For the Health of It in horses with a shorter duration of vitamin E deficiency . Affected horses exhibit muscle weakness , low muscle vitamin E concentrations and mitochondrial alterations ( i . e . changes to the “ power house ” energy storage unit of the cell ) in skeletal muscle but show no evidence of neurologic impairment . With proper supplementation , affected animals are generally able to recover within three months .
These diseases are currently the only conditions definitively associated with vitamin E deficiency . At this time , nothing is known about vitamin E metabolism in horses , the appropriate dosage , or its actual efficacy in preventing or treating other neurological conditions . In humans , the same enzymes that metabolize vitamin E also metabolize approximately 50 percent of therapeutic drugs , so supplementation with vitamin E could potentially alter the effects of other drugs if a horse is on multiple therapies . Therefore , while vitamin E supplementation may not necessarily be harmful with respect to other neurologic diseases , it is unlikely to be beneficial .
Since there are no effective treatments for most diseases caused by vitamin E deficiency , prevention is key . If horses are not able to access fresh pastures to graze , vitamin E must be supplemented in their diets . However , not all vitamin E supplements are created equally . For detailed information on vitamin E supplementation , please refer to a recent issue of the UC Davis Horse Report : https :// ceh .
vetmed . ucdavis . edu / sites / g / files / dgvnsk4536 / files / inline-files / Horse _ Report _ Fall _ 2018 _ web . pdf . Baseline blood vitamin E concentrations should always be assessed before initiating any vitamin E supplementation . Owners should consult with their veterinarians to determine if vitamin
E supplementation is required and identify the best supplementation regimen for their particular horse .
CONTACT : Carrie Finno , DVM , PhD , DACVIM ( Large Animal ) cjfinno @ ucdavis . edu | 530-752-2739 UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine , Davis , California
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