The Equinist: Articles and Commentary by Susan Kauffmann

This article first appeared in EQUUS magazine. How a common but little-known condition similar to Type II diabetes triggered a painful and frustrating episode of laminitis. Some years ago, when my then 7-Year-old Morgan gelding foundered for no apparent reason, I was determined to find out what had caused the painful and frightening episode that left him unrideable for nearly a year. In the course of my research, I was surprised to discover that a common but at the time little-known condition called insulin resistance (IR), which is similar to Type II diabetes, had triggered his laminitis. I also learned that my horse had been exhibiting the classic signs of IR for some time, and had I recognized those signs, the whole devastating experience could likely have been avoided. This horse is obviously obese, with a cresty neck and fat pads around the tail head that indicate insulin resistance. This horse should NOT be on grass. Thinking back, it was clear that Gryphon, alth...

CUSHING’S DISEASE (PPID) IN HORSES Equine Cushing’s disease, also called pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), is a disorder of the pituitary gland that has long been thought of as a problem of older horses. However, new information is suggesting that Cushing’s may start to develop years before there are obvious symptoms, meaning that horses can be affected by Cushing’s at a younger age than was previously thought. In the early stages of the disease, horses do not display the hallmark symptom most commonly associated with Cushing’s – the long, wavy coat that fails to shed. Nonetheless, if you know what to look for, there are usually some early clues which may suggest that monitoring for Cushing’s is in order. If your horse does have Cushing’s, it is important to realize that there is no cure, but in most cases the disease can be managed with a combination of diet, exercise, hoof care, and medication where necessary. UNDERSTANDING EQUINE CUSHING’S, AK...