Tying-Up in Horses: A Review

Tying-up, or exertional rhabdomyolysis, is a frustrating problem for horse owners, but can be managed through
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Halfway through your arena workout, your horse simply isn’t acting normal: He’s sweating and his muscles are shaking. He doesn’t want to move, and discomfort is evident in his posture and facial expressions. Many horse owners and their veterinarians are all too familiar with the signs of tying-up (also known as exertional rhabdomyolysis) in horses. Repeated episodes of this disorder, which affects horses of all shapes and sizes, can be a frustrating problem for owners and riders. Erica McKenzie, BVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor of large animal medicine at Oregon State University, gave an overview of tying-up during the 2011 Western Veterinary Conference, held Feb. 20-24 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Manifestations

Horses exhibit a variety of different forms of exertional rhabdomyolysis, and what signs they show often depend on breed type.

McKenzie explained that polysaccharide storage myopathy (commonly referred to as PSSM) is thought to be the "most common condition associated with chronic external rhabdomyolysis in horses." The disorder occurs in 36-50% of Belgian Draft horses, 30% of halter-bred Quarter Horses, and about 8% of Quarter Horse-related breeds (i.e., Paints and Appaloosas). The disorder also affects Warmbloods and other light-breed horses, McKenzie said

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Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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