terribly traumatic ride-azoturia

[rachelg]

oh dear what a trauma.....we were out on at ride at tea time today with lizzy and merlin, and marley started to be what i thought was stubborn,kept stopping,so persevered for a while and then i realised it wasnt just stubborness....(although i am known to be paranoid-is he lame-am i too heavy-has the saddle slipped-does he need a poo etc etc and as ive only just started to get my confidence back riding he does take the micky out of me - so it was hard to realise something was genuinly wrong given those things) so got off (on a lane,just over the brow of the ill on a blind bend!) had a chat to him tried to cajole him along,blocked the traffic,then he started sweating profusely and i mean profusely,interestingly it started round his eyes and muzzle,running dripping,anyway had to push pull and force him cos of the cars....we got off the road into the quarry and it was as if his whole body exploded with sweat it was actually running down the floor as if he had urinated.....rang a friend to help,rang the vet who confirmed it would be azoturia and to get him in a box home,even though we were only 1/2 a mile or less from home it was going dark and across a main busy road ,through a river and through woods , so no ways we could have got him back.....so friend came with her box,he went in very sad and sorry,i stood in the back with him all the way back cos he just looked so out of it,he really frightened me..vet was there waiting for us (with her torch!i had warned her we had no electricity!) she gave him an anti-inflamitory injection,took bloods,and bute,rest in for a couple of days,cut down on feed (sugar beet) and she is going to ring me in the week to give me the results and discuss feed management etc....he settled down instantly and happily tucked into his hay.....lizzie had ridden back on her own in the dark when the box came and had got his bed ready for him.....im so glad im surrounded by such wonderfull helpfull kind friends,its so good to know youve got help and support around you when you need it.....

now....who else has had this? ive read and read all night long now on the internet,had the vets advise,but why does it happen so randomly?

feed - he has half a scoop of high fibre cubes,half a scoop of chaff,half a scoop of sugar beet.....lives out,has hay in the field,is only ridden 1-2 times a week cos of winter,ridden gently by old fart me!.....he has been on the same feed in winter for 3 years,and nothing has changed at all......so why?.......he has been a much livelier pony,much fitter pony in the past but this past 6 months or more he really hasnt done much at all,and has quietened down a lot, so its not as if he has just gone from being fit to unfit overnight......im going round in circles looking for an explaination....its so bizzarre


also now my paranoia will soar!......is he lame,am i too heavy,is there a hellicopter going to land on us.....does he have azoturia??? !!!!!!....

[harveydales]

Oh Rachel! What a horrible, frightening experience for you and Marley! Thank goodness you had sensible friends with you and a marvelous vet.

You sound just like me - scouring the internet for any bits of information and as for the paranoia, yes that's me too! I have no personal experience of azotoria (but will start worrying about it now) however, I do seem to remember a couple of DF members going through this so hopefully they will see this thread and give you advice and reassurance.

How are you and Marley this morning? Fingers crossed this is just a one off and he is completely back to normal now.

Try not to worry, you are doing all you can.

[dalesponyrider]

I'm sorry, I don't know a thing about azotoria so can't help you but just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear of your troubles with it. How frightening! Thank God you had sensible friends round you and a good vet on standby. Hope it never happens again!

[taffydales]

Thats awfull, I,m not much help I,m afraid as far as azotoria is concerned, but hope you are all ok this morning.

[Debbie]

How scary!!! Thank goodness you've got such fantastic friends to help you out. Lizzie riding Merlin back home alone says something of their bond that she can leave you in an emergency with him.

The only thing I know about azotoria is Quarter Horse related, and that's only through reading...no firsthand experience. And with the Quarter Horses, its genetics mostly so again, positively no help for answers for you.

I'm sure your vet will help you tackle the most sensible route for maintaining him.

[mrsp]

Azoturia
Azoturia, or Equine Rhabdomyelosis, is a condition that affects the muscles of horses, ranging from stiffness and mild cramps to the horse becoming unable to stand with discoloured urine. Terminology for the disease is variable and includes Monday Morning Disease, Tying-Up, Azoturia, Paralytic Myoglobinuria, Myositis and Setfast. It is unlikely that a single process can explain all the clinical types, but the term rhabdomyelosis is often though to be the more accurate description and it is this term that shall be used for this discussion.

Equine Rhabdomyelosis can affect any horse of any age but is much more common in fillies and mares than geldings and stallions. Young animals tend to have one or two episodes and then no further problems, which can lead to unfounded claims of successful treatment. It can affect just one individual in a group which are all under the same management regime and severity and frequency are highly variable.

What Causes It?
The basic mechanism of the disease is poorly understood and it is likely that the predisposing and triggering factor(s) are slightly different for each animal. Possible predisposing factors include:

Carbohydrate Overloading -The classical presentation is the draught horse in work that is rested or the weekend on full feed, then when the horse returns to work several days later it suffers an attack of the disease. It is thought that muscle glycogen accumulates during the rest period and when used during exercise it produces excessive lactic acid. This causes local tissue damage and constriction of the blood vessels, resulting in decreased blood flow to the tissues and further reduction in lactic acid removal.
Local Hypoxia - Certain types of muscle fibres are larger, have greater glycogen stores and fewer surrounding blood vessels than others. Local hypoxia (lack of oxygen supplied by the blood) may increase the lactic acid production in these fibres. However equine rhabdomyelosis normally occurs at the start of exercise, when these fibres would not yet be working and the condition is not usually seen in horses with other conditions causing impaired circulation
Thiamine Deficiency - Thiamine (one of the B Group of Vitamins) acts in the metabolism of waste products from muscle activity. A deficiency, therefore, could lead to a build up of these waste products and hence, lactic acid.
Vitamin E and Selenium Deficiency - This theory is based on reports of success at preventing further episodes following supplementation. Clinical trials have failed to confirm this.
Hormonal Disturbances - Reproductive hormones, thyroid hormones and cortisol have all been implicated in equine rhabdomyelosis, but there is still considerable debate.
Electrolyte Imbalances - Studies from UK racing stables have indicated that chronic sodium and/or potassium deficiencies may be involved in chronic equine rhabdomyelosis. This is difficult to detect routinely so a special urine test is used to assess levels.
Viral Causes - Muscle involvement following viral disease (e.g. influenza) has been investigated but the associated muscle pain (myalgia) is generally considered to be a separate and distinct disease process.
History and Clinical Signs
Signs vary widely depending on the extent of muscle damage.

Mild cases simply involve stiffness and shuffling hindlimb gait. There may be pain over the gluteal muscles (hindquarters). This form is more common in horses receiving only small amounts of exercise.
Some cases are a result of stressful triggering factors. This is common in younger horses and will often have a behavioural component.
In some very mild cases, poor performance is the only manifestation of the disease.
Severe cases may include signs of severe pain with sweating, increased pulse rate, increased respiration rate and reluctance to move. There may be hard and painful locomotor muscles, red urine (due to the presence of muscle breakdown products) and even recumbency. This often transpires in horses during endurance training where significant fluid and electrolyte alterations occur.
Diagnostic Tests
Diagnosis is sometimes based on clinical signs alone but with mild cases it is important to carry out further tests. These may include:

Serum Muscle Enzymes - the blood can be tested to look for abnormal values of these substances, which are produced when muscle has been damaged.
Urinary Electrolyte Testing - Can be used to detect electrolyte abnormalities, which can predispose to the disease and it can also be used to monitor management and treatment.
Urinary Testing - like the blood, the urine can be tested for products associated with the breakdown of muscle tissue.
Muscle biopsy - this involves a small sample of muscle which is removed under local anaesthesia and sedation and examined under the microscope for abnormalities.
Treatment
The aims of treatment are to limit further muscle damage, to reduce pain and anxiety, to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance, and to prevent kidney failure. Of all the treatment options, few have been examined critically for their effectiveness but the following are a broad outline of the treatments vets can use.

MILD CASES

Thiamine, vitamin E and selenium have been used widely in practice, and some evidence suggests they are useful in improving recovery.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as flunixin and phenylbutazone may be used to control the pain
Some drugs, such as Acepromazine (ACP) can be used to increase blood flow and alleviate muscle spasm.
3-4 days box rest is indicated, followed by a gradual return to exercise.
Walking mildly affected horses is sometimes effective, and most will recover without further treatment.
Lowering the training intensity and decreasing the grain in the diet is also very useful.
SEVERE CASES

Fluid therapy is vital to relieve shock and to prevent renal failure. This can be oral, but in very severe cases, will be used intravenously.
Steroids may be used during initial acute stages
NSAIDs may once again be indicated to relieve pain.
If there is severe pain, other, stronger painkillers may be used.
CHRONIC INTERMITTENT CASES

Substances which alter the metabolism of minerals in the blood may be used.
If urine electrolyte tests indicate very low values of Sodium or Potassium, supplementation may be required.
Prevention
Since equine rhabdomyelosis is usually associated with periods of exercise followed by rest and then exercise again, it is sensible to investigate the horse’s management. The first stage of any preventative regime is to ensure a well-balanced and controlled exercise and feeding programme. A balanced diet should be fed according to the workload, and during periods of inactivity feed intake should be reduced. Regular exercise appears to be of benefit, prolonged turnout to grass can also be of value and some benefit is gained from being ridden whilst out at grass. Anecdotally, a blanket over the lumbar area in cold weather has been recommended.

Preventative agents have been suggested and are broadly based on whatever is thought to be the underlying cause of the problem. Some are based on a few clinical successes. However, few effective clinical trials have been carried out. These include sodium bicarbonate, vitamin E and selenium, Dantrolene, thyroxine, thiamine, acepromazine, phenytoin, diazepam and electrolytes.



For more information on azoturia, you should speak to your own veterinary surgeon.


Found this on the internet it may help.
Good luck and hope you are ALL feeling better!!

[greydales]

Sorry to hear about Marley, what a fright it must have given you. I've not had personal experience of azoturia but do know in many cases it can be caused by giving the horse/pony full feed when it is in light or no work, although as stated in the previous post there are other causes.

I do hope he is better now

[leannwithconnie]

My heart has been in my mouth reading this thread! So glad you were able to get him home safely thansk toyour good friends.
Really hope there is some improvement today and that he makes a good recovery.

[nars]

Rachel,
I'm so sorry to hear you had such a frightening experience. We had a horse on holiday that suffered from this and I know how distressing it can be.

Diet wise, the only thing they might suggest you cut out for now is the sugar beet (is it unmolassed?). Forgive my ingnorance, but is Marley a native, or hot blooded horse?

Soya oil can be effective for horses with azoturia, but needs careful introduction as oil in high does can help sufferes but it is difficult for a horse to utilise high doses without careful management.. Has Marley been racing around in the field more than usual? Has his work at weekends been fast after resting dring the week? Does he have access to salt in a lick or feed after he has worked?

I researched this quite a lot as we thought one of our quarter horses may have suffered from this (thankfully not). I suspect your vet may want to administer a general tonic such as virsorbin as well as bute.

PM me if you want to talk. Where in south yorkshire are you? I am near pensitone.

[jec248]

Hope Marley(and you!!) recovers very soon.

I have heard of Monday Morning disease, but thought this was what horses/ponies got when they did hard work eg hunting, on a Sunday after standing in a stable all week.

[rachelg]

phew...thankfully he is absolutely fine today,as if nothing at all had ever happened!...in fact he was really cross to be in when everyone else is out,and when my friend called in to see how he was on her (ahem) 16hh mare he was chucking himself about tossing his head saying "im a stallion baby look at me" ! he isnt by the way!but thinks he is as he was gelded very late!! so in the end we turned him out for the day with the others,hes back in tonight and i think he can come in again for a few nights see how we go.....

the article above i had actually read,but it still doesnt really explain why? and no where seems to say what are the concequences say if you couldnt get a vet or did have to force the animal to walk home?.....

i still dont really understand why?

nars....he is a dales,in very light work now,he used to be ridden by my daughter but she has got just too too big/long for him,so he did used to do a lot more jumping,showing,pony club and has been an extremely razzy kids type pony....but this last year hasnt done much at all as we have been trying to "calm" him down to being my pony! so literally over winter he has only been light hacking 1-2 per weeek not for long distances,in walk and an occasional trot...i am trying to build up my confidence on him,and he really has quitened down for me.....i have decided to cut out his sugar beet(mollassed),just leaving him with chaff and hifibre cubes which is nothing really,compared to what other people feed their horses in light work! and as i said before he has been having this every winter for 3 years......im well and truly stumped!

i am in south yorkshire too,sheffield! not far from you at all!

i would just like to hear from others who have experienced it and wether they had the same experiences and did it happen again?it might help me understand it.....anyway the vet is ringing later in the week so i can ask her again lots and see what she suggests.....

but phew that hes fine today!

[harveydales]

I'm glad he's OK again but what a scare for you. I hope you can get to the bottom of it soon. Hope your vet can shed some more light on it.

[leannwithconnie]

Thank goodness he now seems to be OK again

[mrsp]

It seems that this is one of those things that can been triggered off by almost anything...(eekk)

It is caused by increased latic acid...

Now that can be increased by (at least) the following;

1/Sudden rest(day stabled following heavey work )
2/ Ametabolic abnormality(could mean anything I'm afraid)
3/ Virus
4/ Stress
5/excitement
6/Hormones
7/dehydration

It can also be genetic particually in heavier horses and is also more common in nervous or highly strung horses and those having high feed are more at risk

Mares in heat are more at risk. and to make matters worse it may... or may not occur again.

I think this is the scientists way of syaing 'cause unknown'

Still not much help,but hopefully you will bet to the root of your particular scare and it will never happen again.

[bevbob]

Blimey, that sounded scary. Glad to hear he is ok now and I dont know anything about it either. Hope it doesnt happen again.