Recovering From EPM

My horse was diagnosed about six months ago with EPM. Can I help him gain his strength back in his hind legs?
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Q. My horse was diagnosed about six months ago with EPM (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis). He is a 5-year-old gelding. This affected his hindquarters, and he is still stiff and sometimes wobbly. Is there anything I can do to help him gain his strength back?

Sharon Todd, Georgia


A. EPM is caused by a parasite that infects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) of the horse. Clinical signs associated with EPM can be quite variable, depending on exactly where in the brain or spinal cord the parasite is living.

There are at least three possible reasons why your horse might be stiff and wobbly. A stiff, wobbly gait is common in horses with EPM; however, it is also common with many other diseases. One possibility is that your horse’s problems are not the result of EPM. Was the diagnosis made only on the basis of clinical signs, or did you have a blood or spinal fluid test? Even the blood and spinal fluid Western blot tests can result in "false positives," meaning that even though the test is positive, EPM is not the cause of the horse’s problem

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