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Atypical Myopathy: Vets urged to remain vigilant
Horse
Clinical signs of AM include laboured breathing, stiffness, dark red-brown urine, colic-like symptoms, recumbency or even sudden death.
Disease tends to occur more frequently in spring following autumn surge

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) are urging vets to remain vigilant about Atypical Myopathy this spring, following the dramatic rise in cases last autumn.

Atypical Myopathy (AM) is a frequently fatal muscle disease that has become more prevalent in Great Britain in recent years. Indeed, last Autumn there were more that five times as many cases of AM than in the previous year, and experts have warned that the disease tends to occur more frequently in the spring following an autumn surge - possibly because of the growth of seedlings.

Horses that develop the disease are usually kept predominately on sparse pastures near sycamore or box elder trees that shed seeds containing the toxin hypoglycin A.  Whilst these seeds may not be particularly appetising, horses on poor quality grazing may ingest large numbers of them.

Clinical signs of AM include laboured breathing, stiffness, dark red-brown urine, colic-like symptoms, recumbency or even sudden death. Often the disease will present itself as an outbreak. Diagnosis can be confirmed by a blood or urine test.

The BEVA have released preventative advice for horse owners which includes:

  • Check spring pasture carefully for seeds prior to turnout
     
  • Limit turnout if you are concerned about seed presence and ensure horses are well-fed prior to turnout
     
  • Provide supplementary feeding in the field to reduce the risk of horses being tempted to ingest seeds
     
  • Avoid leaving wet hay on the ground where it will rot
     
  • Fence off affected areas
     
  • Be aware that a field without sycamore trees can still contain seeds spread by high winds or flood water


Professor Celia Marr, a European specialist in equine internal medicine and editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: “New, collaborative research, instigated last year between the University of Liege, the Irish Equine Centre and the Animal Health Trust should shed more light on the characteristics of the disease in this country. Once we know more about the specific causes we should be able to make more positive progress with prevention strategies.”

Two articles on the disease have been provided by BEVA free of charge to vets to help the address the threat.  They can be accessed via the following links:

Management of cases suffering from atypical myopathy: Interpretations of descriptive, epidemiiological and pathophysiological findings. Part 1: First aid, cardiovascular, nutritional and digestive care.

Management of cases suffering from atypical myopathy: Interpretations of descriptive, epidemiiological and pathophysiological findings. Part 2: Muscular, urinary, respiratory and hepatic care, and inflammatory/infectious status.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.