A severely affected horse should not be walked because further exertion can lead to irreversible muscle damage. Therefore, Dr. Miller urges horse owners to call their veterinarian at the first signs of tying-up for diagnosis and treatment. Recovery is monitored by the decrease of these enzymes in the blood. When both fall to normal levels, treatment can be discontinued and the horse can be put back to work. If levels of these enzymes are not elevated in the blood, then problems other than tying-up must be considered.
Emergency treatment includes a pain killer and a muscle relaxant.
Your veterinarian may also administer an anti-inflammatory agent. Intravenous fluids are used for dehydration and to help flush myoglobins out of the kidneys. Multiple factors contribute to this syndrome, and different horses are sensitive to different conditions. Preventive measures that reduce stress, reduce potassium depletion, and improve energy metabolism have been used with varying degrees of success. Chromium seems to decrease the effects of stress in nervous horses.