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Abstract

Objective—To determine insulin sensitivity, proportions of muscle fiber types, and activities of glycogenolytic and glycolytic enzymes in Belgians with and without polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM).

Animals—10 Quarter Horses (QHs) and 103 Belgians in which PSSM status had been determined.

Procedures—To determine insulin sensitivity, a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HEC) technique was used in 5 Belgians with PSSM and 5 Belgians without PSSM. Insulin was infused IV at 3 mU/min/kg for 3 hours, and concentrations of blood glucose and plasma insulin were determined throughout. An IV infusion of glucose was administered to maintain blood glucose concentration at 100 mg/dL. Activities of glycogenolytic and glycolytic enzymes were assessed in snap-frozen biopsy specimens of gluteus medius muscle obtained from 4 Belgians with PSSM and 5 Belgians without PSSM. Percentages of type 1, 2a, and 2b muscle fibers were determined via evaluation of ≥ 250 muscle fibers in biopsy specimens obtained from each Belgian used in the aforementioned studies and from 10 QHs (5 with PSSM and 5 without PSSM).

Results—Belgians with and without PSSM were not significantly different with respect to whole-body insulin sensitivity, muscle activities of glycogenolytic and glycolytic enzymes, or proportions of muscle fiber types. However, Belgians had an increased proportion of type 2a and decreased proportion of type 2b muscle fibers, compared with proportions in QHs, regardless of PSSM status.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—PSSM in Belgians may be attributable to excessive glycogen synthesis rather than decreased glycogen utilization or enhanced glucose uptake into muscle cells.

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in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

Case Description—4 racehorses were examined because of markedly abnormal behavior following administration of fluphenazine decanoate.

Clinical Findings—Clinical signs included restlessness, agitation, profuse sweating, hypermetria, aimless circling, intense pawing and striking with the thoracic limbs, and rhythmic swinging of the head and neck alternating with episodes of severe stupor. Fluphenazine was detected in serum or plasma from all 4 horses. The dose of fluphenazine decanoate administered to 3 of the 4 horses was within the range (25 to 50 mg) routinely administered to adult humans.

Treatment and Outcome—In 2 horses, there was no response to IV administration of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, but the abnormal behavior in these 2 horses appeared to resolve following administration of benztropine mesylate, and both horses returned to racing. The other 2 horses responded to diphenhydramine administration. One returned to racing. The other was euthanized because of severe neurologic signs, respiratory failure, and acute renal failure.

Clinical Relevance—Findings indicate that adverse extrapyramidal effects may occur in horses given fluphenazine decanoate. These effects appear to be unpredictable and may be severe and life threatening. Use of fluphenazine decanoate as an anxiolytic in performance horses is not permitted in many racing and horse show jurisdictions, and analytic procedures are now available to detect the presence of fluphenazine in serum or plasma.

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in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Abstract

Objective—To determine prevalences of polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) and shivers in Belgian Draft Horses (BDHs) and determine whether there was an association between these 2 conditions.

Design—Prospective cohort study.

Animals—103 BDHs > 1 year old.

Procedure—Owners were questioned regarding clinical signs of PSSM, shivers, and hindquarter weakness, defined as poor hindquarter muscling and lack of propulsion. Blood samples were collected for determination of serum creatine kinase and aspartate transferase activities and serum selenium and vitamin E concentrations. A biopsy sample from the gluteus medius muscle was submitted for histologic, histochemical, and biochemical analysis. A diagnosis of PSSM was made if abnormal amylase-resistant polysaccharide inclusions were seen histologically.

Results—37 (36%) horses had PSSM and 19 (18%) had shivers, but only 6 (6%) had both PSSM and shivers, whereas 31 (30%) had PSSM alone, 13 (13%) had shivers alone, and 53 (51%) had neither, and a significant association between PSSM and shivers was not detected. Hindquarter weakness was found in 30 horses. Only 13 of 37 (35%) horses with PSSM and 11 of 19 (58%) horses with shivers had hindquarter weakness. Serum creatine kinase and aspartate transferase activities and serum selenium and vitamin E concentrations were not significantly different between horses with and without PSSM or between horses with and without shivers.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that PSSM and shivers are common but unrelated disorders in BDHs. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005;227:1958–1964)

Full access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association