Researchers studied a serious condition in young lambs called white muscle disease, which happens when animals don’t get enough selenium and vitamin E. This disease damages muscles, including the heart. Scientists tested four different blood markers to see which ones could best detect heart damage in sick lambs. They found that two of the markers—called cTnI and CK-MB—were very good at showing when the heart was damaged, especially in lambs with the most severe form of the disease. However, two other markers didn’t work as well. These findings could help farmers and veterinarians diagnose this serious condition faster.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Can blood tests detect heart damage in lambs with white muscle disease, a condition caused by not having enough selenium and vitamin E?
  • Who participated: 50 lambs total: 20 healthy lambs and 30 sick lambs. The sick lambs were divided into two groups—10 with severe acute disease and 20 with less severe disease.
  • Key finding: Two blood markers (cTnI and CK-MB) were significantly elevated in lambs with severe acute disease, suggesting they are good indicators of heart damage. Two other markers (Gal-3 and NT-proBNP) did not show clear differences between healthy and sick lambs.
  • What it means for you: If you raise sheep, these findings suggest that testing for cTnI and CK-MB in blood samples may help veterinarians quickly identify lambs with heart damage from white muscle disease. This could lead to faster treatment. However, this research is specific to lambs and needs more study before widespread use.

The Research Details

Researchers compared blood samples from 50 lambs—20 that were completely healthy and 30 that had white muscle disease. The sick lambs were split into two groups based on how severe their disease was: 10 with very severe acute disease and 20 with less severe subacute disease. All lambs were diagnosed based on their symptoms, blood tests, and vitamin E and selenium levels. The researchers measured four different substances in the blood using a laboratory technique called ELISA, which is like a special test that can detect tiny amounts of specific proteins.

Finding the right blood test is important because white muscle disease can develop quickly and cause serious damage or death in young lambs. If veterinarians can identify heart damage early using a simple blood test, they can start treatment sooner. This study helps identify which blood markers are most reliable for this purpose.

This is a straightforward comparison study with a reasonable sample size of 50 lambs. The researchers clearly defined which lambs had the disease and how severe it was. They used a standard laboratory technique to measure the blood markers. However, the study only looked at lambs, so results may not apply to other animals. The study is the first to look at two of these markers (Gal-3 and NT-proBNP) in lambs with this disease, which means the findings are new but need confirmation through additional research.

What the Results Show

The most important finding was that two blood markers—cTnI and CK-MB—were significantly higher in lambs with severe acute white muscle disease compared to healthy lambs. This suggests these markers are good at detecting heart damage from the disease. The levels were especially high in the most severely affected lambs, which makes sense because these markers indicate heart muscle injury. In lambs with the less severe subacute form of the disease, cTnI and CK-MB were also elevated but not as dramatically. This pattern suggests these markers could help veterinarians identify which lambs have heart involvement and how severe it is.

The other two blood markers tested—Gal-3 and NT-proBNP—did not show significant differences between healthy lambs and sick lambs. This was surprising because these markers are known to indicate heart problems in other situations. The researchers found that Gal-3 and NT-proBNP levels were similar across all groups, suggesting they may not be useful for detecting white muscle disease in lambs specifically.

This is the first study to measure Gal-3 and NT-proBNP in lambs with white muscle disease, so there’s no previous research to compare these findings to directly. However, cTnI and CK-MB have been used to detect heart damage in other conditions and species, and this study confirms they work well for detecting heart involvement in white muscle disease. The fact that Gal-3 and NT-proBNP didn’t work as expected suggests that white muscle disease may damage the heart differently than other heart conditions.

The study only included lambs, so these results may not apply to other animals or to humans. The sample size, while reasonable, was relatively small (50 lambs total). The study was done at one point in time, so researchers couldn’t track how these markers changed as the disease progressed. Additionally, the study didn’t look at whether these blood markers could predict which lambs would recover or how quickly treatment would work. More research with larger numbers of animals and longer follow-up periods would strengthen these findings.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, cTnI and CK-MB appear to be useful blood tests for detecting heart damage in lambs with white muscle disease (moderate confidence level). Veterinarians may consider using these tests to help diagnose the condition and assess how severely the heart is affected. However, Gal-3 and NT-proBNP do not appear helpful for this purpose based on current evidence. Farmers should continue to focus on prevention through proper nutrition with adequate selenium and vitamin E.

Sheep farmers, veterinarians who work with sheep, and animal health researchers should pay attention to these findings. This is particularly relevant for people raising young, rapidly growing lambs in areas where selenium and vitamin E deficiency is common. This research is specific to lambs and may not apply to adult sheep or other animals.

If a lamb shows signs of white muscle disease, blood tests could potentially identify heart damage within days. However, prevention through proper nutrition is far more important than testing, as it takes weeks to months of good nutrition to prevent the disease from developing in the first place.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you raise sheep, track selenium and vitamin E supplementation dates and amounts for each lamb. Record any signs of weakness, stiffness, or difficulty moving, and note when veterinary blood tests were performed and their results.
  • Work with your veterinarian to ensure all lambs receive adequate selenium and vitamin E through feed supplements or injections. If lambs show signs of muscle weakness or stiffness, request cTnI and CK-MB blood tests to check for heart damage rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen.
  • Maintain records of your supplementation program and monitor young lambs weekly during the growth phase for any signs of weakness or poor coordination. If white muscle disease is suspected, request blood tests and track results over time to see if treatment is working.

This research is specific to lambs and was conducted in a veterinary research setting. These findings should not be used to diagnose or treat white muscle disease in animals without consulting a licensed veterinarian. Blood test results must be interpreted by qualified veterinary professionals in the context of clinical signs and other diagnostic information. This study is the first to examine some of these markers in lambs with white muscle disease, so results should be considered preliminary and may require confirmation through additional research. Prevention through proper nutrition remains the most important approach to managing white muscle disease.