Horse Health Feature of the Month: HYPP
HYPP, Continued.
While one can’t technically predict an attack, HYPP episodes do seem to have ties to certain environmental changes. Stress, diet changes, anesthesia, fasting, exercise restriction and illness all can cause an HYPP episode. Thus, management plays an important role in symptom severity and can help control the illness. While horses affected with HYPP never outgrow the disease, with proper management, over time frequency and severity of episodes seem to abate.
Management and Prevention.
Get a Diagnosis. The first step in managing HYPP is properly diagnosing the disease to make sure your horse doesn’t suffer from a different illness. A genetic test is available through the American Quarter Horse Association, and the association recommends that all descendants of Impressive be tested. All HYPP horses to date can trace their ancestry to Impressive.
Maintain a Schedule. Once you have confirmed your horse does indeed have HYPP, start by developing a diet and exercise schedule you can adhere to consistently. Feed at the same times daily, and avoid periods of fasting or water deprivation. If possible, allow for regular exercise, such as daily (or better yet – constant) turnout, which seems to diminish symptoms.
Feed with Care. High levels of dietary potassium can cause an HYPP episode, so it becomes part of your job to restrict dietary intake of the mineral. Unfortunately, many common horse feeds contain high levels of potassium - alfalfa hay and molasses (found in most sweet feeds) are two examples. To dodge high-potassium feeds yet still provide adequate nutrition, consult with an equine nutritionist or veterinarian to formulate a specific diet for your horse. This is especially important it you are dealing with a horse that has extra nutritional requirements such as an aging or young and growing horse. For a horse without special energy needs, you can generally stick to grass hay, pasture or alfalfa/grass mixtures to form the basis of your horse’s diet. In any case, be sure to provide access to plenty of water and free-choice salt – both of which help horses expel excess potassium from their systems.
If Needed - Medicate.If your current management strategies aren’t enough, a veterinarian may prescribe medication such as acetazolamide to control episodes.
Treating an Attack
If your horse has been properly diagnosed with HYPP and experiences a mild episode, there are steps you can take as an owner to alleviate the attack. Exercise such as walking and/or lunging stimulates adrenaline, which helps replace potassium inside cells balancing out the sodium influx. Feeding small amounts of grain can also help because the carbohydrates will release insulin, which also encourages potassium uptake into cells. If symptoms are severe, contact a qualified veterinarian for treatment.
Although Impressive’s popularity has made HYPP a definite presence in the Quarter World, there are silver linings. HYPP is a manageable disease, and while it cannot be cured, with proper care, HYPP horses can live long and productive lives. In addition, although it is a dominant genetic trait, because it can be tested for, and with careful breeding practices, eventually HYPP can be eradicated.
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