MYONECROSIS

IN HORSES
 What is myonecrosis
• Myonecrosis is an uncomun problem
in horses
• It is caused by clostridium bacteria
that’s why it is named claostridial
myonecrosis
• Myo means muscle and necrosis
means death of living tissu
• So literally myonecrosis means death
of musle tissu
• Several species of clostridium can
cause myonecrosis such as
clostridium perfringens witch is the
most common ,c. septicum,c
sordelli and c sporogenes
• These type of bacterias are anaerobe
that can grow where there is no
oxygene
• When oxygene Is present they tend
to sporulation
 How horses get myonecrosis

• There are two ways that clostridium

myonecrosis can develop
• Inoculation :thay can be inoculated
into a horse’s muscle by injections
from infected needles this can
happen by the intramuscular
injection
• Or it can develop from horse’s that
have wounds
• Growth of resident spore :some
spores are present in the muscle
tissu of some healthy muscle
• They normly do not cause probleme
because they are inactive because
the muscle tissu is oxygenated
• If some reason the muscle get very
low in oxygene the spores will start
to grow
 What happens when a horse
has clostridial myonecrosis
• Clostridial myonecrosis cause
swelling of the affecting muscle
• It commonly involves the neck since
it’s where most intramuscular
injection are made
• Swelling can progress very fast and
become sever in just few hours
• In very rare cases horses die before
swelling become obvious
• Swelling of the muscle is usually hot
and painful to the touch at first
• The horse is reluctant to move his
neck
• There is usually crepitus in the tissue
• Crepitus is a craackling feeling
caused by gas pockets under the
skin
• This gas is produced by the
clostridium
 How clostridial myonecrosis is
diagnosed
• Tentative diagnose is usually based
on the horse’s clinical siingns and
the rapid swelling of the muscle
• A needle is used to collect a sample
of fluid from the affected area
• This fluid is examed with
microscopes and bacterias like
clostridium can be found
• This fluid can also be cultured but
this can take few days
How clostridium myonecrosis is
treated
• Horses nead an immidiate and
aggressive treatment even a few
hours can save a horse;s life
• Opening the swollen tissue to alow
the trapped fluid and gas to escape
and get oxygen
• Numerous large cuts should be made
in the infected area
• The result are dramatic but very
important and wounds should be
treated carefully
• High doses of antibiotics
• Anti-inflamatory and painkillers
should be also made
• Intravenous fluid shoud be made
• Close monitoring for complications
such as laminitis
• Toxins released from bacterias are
very rapid and should treated very
quiockly cause it can lead to a
quick death
 Prevention
• The best way to avoid this desease is
to avoid injection in th muscles
• Avoid using irritating substances
sush as flunixin
• There is no evidence that wipping
needle with alcohol has any effect
• There is probably no way to prevent
accumulation of bacterias spores in
helthy muscle tisy