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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Neuromyotonia in a horse.
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2018; 33(1); 287-291; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15353

Neuromyotonia in a horse.

Abstract: This article describes the clinical and electromyographic findings of neuromyotonia in a 19-month-old male crossbred Quarter Horse that presented with stiffness and muscle asymmetry in the hind limbs as well as sacrococcygeal, paravertebral, and gluteal myokymia. An electromyographic study showed spontaneous continuous muscle fiber activity with high-frequency discharges, fibrillations, positive sharp waves, fasciculation potentials, and complex repetitive discharges. Histological examination of the gluteal muscle showed a mixed neurogenic and myopathic pattern. The findings are consistent with neuromyotonia.
© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2018-12-03 PubMed ID: 30511761PubMed Central: PMC6335518DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15353Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research focuses on a case of neuromyotonia in a 19-month-old horse, diagnosed through symptoms of limb stiffness and muscle asymmetry, and further confirmed by electromyographic studies and muscle tissue examination.

Case Presentation

  • The article presents a case of a 19-month-old male crossbred Quarter Horse demonstrating typical symptoms of neuromyotonia. Its clinical symptoms included stiffness and muscle asymmetry, particularly in the horse’s hind limbs. Additionally, the horse exhibited myokymia, a condition of involuntary, continuous muscle twitching, in its sacrococcygeal, paravertebral, and gluteal muscle regions.

Electromyographic Findings

  • To confirm the suspected diagnosis of neuromyotonia, the researchers conducted an electromyographic study on the horse. This kind of study measures the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles.
  • The study revealed spontaneous continuous muscle fiber activity with high-frequency discharges, which is characteristic of neuromyotonia. Furthermore, they observed fibrillations (rapid, irregular, and unsynchronized contractions of muscle fibers), positive sharp waves (a type of abnormal electrical activity), fasciculation potentials (abrupt bursts of motor unit activity), and complex repetitive discharges. These electrophysiological findings are typical in neuromyotonia, a rare disorder characterized by prolonged muscle stiffness and delayed muscle relaxation.

Histological Examination

  • To further validate their findings, the researchers conducted a histological examination of the horse’s gluteal muscle. This examination involves studying the microscopic structure of tissues.
  • The examination revealed a mixed neurogenic and myopathic pattern. In layman’s terms, this means the muscle showed signs of both nerve-related (neurogenic) and muscle-related (myopathic) damage — another distinctive feature of neuromyotonia.
  • With the combination of clinical signs, electromyographic study, and histological examination, the researchers confirmed the diagnosis of neuromyotonia in the horse. This comprehensive investigation offers valuable insights into how similar cases can be diagnosed and studied in the future.

Cite This Article

APA
Zakia LS, Palumbo MIP, Teixeira RBC, Resende LAL, Soares MP, de Oliveira-Filho JP, Amorim RM, Borges AS. (2018). Neuromyotonia in a horse. J Vet Intern Med, 33(1), 287-291. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15353

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 33
Issue: 1
Pages: 287-291

Researcher Affiliations

Zakia, Luiza Stachewski
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Palumbo, Mariana Isa Pocci
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Teixeira, Raffaella Bertoni Cavalcanti
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Resende, Luiz Antônio Lima
  • Department of Neurology, Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine of Botucatu, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Soares, Mauro Pereira
  • Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
de Oliveira-Filho, José Paes
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Amorim, Rogério Martins
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Borges, Alexandre Secorun
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Electromyography / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses
  • Isaacs Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Isaacs Syndrome / pathology
  • Isaacs Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Isaacs Syndrome / veterinary
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Receptors, Interleukin-1

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