Tying Up and Inherited Muscle Disorders

Tying up is a broad term that describes a wide range of muscle disorders in horses and one of the most frustrating of all problems affecting equine athletes. Ranging from stiffness after exercise to intense pain and an inability to stand and bear weight, what was once thought of as a single condition is now known to comprise a number of specific disorders, some of which are inherited.

In this article, Equine Dental Veterinarian Dr Rachel O'Higgins, will focus on three common genetic causes of muscle problems, including recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and polysaccharide storage myopathy.