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Muscle Tie-Up Syndrome
Muscle tie-up syndrome involves chronic tension in the muscles owing to overwork. The active muscles keep on producing lactate as the part of their usual metabolism. It is quite much of lactate causing lactic acidosis. It is the lowering of pH level in the muscles and in the horse body generally.
The tying up of muscle makes an impact on the efficiency of metabolism and gives increase to tiredness. The extra lactate forbids the muscles from getting calm properly due to contraction. What happens as a result is that the large muscle groups become prone to seize up and remaining in the state of contraction. In the case of mild tying up, the muscles of the horse become extremely stiff and sore. If the horse is affected with full blown tying up, it may not be able to move.
Affected areas
The areas that become typically affected due to the tying up of muscles are:
- Horse's neck
- Back
- Shoulders
- Zones of previous trauma
- Skeletal
- Circulatory and respiratory systems
- Areas where other muscles have tried to compensate for the affected area
Symptoms of Muscle tie-up syndrome
The below mentioned are the symptoms that may tell you that horse's muscles are tying up:
- Visible discomfort
- Irritability
- Exuberant sweating
- Abnormal short strides
- Muscle stiffness
- Muscle contraction
- Difficulty to move
- Increased pulse
- Labored breathing
- Brown colored urine
- No sleep
Treatments for muscle tie-up syndrome
- Make the tied up horse have enough rest. You should let him rest restfully in a dry and warm area. This is the best method to treat the problem.
- Make the horse remain on his feet and give it pure water to drink that will help to flush out waste from the kidneys.
- If the stiffness has gone the next day, make the horse have enough but not intense exercise. Walking slow will help to loosen up the muscles of the horse.
- Diet measures may help to solve the recurrent exerting rhabomyolysis problem. Offer it best quality hay and low carbohydrate to have the right level of energy. Also, provide a high level of fat in grain supplement.
Prevention of muscle tie-up syndrome
- Muscle tie-up syndrome is more usual in the case of young Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. They may become high strung or unfit.
- The horses that are fit, well-bred and well-trained are more able to face the high amounts of lactate in their body.
- The horses should be made warm and cooled down with a minimum of 15 minutes for walking.
- Use potassium salt and baking soda as supplementation in the feed.
- Keep the dietary energy and protein levels not too high.
- Be aware of predisposing the factors such as estrus in mare or lameness.