Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dystrophic myodegeneration in adult horses.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1977
- Authors:
- Owen, R R et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study involving five adult horses that had previously experienced colic (abdominal pain), the horses showed signs of heart failure and muscle problems. When the horses were examined after death, pale areas were found in their neck, chest, hindquarters, and heart muscles, which indicated a condition called dystrophic myodegeneration (a type of muscle degeneration). While two of the horses had normal levels of vitamin E, two others had low levels of selenium (a mineral important for muscle health) compared to healthy horses. The findings suggest that the muscle issues in these horses may be linked to their selenium levels.
Abstract
Five horses with histories of colic developed signs of myocardial failure and skeletal muscle disease. Necropsy revealed pale areas in the cervical, pectoral, pelvic, and cardiac musculature; histologically, the lesions were indicative of dystrophic myodegeneration. Serum vitamin E concentrations were normal in 2 of the horses but serum selenium concentrations were normal in 2 of the horses, but serum selenium concentrations were low when compared with values obtained from clinically normal horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/893219/