Nutrition of Horses with Muscle Disorders: New Article Published

Joe Pagan, Ph.D., and Stephanie Valberg, D.V.M., Ph.D., have co-authored an article titled “The Role of Nutrition in Managing Muscle Disorders,” which will be published in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice later this year.

The article features nutritional guidelines for horses with chronic muscle disorders, especially those associated with exercise, including polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM1 and PSSM2), recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER), and myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) in Arabians and Warmbloods. These guidelines provide a jumping-off point for horse owners and veterinarians dealing with horses diagnosed with myopathies.

Valberg is an expert in equine neuromuscular physiology and disease. Throughout her time at the University of Minnesota and Michigan State University, she furthered understanding of neuromuscular pathophysiology using new investigative techniques. In a career spanning 30 years, she published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles. During that time, Valberg and Pagan, founder and president of Kentucky Equine Research, have worked on many research projects, several of which culminated in the formulation of commercial feeds and products specifically designed to help horses with muscle disorders, such as Re-Leve, the first commercial low-starch, high-fat feed, and MFM Pellet.

Valberg directs the Valberg Neuromuscular Disease Laboratory (ValbergNMDL.com), which processes specialized muscle biopsies for veterinarians. The website provides instructions on how to submit biopsies for analysis.

According to its website, “Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice presents those in the veterinary medicine field with the most current treatment of horses, updates on the latest advances, and provides a sound basis for choosing treatment options. Published three times a year—in April, August, and December—each issue features expert, state-of-the-art reviews on a single topic in equine practice, including gastroenterology, imaging, infectious diseases, nutrition, orthopedics, pathology, pharmacology and therapeutics, and surgery.”