Tocopherol Concentrations of Serum and Organs in Foals -Healthy or Affected with White Muscle Disease

Abstract

Six foals with white muscle disease (WMD) presented a normal total tocopherol concentration (TTC) of serum, except one female which showed a concentration lower 100 μg/100 ml. In healthy foals 1 to 7 days of age TTC was the heighest in the adrenals, which were followed by the liver, lungs+heart, skeletal muscle, kidneys, and spleen in the order listed. TTC's in the liver and adrenals were much lower in the affected foals than in the healthy foals 1 to 7 days of age. There was no difference in TTC in serum or erythrocytes after injection with vitamin E between the healthy and affected foals.
TTC increased markedly in the liver, adrenals, and skeletal muscle in the healthy foals 2.5 to 3 days after injection with vitamin E. It increased slightly only in the liver in the affected foals even 6 days after the injection.