Recent News for Genetic Problems
Article
Ocular Disease in Horses with HERDA: Study
August 10, 2010
In an eye-opening event, Mississippi State University researchers discovered that Quarter Horses diagnosed with the disease called hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) not only have skin defects but also important eye abnormalitie... Read More
Article
Back by Popular Demand: Understanding Foal Care Webinar June 22
June 21, 2010
Spring is a beautiful time of growth, greenery, and grogginess for those of us with newborn foals to tend! Are you doing everything you can to ensure your foal stays healthy? Find out in Take 2 of our popular Understanding Foal Care Webinar!... Read More
Article
Potential Biomarker for Tying-up Found
June 01, 2010
In an equine study using "proteomic" technology that systematically analyzed the proteins in skeletal muscle biopsies, a research team from The Netherlands identified a form of the protein creatine kinase that could be a marker for ac... Read More
Article
Twelve New Equine Fact Sheets Available From TheHorse.com
May 12, 2010
This week TheHorse.com has launched 12 free, handy Fact Sheets on topics of interest to hands-on horse owners. These are invaluable additions to the more than 30 widely acclaimed Fact Sheets that TheHorse.com launched in 2009...... Read More
Article
Nutrition Can Help Manage Tying-Up in Sport Horses
May 10, 2010
Thanks to advances in identifying specific causes of tying-up, development of diagnostic tests, and improved recognition of the impact of diet and exercise on horses that tie up, affected horses can be successfully managed. Stephanie Valberg, D... Read More
Article
Fatty Acid Triheptanoin Comes Up Short for Horses with PSSM
April 03, 2010
Triheptanoin does not appear to be a good fat supplement for polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) horses.... Read More
Article
HERDA: Skin Characteristics
March 08, 2010
Horses with the hereditary skin disease known as hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) or hyperelastosis cutis (HC) have been recognized since the 1970s, but only recently have researchers defined just how much weaker their skin is... Read More
Article
Neonatal Isoerythrolysis: Foal Jaundice
January 06, 2010
Neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) is caused by an incompatibility of blood types between a mare and her foal. If a foal inherits from its sire a red cell factor (antigen) that the mare lacks, the mare may develop antibodies to that antigen. There i... Read More
Article
Emerging Neurologic Syndromes Discussed at World Equine Vet Meeting
November 27, 2009
"The more we look for neurologic signs, the more we discover new syndromes," said I.G. Joe Mayhew, BVSc, FRCVS, PhD, Dipl ACVIM, ECVN, head of Equine Massey and professor of Equine Studies at Massey University in New Zealand, at the... Read More
Article
Genetic Diseases in Horses Reviewed for World Equine Vets
October 31, 2009
While genetic diseases exist in a number of horse breeds, many researchers have focused expressly on issues occurring in the Quarter Horse breed. Thanks to their efforts, genetic tests for several disorders specific to this breed are now... Read More
Article
Coat Color Studies Aid Health Research, Breeding Choices
September 21, 2009
Certain horse coat colors or patterns are associated with health or medical problems.... Read More
Article
Common Variable Immunodeficiency in Horses, ACVIM 2009
August 27, 2009
Common variable immunodeficiency is a rare, but serious disease in adult horses that often leads to hospitalization, said Maria Julia Bevilaqua Felippe Flaminio, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, who presented research on the topic at the American... Read More
Article
Equine Veterinary Group Releases Statement on Genetic Defects in Horses
August 04, 2009
This is the 2009 Statement on Genetic Defects released by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. It was approved in July 2009. Congenital Defects Congenital defects include all... Read More
Article
PSSM Genetic Mutation Reported in Some UK Horse Breeds
June 18, 2009
Collaborative efforts between researchers on both sides of the Atlantic have identified that a genetic mutation in enzyme glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) is an important cause of polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM, a form of... Read More
Article
Effects of Hay Carbs on PSSM Horses Examined
June 08, 2009
The study group's objectives were to determine if there is a difference in blood glucose and insulin response to feeding hay types with varying water soluble sugar and starch (NSC) content between horses with PSSM and control horses.... Read More
Article
UK Incidence of Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Reported
May 21, 2009
Not only is polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) a common and important muscular disorder in various horse breeds in the United States, but according to a recent research report, it is also a common diagnosis in horses in the Unite... Read More
Article
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM): A Genetic Diagnosis, AAEP 2008
March 13, 2009
Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) is a metabolic muscle problem found in at least 20 breeds, including Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas, and drafts. An affected horse suffers bouts of exertional rhabdomyolysis (tying-up), muscle tremors... Read More
Article
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM): Search for Underlying Causes Continues
October 06, 2008
Despite having recently identified a genetic defect that results in polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in many horses, the underlying cause of PSSM remains to be determined in others.... Read More
Article
Genetic Mutation for Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Widespread
September 20, 2008
Veterinary researchers from the University of Minnesotahave identified a gene potentially responsible for polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in Quarter Horses and, in doing so, they uncovered a number of research leads to pursue. In a... Read More
Article
Shedding Light on Night Blindness in Appaloosas
August 31, 2008
Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) in Appaloosas has been linked to the leopard complex spotting in these horses. But how are these two apparently independent genetic... Read More
Article
A Better Way?
July 01, 2008
Breeders willing to risk disease or injury for the traits they desire are at the heart of the problems we face today. We've had bad news following bad news lately with the loss of some of the top horses in equestrian... Read More
Article
Diagnosing Muscle Soreness
June 01, 2008
Q: Last year my 18-year-old Quarter Horse mare became very sensitive to touch on her back and hindquarters. It progressed to a slight hind limb lameness. She would stand with her back feet close together until eventually she would... Read More
Article
Muscle Disorders in Warmbloods Easily Diagnosed through Biopsy
April 16, 2008
Owners of Warmbloods with debilitating--or sometimes just plain baffling--muscle disorders can get useful and reliable answers about their horses' conditions through a relatively simple muscle biopsy. So say University of Minnesota researchers,... Read More
Article
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy: Blame It on the Genes
April 11, 2008
A genetic mutation in an enzyme called muscle glycogen synthase might be responsible for polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM)--a debilitating and life-threatening disease in horses characterized by abnormally high glycogen (the storage form of... Read More
Article
Service Pony Recovers from Health Crisis
April 10, 2008
Thanks to the skill and kindness of several Texas veterinarians, a blind woman's assistive guide pony is recuperating from serious illness. Trixie is a nearly 14-year-old Pony of the Americas mare, and she has been Tabitha Darling's service... Read More
