correction
pain relief - judicious use of NSAIDS/nephrotoxic drugs - can use ace/torb/methocarbamol
give vitamin E
gradual return to exercise
what is recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis?
intermittent form of tying up in horses due to an abnormality in intracellular calcium regulation with no specific diagnostic test
what horses are commonly affected by RER (risk factors)?
thoroughbreds age 2 YEARS!!! to 3 years old
fillies affected
anxious/nervous temperament
lame horses
what are the risk factors pertaining to diet & exercise intensity for horses & RER?
high grain diets
racehorses/gallop training, 3 day eventers/cross country, & trotters after 15 minutes
how is stress managed for RER horses?
stall positioned in a quiet area of the barn
train them first thing
turn out often
avoid excitable/frustrating training regimes (holding back)
attention to & treatment of lameness
avoid stall rest or lay-up if possible
dantrolene before exercise
why does PSSM cause a myopathy?
unregulated synthesis of glycogen which results in excessive sugar in the muscle cells
what horses are commonly affected by type I PSSM?
quarter horses - halter horses
what horses are commonly affected by type II PSSM?
quarter horses, drafts, & warm bloods
what triggers are associated with PSSM?
diets high in CHO/NSC/starch (sweet feed, corn, wheat, oats, barley, molasses) & prolonged periods of rest
what clinical signs are seen with both types of PSSM?
muscle pain & stiffness - exertional
sweating, shifting lameness, exercise intolerance, reluctance to move, weakness, & pigmenturia
what clinical signs are seen in quarter horses with PSSM?
early onset & persistent high CK
what clinical signs are seen in draft breeds with PSSM?
middle age onset - belgians & percherons
trembling & muscle atrophy
what clinical signs are seen in warm bloods with PSSM?
back soreness & poor performance
what sample is needed for an AQHA 6 panel? what does an AQHA 6 panel test for?
hair sample or whole blood
PSSM, HYPP, malignant hyperthermia, GBED, HERDA, & IMM
T/F: CK rapidly rises - 4 to 6 hours & AST takes a couple of days
true
how is PSSM type I diagnosed?
a sample of hair or EDTA whole blood to test for the GYS1 mutation
muscle biopsy - abnormal amylase resistant polysaccharide
exercise trial - watch CK & AST to evaluate for muscle damage
T/F: exertional rhabdomyolysis - episodes usually happen concurrent with exercise (sporadic) & chronic/intermittent are more likely to be related to genetic disorders
true
how is PSSM type II diagnosed?
no genetic test - need to do a muscle biopsy &
exercise trial
exercise trial - take a baseline CK & then exercise the horse, & take a measurement hours later, an 4 fold increase from the baseline is consistent with type II PSSM
what would you expect to see on a muscle biopsy of a horse with type II PSSM?
abnormal aggregation of glycogen in the muscle
whats the recommended procedure for obtaining a muscle biopsy in a horse with a suspected myopathy?
inject 5-10ml of lidocaine sq around the muscle
incision made through the skin & sq tissues about 2 inches long
parallel 1 inch incisions are made about 1/2 inch apart from each other & held in place with forceps while the muscle is transected dorsally & ventrally - sample will contract to form 1/2 inch cube
close with simple interrupted sutures or staples
what diet recommendations are made for managing horses with PSSM?
grazing muzzle, low NSCs, give a hay with <12% NSC, manage BCS (overweight/effects on insulin), ration balancer, & supply a potential fat source for energy
what management is recommended for horses with PSSM?
avoid long periods of rest
gradual re-introduction to exercise
daily turnout
5+ days/week of moderate exercise (30 minutes)
fasting for 6 hours prior to exercise
diet changes
how is RER diagnosed?
the horse has to have more than 1 episode of tying up