White muscle disease of foals.
Abstract: White muscle disease (nutritional myodegeneration) of foals is a peracute to subacute myodegenerative disease affecting skeletal and cardiac muscle. It is caused by a dietary deficiency of selenium and vitamin E, usually in association with predisposing factors such as a high intake of dietary unsaturated fats or unaccustomed exercise. White muscle disease has been observed in foals from birth to 1 year of age, particularly those foals born to dams fed selenium-deficient diets, during gestation. The disease in foals may present as an acute, fulminant syndrome, which is rapidly fatal, or a subacute syndrome characterized by profound muscular weakness. Failure of passive transfer, aspiration pneumonia, and stunting are frequent complications. Markedly increased muscle enzyme and low glutathione peroxidase activities are common findings in affected foals. Foals with the subacute form of the disease may survive if they are supplemented early with selenium; however, mortality rates ranging from 30% to 45% have been reported, even for this form of the disease.
Publication Date: 1997-04-01 PubMed ID: 9106350DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30262-6Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article discusses White Muscle Disease, a serious and often fatal illness in foals attributed to a deficiency in selenium and vitamin E, and further aggravated by factors such as high unsaturated fat intake or rigorous exercise. Foals affected by the disease usually present with two main types of symptoms, an acute, fatal version of the syndrome or a subtler form characterized by muscular weakness.
Overview of White Muscle Disease
- White muscle disease, also known as nutritional myodegeneration, primarily affect the skeletal and cardiac muscles in foals. The affliction ranges from highly acute to subacute, indicating the varying severities of the disease.
- This disease is caused by a lack of dietary selenium and vitamin E. These deficiencies may be further worsened by high intake of unsaturated fats or rigorous physical activity.
Incidence and Presentation of Disease
- White muscle disease has been noted in foals that range from newborns to 1-year-old, especially those born to mother horses on selenium-deficient diets during their pregnancy.
- The disease can either present itself in an acute, rapidly fatal form or a subacute form that is characterized by major muscle weakness.
Complications and Prognosis
- Complications frequently seen in afflicted foals include failure of passive transfer, aspiration pneumonia, and stunting.
- Common findings in foals suffering from this disease include significantly elevated muscle enzyme activities and lowered glutathione peroxidase activities.
- While early supplementation with selenium can potentially help foals with the subacute form of the disease, 30% to 45% mortality rates have still been reported.
Cite This Article
APA
Löfstedt J.
(1997).
White muscle disease of foals.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 13(1), 169-185.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30262-6 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Selenium / therapeutic use
- Vitamin E / therapeutic use
- White Muscle Disease / diagnosis
- White Muscle Disease / etiology
- White Muscle Disease / therapy
Citations
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