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Post by fancyhorse on Sept 1, 2011 15:59:39 GMT -5
After drawling blood once a week for months on end (which I became really really good at doing myself), Big was diagnosed with Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/hypp.php, even though he is all Thoroughbred. I guess it is rare in other breeds non associated with Impressive, but can happen. The disease is an imbalance of genetic cells which keeps his body from flushing out fluids, which in turn increases his potassium levels in his body, which leads to muscle tying up, tremors, and if severe enough cardiac arrest. Big's levels were off the charts! For the rest of his life he will be on a low or no potassium diet, including oats and oat hay, no sugars, minerals, or electrolytes of any kind! Since a strict diet was not enough, he also has to be on the medication, Acetazolamide (5 pills a day), which is a diuretic for the rest of his life. Well, at least I got his system all normal and luckily I love the guy pieces that I really don't mind. Only took me a year, 3 vets, and countless 'treatments' to figure it all out. |
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Post by elizabethann on Sept 1, 2011 18:04:14 GMT -5
Wow. That is not the best news, but what a relief to finally know what is going on! I honestly don't know much about HYPP, I had a quarter horse once and all I knew was that she was negative, and I kind of left it at that.
But....being a cardiac nurse, I am quite aware of the importance of potassium balance. Before nursing school I never gave the electrolyte too much thought, but having hyper or hypokalemia is very dangerous and can often be fatal if left untreated. I know acetazolamide (aka Diamox for people) comes in generic form. I'm not sure of the dosing for horses, but hopefully you are getting it relatively inexpensive.
Good for you for sticking with it and finding out what was going on with the poor guy! Does he have any offspring? Do you know if his sire has/had this? Or dam? Does the vet chalk it up to a random mutation of a specific gene and this is an isolated case?
So glad you got answers, good luck with everything!
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Post by coyote on Sept 1, 2011 21:13:14 GMT -5
Are they sure about that diagnosis? Did they do the HYPP test? Was it N/H?
Do you mind telling me Big's pedigree?
I'm really sorry for the diagnosis, but at least you have found out what is going on and can take preventative measures.
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Post by BoyleHeightsKid on Sept 2, 2011 7:11:53 GMT -5
Wow...I'm so sorry to hear about this fancy. I'm sure it's nice to know what you're dealing with now...but wow! What a shocker! I'm also curious to know what his breeding is. I know Impressive had ALOT of TB in his background. I wonder if Big's background is similar to his? eta: Impressive's pedigree www.allbreedpedigree.com/impressive6 |
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Post by ZenRider on Sept 6, 2011 22:14:30 GMT -5
Have to say I'm curious too. Does he have HYPP or something similar? As far as I know, HYPP H/H especially can't be controlled reliably by diet or meds. Unless I missed something recently, which is always possible.  |
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Post by fancyhorse on Sept 9, 2011 17:40:49 GMT -5
Here is his pedigree: www.pedigreequery.com/every+last+detailThe only thing I see the same is Man O War, which is waaaaaay back. We contacted UC Davis so I could do the hair sample and they actually turned me off to it stating they only trace it if he has the DNA of Impressive, so they told me not to. My vet just came to the conculsion after all the sympthoms and the treatment that worked for him thats what he has. Well, reguardless, he has to be on the meds and the diet in order to keep him balanced. Its around $100 a month, but hes worth it! |
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Post by ZenRider on Sept 12, 2011 10:32:48 GMT -5
Odd, you would think they would be interested in case he actually has HYPP and is not related to Impressive. www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/hypp.phpQuotes from the article: "To date, confirmed cases of HYPP have been restricted to descendants of this horse." "We presently do not know whether different genetic mutations in other bloodlines also cause HYPP, and the DNA test will not identify other such mutations. Further scientific research is required as to other bloodlines." Of course in reading this apparently they can be helped with diet and exercise, results varying with the severity of the case. In any case, here's hoping the new diet and exercise program does the trick. |
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Post by coyote on Sept 12, 2011 11:12:40 GMT -5
Yes, that is interesting about UC Davis. I think there is controversy around whether non-Impressive bred horses actually get HYPP and this probably doesn't help to resolve the issue.
I did read, though, that the only thing that the genetic test can find is the HYPP the comes down through Impressive, so UC Davis' answer to you is consistent with what I read online. (Of course, the online statement probably came from UC Davis, too.)
Thanks for the additional information. Interesting on the pedigree. I hope Big does well on the diet. Perhaps in the future, diet will be sufficient to control it.
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