Recommended Diagnostic Workup for Myopathies
Clinical Signs
Possible signs of a muscle disorder:
- Muscle stiffness, cramping, pain
- Muscle fasciculations (twitching)
- Exercise intolerance
- Stiff stride, reluctance to collect, difficulty holding a canter
- Muscle atrophy
- Focal
- Generalized
Signs of acute rhabdomyolysis (tying-up)
- Pain, sweating
- High heart and respiratory rates
- Firm muscles, stiffness, lameness
- Discolored brown urine (myoglobinuria)
- Recumbency, thrashing
- Weakness
- In endurance horses, may only have high heart rate and poor recovery
Recommended Diagnostic Workup
Physical Examination
Serum Chemistry
Exercise Challenge Test
Genetic Testing
Muscle Biopsy