Arrhythmias in advance stiff lamb disease

Selenium and vitamin E deficiency has major and synergistic role on pathogenesis of stiff lamb disease. In severe cases, muscle degeneration may extend to myocardium and causes death. Due to this situation and for determining the type of arrhythmias that may result from myocardial degeneration in lambs, this study was carried out on 20 affected stiff lambs and 20 non-affected ones in Shahrekord district (Iran). The hearts of lambs were carefully heard and electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed to determine the type of arrhythmia. Blood samples were taken from jugular vein for measuring the serum concentration of selenium and vitamin E by atomic absorption spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC), respectively. Results showed that selenium and vitamin E concentrations of affected lambs were significantly lower than those of non-affected ones. In affected lambs seven numerous arrhythmias such as tachycardia, wandering pace maker, sinus arrhythmia, advanced second degree atrio-ventricular block, atrial fibrillation, atrial premature contraction and ventricular premature contraction were diagnosed. These types of arrhythmias showed that the myocardial degeneration in vitamin E and selenium deficiency was not limited to a specific region of heart and may influence the atrium, atrio-ventricular junction and ventricles as well.