Question

My horse was diagnosed with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) last year. He has been treated medically by my veterinarian for the last four months. Can I do anything nutritionally to continue to help my horse recover?

Answer

Most horses with EPM have spinal cord damage that leads to incoordination, stiffness, and weakness, which in turn may cause muscle atrophy or wasting. Conventional treatment for EPM is oral administration of drugs classified as folic acid inhibitors. These drugs are designed to prevent folic acid production in the protozoa responsible for the disease.

Folic acid deficiency results in the death of the protozoa. Drugs that prohibit folic acid production do not seem to cause a deficiency in the horse; therefore, supplementation may not be necessary. If folic acid is to be supplemented, it should be given several hours apart from the drug to prevent interference with drug absorption.

The influence of nutrition on healing of spinal cord damage and subsequent muscle atrophy is not documented.

Nutritional support with vitamin E has been recommended for horses with EPM. Horses should receive 7000 IU of supplemental vitamin E per day. In addition to vitamin E, the diet should be properly fortified with the essential amino acid lysine and adequate total protein to aid in muscle regeneration.