• B A Valentine, H F Hintz, K M Freels, A J Reynolds, and K N Thompson.
• Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401, USA.
• J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1998 May 15; 212 (10): 1588-93.

ObjectiveTo determine whether feeding a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet would decrease severity of exercise-induced muscle injury in horses with exertional rhabdomyolysis.Animals19 horses with a history of exertional rhabdomyolysis.DesignCase series.ProcedureSpecimens of the semitendinosus or semimembranosus muscle were obtained for histologic examination, and serum creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities 4 hours after exercise were determined. Horses were then fed a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, and serum CK and AST activities 4 hours after exercise were reevaluated at approximately monthly intervals for 3 to 6 months.ResultsSerum CK and AST activities 4 hours after exercise were high before any change in diet. All 19 horses had evidence of chronic myopathic change and abnormal glycogen accumulation in muscle biopsy specimens; 11 horses also had evidence of complex polysaccharide accumulation. Adaptation to diet change required approximately 3 to 6 months. Sixteen horses did not have any episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis after 3 to 6 months of diet change, and 3 horses had mild episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis following either a reduction in dietary fat intake or restriction in exercise. Postexercise serum CK and AST activities 3 to 6 months after the change in diet were significantly less than initial values.Clinical ImplicationsResults indicated that exertional rhabdomyolysis may be a result of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism in some horses. Feeding a diet with low carbohydrate and high fat content may reduce severity of exercise-induced injury in some horses with exertional rhabdomyolysis.

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