Horse Health

Health Committee

Mission

To support and enhance the general health and longevity of the Friesian horse

Action Plan

The Health committee will be addressing the following issues along with others that arise:

• Dwarfism
• Hydrocephalus
• Aeorta Rupture
• Mega-oesophagus

The Heatlh committee would request that any member of FHANA who has a horse that has been tested positive for any of these diseases to please send DNA samples to the FHANA office.

4037 Iron Works Parkway, Suite 160

Lexington, KY 40511

These samples will be stored and held confidentially in store.  Once an appropriate amount of samples has been accumulated we will then have these samples tested.

This committee is in the initial stages of planning and development and appreciates any input the membership can offer regarding any of these health related issues.

PSSM Education

When is a horse a PSSM Suspect?

Symptoms of PSSM:

• “ Lazy”
• Reluctance to move
• Muscle stiffness
• Shifting lameness
• Muscle pain & cramping (hind quarters)
• Tense up in abdomen
• Muscle tremors (flank)
• Reluctant to move (stop)
• Camped out stance
• Sweating(excessive)
• Quick, shallow breathing
• Increased heart rate
• Discolored urine(brown)
• Recumbent (down)
• Kidney failure

If after a thorough veterinary examination, PSSM cannot be excluded, have a muscle biopsy performed (from hindquarter) by your veterinarian and have, he/ she submit the biopsy sample for diagnostic evaluation to:

Dr. Stephanie Valberg, DVM PhD, University of Minnesota, Minnesota
Or
  Dr. Beth Valentine, DVM, PhD, Oregon State University, Oregon

If the muscle biopsy is positive on PSSM collect hair sample:

• Minimum 30 hairs with roots
• Pull hair from the mane base(withers) or tail base( tail implant)
• Hair sample has to be dry ( wet hair = rot and fungus)

Send hair sample, a copy of registration papers, and a copy of positive PSSM biopsy results to:

Drs. Beth A. Valentine and Stephanie Valberg are fore-runners in the symptomatology, management, and research of PSSM affected horses.

They have helped many horse owners to manage their PSSM positive horses with low carbohydrate and high fat diets.

Drs. Beth A, Valentine & Stephanie Valberg are the pillars where your PSSM committee builds on to help the Friesian horse owners with affected Friesian horses and our Friesian horse breed as a whole.

Dr. Beth Valentine, DVM, PhD –www.ruralheritage.com
Dr Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD – www.cvm.umn.edu/umec/home.html

Information from the Health Committee:

The Utrech University is in the advanced stages with their research on the following issues: dwarfism, hydrocephalus, aorta rupture and mega-oesophagus headed by Prof. Dr. Willem Back.

The Health Committee has concluded that the best way we can contribute and help the Friesian population here in North America is to collect and preserve samples and record all of the information. 

This will identify the carriers and could help in the near future to narrow down the markers on the genome.

The Health Committee requests the following information be sent to the FHANA office for storage and filing:

Dwarfism and hydrocephalus:

 

Fetus: digital pictures

             frozen ear(s) 4 x 4CM / 11/2" x 11/2"

             identification of sire

Mare:   photocopy of registration paper

             two EDTA vials of blood(cooled)

             term (length) of pregnancy

             hair sample (if not on file with FHANA)

 

Aorta rupture and mega-oesophagus

 

Good clinical diagnosis report

Detailed post mortem report with digital pictures

Histopathology report if available

Frozen tissue (skin taken along the incision line) 4 x 4CM 11/2" x 11/2"

Two EDTA vials of blood(cooled) if possible

Photocopy of registration paper

Prof Dr. Willem Back Presentation

Prof Dr. Back was the featured presenter during the 2011 FHANA AGM. 
Prof Dr. Back comes from the Utrecht University and spoke to the FHANA membership both days.

Lecture 1
Lecture 2

Fenway Foundation for Friesian Horses Inc.
N 3398 State Road 76
Hortonville, WI 54944  

The Health Committee is pleased to work together with FFFH, INC

The Health Committee appreciates their efforts in assisting FHANA members when they experience disease and/or loss with their Friesian companion(s).

www.fenwayfoundation.com    Fenway Foundation Necropsy Report

Health Committee

FHANA Board Memeber - Willem Bron
Representative - Laurie Kasperek

Representative – Dr. Krista Porter
Representative – Dr. Kathy Fox
Representative - Dr. Klaas Wiersma 

©2013 FHANA, all rights reserved. Website by energize.info
Site Map