FieldDxNutritional MyodegenerationClinical signs, differential diagnosis, treatment and prevention in cattle, sheep and horses.
Overview
A degenerative disease of cardiac and skeletal muscle in young, rapidly growing farm animals. Dietary deficiency of selenium, and to a lesser extent vitamin E, causing oxidant damage to muscle cell membranes.
Clinical signs
- Cardiac form: Sudden onset of severe dyspnea, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, recumbency, and rapid death.
- Skeletal form: Symmetric muscle weakness, stiff gait, epaxial/femoral muscle pain, swelling, and firmness.
- Myoglobinuria (dark red/brown urine), and milk/foam dribbling from nostrils due to pharyngeal paralysis.
Predisposing factors
- Diets deficient in selenium and/or Vitamin E, often resulting from forage grown on selenium-deficient soils.
Look-alikes to rule out
Treatment
- Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of selenium (as sodium selenite) combined with Vitamin E (tocopherol).
- Strict rest, warm nursing, and assistance with nursing or parenteral fluids.
Drugs mentioned: Vitamin E
Prevention
1. Supplement pregnant dams during gestation (0.1 mg/kg DM selenium and 1 g/day Vitamin E for cows; 75 mg/day Vitamin E for ewes). 2. Prophylactically supplement young stock via: (a) selenium pasture top-dressing; (b) administering intraruminal selenium-iron grit pellets (providing 1 mg/day Se for up to 2–4 years) 16, 17
Source
A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs and Goat by ELSEVIER (Passages 176, 180, 191–193).
MSD Veterinary Manual — Nutritional Myopathies in Ruminants and Pigs (accessed 2026-08-11)
Condensed and attributed, never reproduced whole. Open the full entry in the app.