Familial incidence of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in quarter horses.
Abstract: The pedigrees of 17 horses with hyperkalemic paralysis were studied. All were first-, second-, or third-generation offspring of a common sire, 16 were registered Quarter Horses. Analysis indicated that it was unlikely that the concentration of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in the offspring of this sire was attributable to chance. The familial nature of this condition should help veterinarians diagnostically. It also suggests that it is possible to reduce the incidence of this condition by breeding from non-affected lines of horses and reinforces the need for studies to determine whether the disease is genetic in origin. Although more affected horses were second-generation offspring, the proportion of horses affected was largest in the first generation and decreased progressively with each generation. This is probably because horses in the earlier generations have been observed for longer periods and thus clinical signs are more likely to have been noticed in these horses.
Publication Date: 1992-02-01 PubMed ID: 1548168
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research explores the inheritance of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in quarter horses, suggesting that it may be passed down through generations and advocating for breeding from non-affected horse lines to reduce its occurrence.
Objective of the Study
- The main aim of this research was to investigate the potential genetic occurrence of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, a muscle disorder, in quarter horses. The researchers were particularly interested in understanding whether this condition was prevalent in the lineage of a specific common sire from whom the studied horses were assumed to have descended.
Methodology and Findings
- Researchers conducted a comprehensive pedigree analysis of 17 horses with confirmed cases of hyperkalemic paralysis. They discovered that all these horses were either first, second, or third generation descendants of a common sire, with most (16) being registered Quarter Horses.
- The findings suggested that the susceptibility to this disorder in this horse lineage was too prevalent to be due to random chance alone. This implies that factors other than chance, potentially genetic components, were contributing to the high incidence of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.
Implications and Recommendations
- This investigation of familial nature concluded that it could potentially assist veterinarians in diagnostics. By understanding the genetic connections, vets can predict or identify the disorder with greater accuracy.
- The research also advocates for strategic breeding from non-affected horse lineages. Such actions could significantly reduce the prevalence of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in Quarter Horses.
- The higher concentration of affected horses in the second generation than the first might be due to longer observation of the first generation horses, increasing the likelihood of disease detection in these horses. The proportion of affected horses was noted to fall with each subsequent generation, indicating a decrease in disease prevalence over time.
- In light of these findings, the study emphasizes the need for additional research to definitively determine if this condition has a genetic origin.
Cite This Article
APA
Naylor JM, Robinson JA, Bertone J.
(1992).
Familial incidence of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in quarter horses.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 200(3), 340-343.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Breeding
- Chi-Square Distribution
- Electromyography / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / genetics
- Horses
- Hyperkalemia / complications
- Hyperkalemia / genetics
- Hyperkalemia / veterinary
- Incidence
- Male
- Paralysis / etiology
- Paralysis / genetics
- Paralysis / veterinary
- Pedigree
- Periodicity
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Gianino GM, Valberg SJ, Perumbakkam S, Henry ML, Gardner K, Penedo C, Finno CJ. Prevalence of the E321G MYH1 variant for immune-mediated myositis and nonexertional rhabdomyolysis in performance subgroups of American Quarter Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):897-901.
- Velie BD, Fegraeus KJ, Solé M, Rosengren MK, Røed KH, Ihler CF, Strand E, Lindgren G. A genome-wide association study for harness racing success in the Norwegian-Swedish coldblooded trotter reveals genes for learning and energy metabolism. BMC Genet 2018 Aug 29;19(1):80.
- Cannon SC. Channelopathies of skeletal muscle excitability. Compr Physiol 2015 Apr;5(2):761-90.
- Naylor JM. Equine hyperkalemic periodic paralysis: review and implications. Can Vet J 1994 May;35(5):279-85.
- Rollet M, Flyps J, Vernemmen I, van Loon G, Schauvliege S. Case Report: Inhaled salbutamol in the successful treatment of life-threatening acute hyperkalaemia in an anaesthetised horse. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1663681.
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