What is fibrotic myopathy in horses?

Asked by: Tim Wiseman

Fibrotic myopathy describes a classic gait abnormality that develops when horses injure their semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles at the point of a tendinous insertion during exercise that requires abrupt turns and sliding stops.

What does fibrotic myopathy mean?

Fibrotic myopathy is a very specific clinical syndrome with a highly characteristic presentation of profound hindlimb lameness and fibrous contracture of medial thigh musculature. Affected dogs typically experience life-long disability as the muscle fibrosis and contracture is not reversible with treatment.

How is fibrotic myopathy treated?

Transection of the fibrotic mass followed by early post operative exercise is the best treatment for fibrotic myopathy. A laser may be used to transect the fibrotic mass.

Is fibrotic myopathy hereditary?

Fibrotic myopathy is likely a recessive Mendelian disease with a simple mode of inheritance. Investigation of the genetic cause of this disease is urgently needed.

What are two common muscle disorders in horses?

In veterinary terms, these are known as infectious myopathies.

• Virus-associated Myositis. …
• Sarcocystis Myositis. …
• Anaplasma-associated Rhabdomyolysis. …
• Streptococcus equi Rhabdomyolysis. …
• Clostridial Myositis. …
• Muscle Abscesses.

Is fibrotic myopathy in horses painful?

Fibrotic Myopathy
Affected muscles in acute cases are warm and painful on deep palpation.

Can muscle fibrosis be reversed?

While long thought to be irreversible, new research by scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) shows for the first time in animals that it may be possible to undo the damage caused by fibrosis and, in the process, restore muscle strength.

What does myopathy mean?

Definition. The myopathies are neuromuscular disorders in which the primary symptom is muscle weakness due to dysfunction of muscle fiber. Other symptoms of myopathy can include include muscle cramps, stiffness, and spasm.

How do you treat a torn hamstring in a horse?

What to do if You Suspect Your Horse has a Hamstring Injury. If you suspect your horse has a hamstring injury the first port of call is always the vet. They will ensure there are no significant tears and give medication and rest if appropriate.

What is fibrotic contracture?

Contraction of a muscle in which the muscle tissue has been replaced by fibrous tissue because of injury.

How is myopathy treated in horses?

Severely affected horses often need to be admitted to a specialist equine hospital for round the clock intensive care including intravenous fluid therapy and anti-inflammatory medication. If horses survive the first few days of treatment, they usually recover completely, although this may take several months.

What causes myopathy in horses?

Myopathies are diseases that primarily cause damage to muscles. They may be present at birth (congenital) or occur due to nutritional imbalances, injury, or ingestion of a poisonous substance.

What causes muscle wasting in horses?

“With malnutrition, 30-50% of the muscle mass may be lost in the first 1 to 2 months. Some myogenic atrophy problems are caused by malnutrition, disuse atrophy, Cushing’s disease, secondary to severe rhabdomyolysis, polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), and immune-mediated myopathy.

Can muscle atrophy be reversed in horses?

The atrophy can be reversed only when the cause is addressed (i.e., the pinching saddle), allowing the muscle to regrow— although the white hairs will remain.

Why do horses lose their topline?

Lack of the right kind of exercise, poor nutrition, degenerative muscle conditions, and chronic systemic disease can all cause loss of muscle mass along the top-line. In older horses, PPID (Cushings Disease) may also contribute to this appearance.