EAM

[ikklecob]

I think having an area covering Myopathy is fab but wondered how many of you are aware of Equine Atypical Myopathy. It is also sometimes called Seasonal Myopathy

Alas this is what we lost Doodie to last month. She went down with it in October. She had come back in from a 6 week holiday and had been in for 6 days. I tacked up and we hacked out she was in fine spirit. About 400 yards up the road she stopped and made a noise then did a pile of droppings I pushed her on and about 100 yards further on she groaned. I got off and she was shaking. By the time I had led her home she was soaked in sweat and we had to push pull and hit her to keep her moving to a stable. She was put on a drip and vets visited for 3 days to give her sedation and pain relife. She fought as hard as she knew how but her kidneys and liver never recovered and her AST and CK levels went off the scale a couple of times. She had a few smaller episodes and we knew we were not getting the results we were looking for.

There are a couple of pages on facebook which are helpful and

www.equinehealthonline.co.uk also has some nice clear info about it.

This was Doods at The Royal Welsh last year helping me tick something off my bucket list

[cadeby]

Such a sad way to lose your lovely girl. EAM is a horrible illness which I think has gone pretty much "under the radar" in the UK, but is a bit better known in Europe. In 2010 Swiss scientists discovered the possible cause as the bacterium Clostridium sordellii which can also cause Toxic Shock Syndrome in humans.

My vet (Belgian) has seen this disease and says it is most likely to strike in young horses, in the Autumn months, who are out at grass all the time, particularly in paddocks where there are lots of damp, fallen leaves. However, all grass kept horses of all ages, breeds and condition can be at risk.

Sadly EAM is very difficult to treat and is frequently fatal. Hopefully time and research will find a cure.

Run free Doodie

[harveydales]

I'm really sorry to read this. Yes, I had heard of the condition and there have been a few articles in the horsey press, but, as Helen says, it does seem to have gone under the radar pretty much over here. The last I read was than it was probably toxin related to something in pastures. A horrible disease and I feel for you.

[mrsp]

Hi Chris sorry I left you to put this post on. Although it has brought a bit of a lump to my throat, I'm glad I've been able to read all about Doodle, a very special pony xx

[harleydales]

Yes, I've heard of it too, I think we looked into it when Harley was in the thick of his troubles.

Very useful to have some info on it on here though, thanks for posting.

Doods was beautiful, so sorry you lost her xx