Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy/degenerative Myeloencephalopathy in Gypsy Vanner Horses

Overview

Journal J Vet Intern Med

Specialties General Medicine
Veterinary Medicine

Date 2024 Apr 13

PMID 38613444

Authors

Alexis Powers

Simon F Peek

Steve Reed

Callum G Donnelly

Stacey Tinkler

David Gasper

Kevin D Woolard

Carrie J Finno

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is a neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects young, genetically predisposed horses that are deficient in vitamin E. Equine NAD/EDM has not previously been documented in Gypsy Vanner horses (GVs).

Objectives: To evaluate: (1) the clinical phenotype, blood vitamin E concentrations before and after supplementation and pedigree in a cohort of GV horses with a high prevalence of neurologic disease suspicious for eNAD/EDM and (2) to confirm eNAD/EDM in GVs through postmortem evaluation.

Animals: Twenty-six GVs from 1 farm in California and 2 cases from the Midwestern U.S.

Methods: Prospective observational study on Californian horses; all 26 GVs underwent neurologic examination. Pre-supplementation blood vitamin E concentration was assessed in 17- GVs. Twenty-three were supplemented orally with 10 IU/kg of liquid RRR-alpha-tocopherol once daily for 28 days. Vitamin E concentration was measured in 23 GVs after supplementation, of which 15 (65%) had pre-supplementation measurements. Two clinically affected GVs from California and the 2 Midwestern cases had necropsy confirmation of eNAD/EDM.

Results: Pre-supplementation blood vitamin E concentration was ≤2.0 μg/mL in 16/17 (94%) of GVs from California. Post-supplementation concentration varied, with a median of 3.39 μg/mL (range, 1.23-13.87 μg/mL), but only 12/23 (52%) were normal (≥3.0 μg/mL). Normalization of vitamin E was significantly associated with increasing age (P = .02). Euthanized horses (n = 4) had eNAD/EDM confirmed at necropsy.

Conclusions And Clinical Importance: GVs could have a genetic predisposition to eNAD/EDM. Vitamin E supplementation should be considered and monitored in young GVs.

Citing Articles

Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy in Gypsy Vanner horses.

Powers A, Peek S, Reed S, Donnelly C, Tinkler S, Gasper D J Vet Intern Med. 2024; 38(3):1792-1798.

PMID: 38613444 PMC: 11099697. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17062.

References

Baumgartner W, Frese K, Elmadfa I . Neuroaxonal dystrophy associated with vitamin E deficiency in two Haflinger horses. J Comp Pathol. 1990; 103(1):114-9. View

Finno C, Famula T, Aleman M, Higgins R, Madigan J, Bannasch D . Pedigree analysis and exclusion of alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (TTPA) as a candidate gene for neuroaxonal dystrophy in the American Quarter Horse. J Vet Intern Med. 2012; 27(1):177-85. PMC: 4557866. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12015. View

Hales E, Habib H, Favro G, Katzman S, Sakai R, Marquardt S . Increased α-tocopherol metabolism in horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med. 2021; 35(5):2473-2485. PMC: 8478026. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16233. View

Powers A, Peek S, Reed S, Donnelly C, Tinkler S, Gasper D . Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy in Gypsy Vanner horses. J Vet Intern Med. 2024; 38(3):1792-1798. PMC: 11099697. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17062. View

Brown K, Bender S, Johnson A . Clinical and histopathological features in horses with neuroaxonal degeneration: 100 cases (2017-2021). J Vet Intern Med. 2023; 38(1):431-439. PMC: 10800219. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16969. View

Dill S, Kallfelz F, deLahunta A, Waldron C . Serum vitamin E and blood glutathione peroxidase values of horses with degenerative myeloencephalopathy. Am J Vet Res. 1989; 50(1):166-8. View

Finno C, Higgins R, Aleman M, Ofri R, Hollingsworth S, Bannasch D . Equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy in Lusitano horses. J Vet Intern Med. 2011; 25(6):1439-46. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00817.x. View

Aleman M, Finno C, Higgins R, Puschner B, Gericota B, Gohil K . Evaluation of epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features of neuroaxonal dystrophy in Quarter Horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011; 239(6):823-33. DOI: 10.2460/javma.239.6.823. View

Mayhew I, Brown C, STOWE H, TRAPP A, Derksen F, Clement S . Equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy: a vitamin E deficiency that may be familial. J Vet Intern Med. 1987; 1(1):45-50. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1987.tb01985.x. View

10.

Liu S, Dolensek E, Adams C, Tappe J . Myelopathy and vitamin E deficiency in six Mongolian wild horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1983; 183(11):1266-8. View

11.

Siso S, Ferrer I, Pumarola M . Abnormal synaptic protein expression in two Arabian horses with equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy. Vet J. 2003; 166(3):238-43. DOI: 10.1016/s1090-0233(02)00302-7. View

12.

Brown J, Valberg S, Hogg M, Finno C . Effects of feeding two RRR-α-tocopherol formulations on serum, cerebrospinal fluid and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations in horses with subclinical vitamin E deficiency. Equine Vet J. 2017; 49(6):753-758. PMC: 5640495. DOI: 10.1111/evj.12692. View

13.

Beech J, Haskins M . Genetic studies of neuraxonal dystrophy in the Morgan. Am J Vet Res. 1987; 48(1):109-13. View

14.

Finno C, Miller A, Siso S, Divers T, Gianino G, Barro M . Concurrent Equine Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy and Equine Motor Neuron Disease in Three Young Horses. J Vet Intern Med. 2016; 30(4):1344-50. PMC: 5089576. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.13977. View

15.

Hales E, Aleman M, Marquardt S, Katzman S, Woolard K, Miller A . Postmortem diagnoses of spinal ataxia in 316 horses in California. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2021; 258(12):1386-1393. PMC: 8262099. DOI: 10.2460/javma.258.12.1386. View

16.

Blythe L, Hultgren B, Craig A, Appell L, Lassen E, Mattson D . Clinical, viral, and genetic evaluation of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy in a family of Appaloosas. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1991; 198(6):1005-13. View

17.

Finno C, Valberg S, Shivers J, DAlmeida E, Armien A . Evidence of the Primary Afferent Tracts Undergoing Neurodegeneration in Horses With Equine Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy Based on Calretinin Immunohistochemical Localization. Vet Pathol. 2015; 53(1):77-86. PMC: 4831571. DOI: 10.1177/0300985815598787. View

18.

Montali R, Bush M, SAUER R, Gray C, Xanten Jr W . Spinal ataxia in zebras. Comparison with the wobbler syndrome of horses. Vet Pathol. 1974; 11(1):68-78. DOI: 10.1177/030098587401100108. View

19.

Adams A, Collatos C, Fuentealba C, Illanes O, Blanchard R . Neuroaxonal dystrophy in a two-year-old quarter horse filly. Can Vet J. 1996; 37(1):43-4. PMC: 1576593. DOI: 10.4141/cjas57-006. View

20.

Finno C, Estell K, Katzman S, Winfield L, Rendahl A, Textor J . Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid α-Tocopherol and Selenium Concentrations in Neonatal Foals with Neuroaxonal Dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med. 2015; 29(6):1667-75. PMC: 4831564. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.13618. View