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  Discussion on Epilepsy inherited?
Author Message
New Member:
Canyon28

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 - 6:13 pm:

hi, I am new to this board, but have about 30 horses, all aqha. Two breeding stallions of old bloodlines, and mainly older mares with similar lines.
anyway, I have a very well bred filly, now three years old, she is daughter of a cutting horse with earnings, etc. She had a grand mal seizure last fall while stabled at my trainers. He said she fell to the ground, got very stiff, thrashed around alot, and sweated profusely. the next day she was very sore in the muscles. He had her stalled under tube lighting, which was only a foot or so above her head. After that, she seemed to forget most of her training, he started her again, and she learned more quickly than an unridden colt, but still had forgotten. She had another light seizure while still stabled there, but did not fall, it was if she fell asleep and fell against the side of the stall wall, which then woke her up. My vet did all kinds of testing, including hypp testing, all came back negative, so when I read the article above that helped me quite a bit to understand why the tests were negative. I brought her home for a few months after these two episodes and she never had another seizure here, and I can see most of my horses at all times from my home office.
So then , I put her back in training this spring, in Feb again and all was fine until a couple of weeks ago, when she again had a grand mal seizure. this time my trainer had her penned outside, not under any lights at all. I have her home now and she has been fine for two weeks. I am wondering if this might have been a chemical problem with something on his hay, which they cut and bale from their own fields, or a plant in the hay. I bought this mare as a yearling and she had never had a seizure before going to my trainers. She does have an old scar across the bridge of her nose, about 2 inches below her eyes, which was there when she arrived, I dont know if a blow to the head in this area might have caused her problems. I am almost ready to have her head xrayed if one of the local vets can do it. I also read somewhere that seizures are more common in horses in the fall months. Is this due to diminishing daylight or toxic plants that seem to get worse that time of year? I get my hay from another source, and there are never any weeds in it. Also is there a diet that might help keep her from having seizures? I dont think what she has is tying up synDrOme, but I have a vitamin and mineral block in front of her now all the time.
Member:
Canyon28

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 - 6:37 pm:

Is epilepsy inherited in horses? I was also thinking after reading the posts about the mares having seizures, what if I bred my filly and she didnt have any more seizures due to changes in hormones during pregnancy? Is this possible.? thank you
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2003 - 3:14 am:

While the time of year, amount of lighting, or the onset of estrus may be associated with epileptic seizures in some horses these are not constant findings or even common. Such associations must be made with careful a carefully recorded history. Without a known cause it is not known whether dietary adjustments would be helpful but I do not know of any epileptic seizures in horses that have been associated with a particular food type.

In humans there are some familial epileptics but this does not seem to be a presentation that we have seen in horses. I would not recommend breeding such a horse however as a seizure at the wrong time might damage the fetus or nursing foal.
DrO
Member:
Cara2

Posted on Monday, Aug 18, 2003 - 8:42 am:

Hi Christine,

Sorry to hear about your young mare. It was quite a coincidence that I should read your message when I got to work this morning as my mare gave me a clear warning as she started her breakfast that I need to raise her medication again. I was lucky, by startling her I was able to break the cycle of the seizure and it came to nothing. Cross your fingers for me that I have taken enough action in time! I think Dr O is right, keep a diary and look for patterns. Perhaps try some regumate rather than the drastic "cure" of pregnancy?! Check out carefully the possibility of exposure to chemicals too. Fly repellant, chewed woodwork, anything.
Dr O this may interest you (and continues to reinforce my theory of a hormonal link) - I had calculated that Cara's risk day was Saturday morning so here we were 2 days late. BUT I checked in my diary at work and had noted that her seasons were a couple of days delayed a few months ago (she isn't showing any really obvious outward signs of having seasons right now apart from an itchy tail at the start of oestrus)Counting forward that made the new risk day - yes today!
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