Recent News for Genetic Problems
Article
2007 Morris Animal Foundation Equine Research Wrap-Up
December 14, 2007
The results of equine research funded by the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) in 2007 added to scientists' understanding of foal pneumonia, hereditary muscle disorders, laminitis, and pharmacology. <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5... Read More
Article
Researchers Pinpoint Link Between Appaloosa Coloring and Night Blindness
November 21, 2007
Congenital stationary night blindness causes vision deficits in Appaloosas with certain coat patterns.... Read More
Article
New Research on PSSM Prevalence, Heritability in Progress
October 04, 2007
Researchers with the University of Minnesota have identified polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in 6-12% of overtly healthy Quarter Horses on six farms involved in a new study. They also said the disease could be more common within certain... Read More
Article
Morris Animal Foundation Funding 11 Equine Studies in 2008
September 25, 2007
In 2008, the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) will fund about 120 animal health studies, including 11 new and continuing studies for horses. Equine enthusiasts are invited to sponsor or co-sponsor one of these studies with a total gift of $3,000 o... Read More
Article
Managing Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis
August 08, 2007
At the 2006 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, Dr. Sharon Spier spoke about HYPP.... Read More
Article
Glycogen-Branching Enzyme Deficiency (AAEP 2006)
July 16, 2007
Glycogen-branching enzyme deficiency, a genetic mutation affecting a particular glycogen-storage enzyme, is traced back to Quarter Horse sire King or his sire, Zantanon. Up to 8% of Quarter Horses and Paint horses carry the GBED defect. ... Read More
Article
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy
July 09, 2007
Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, professor of large animal medicine and director of the University of Minnesota's Equine Center discussed PSSM at the AAEP Convention 2006. The disorder causes muscle pain, stiffness, and cramping, and some horses... Read More
Article
Diagnostic Approach To Equine Muscle Disorders
July 07, 2007
Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, professor of large animal medicine and director of the University of Minnesota's Equine Center, began the in-depth seminar on muscle disorders by discussing diagnosis of muscle disorders, beginning with a careful... Read More
Article
Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis: 14 Years Later
July 04, 2007
Sharon Spier, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, PhD, associate professor at the University of California, Davis, has pioneered much of the research on HYPP. She presented updated information gleaned over the past 14 years on this disease at the 2006 AAEP... Read More
Article
Incidence and Management of Exertional Rhabdomyolysis
July 03, 2007
Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, professor of large animal medicine and director of the University of Minnesota's Equine Center, tackled the broad subject of skeletal muscle disease related to exercise at the 2006 AAEP Convention. This has... Read More
Article
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Discussion Planned at SmartPak Store
June 14, 2007
Most horse owners are familiar with the term "tying up," which describes the pain and cramping of a horse's muscles with exercise. Veterinarians refer to this condition as exertional rhabdomyolysis, and now recognize a specific type known as... Read More
Article
HERDA: DNA Tests Available for Disfiguring Skin Disease
May 28, 2007
Scientific research has scored another significant victory in the equine world. Two DNA tests are now available to detect carrier status for hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA), also known as hyperelastosis cutis (HC). Today... Read More
Article
Finding and Testing Low-Sugar Forage
May 14, 2007
Did the brown, stemmy, overmature hay you thought was perfect for your easy keepers make them even fatter? ... Read More
Article
Muscle Disorders (AAEP 2006)
March 01, 2007
Careful inspection of a horse's muscle mass and symmetry and hands-on palpation educates the examiner about the horse's muscle tone and comfort level. The examiner also evaluates the horse in motion and conducts a full lameness exam.... Read More
Article
Neonatal Nuances
February 01, 2007
The first days of a foal's life can be risky; there are a number of things that can go wrong. Some problems can be dealt with easily (such as constipation), while others are life-threatening (such as a ruptured bladder). In this article, Bonni... Read More
Article
Prevalence of PSSM in Quarter Horses
September 14, 2006
Up to 6% of apparently healthy Quarter Horses could have subclinical polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM).... Read More
Article
Feeding to Prevent and Control Disease
August 01, 2006
Dietary management can work like magic for specific equine diseases.... Read More
Article
More Than Skin Deep?
April 01, 2006
It was two years ago--in April of 2004--that this magazine published the announcement that the Poco Bueno Quarter Horse sire line had been identified as carrying the recessive gene that causes hyperelastosis cutis (HC, also known as hereditary... Read More
Article
Understanding Congenital Stationary Night Blindness
March 27, 2006
Canadian researchers are investigating the cause of a condition found primarily in Appaloosas that prevents them from seeing in the dark. Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) is a hereditary, non-progressive condition for which there is... Read More
Article
Inheritance of RER in Thoroughbreds: One Affected Parent Required
January 01, 2006
Recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER, tying-up) causes affected Thoroughbreds to suffer recurring episodes of muscle cramping, stiffness, excessive sweating, and a reluctance to move after exercise. With no cure available, information on how... Read More
Article
Inheritance of RER in Thoroughbreds
November 21, 2005
Recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) causes affected Thoroughbreds to suffer recurring episodes of muscle cramping, stiffness, excessive sweating, and a reluctance to move after exercise. With no cure available, information on how RER might... Read More
Article
Equine Genetic Disease: Who's At Risk?
October 01, 2005
Many DNA sequence variations are fine; they just give rise to the broad spectrum of colors, sizes, and other characteristics we see in the horse population. Some variations, however, cause problems. These might range from a genetic predisposition... Read More
Article
GBED Linked to Quarter Horse Bloodlines
March 29, 2005
Glycogen-branching enzyme disorder (GBED) has likely been a cause of neonatal mortality in Quarter Horses for decades, according to Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, who gave an update on her research on the disorder at the recent conference of the... Read More
Article
AAEP Convention 2004 Wrap-Up: Medicine/Treatments
March 03, 2005
Equine Malignant Hyperthermia We've all heard of people and animals that are "sensitive" to anesthesia. Monica Aleman, MVZ, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, head of the neuromuscular disease lab at the University of California, Davis, reported on a... Read More
Article
Newborn Foals: Routine and Emergency Care
February 14, 2005
The best chance to improve the survival rate of a newborn foal, she said, is adequate advance disease prevention and planning. The disease prevention includes a comprehensive vaccination program, Zimmel told her listeners.... Read More
