Horse breeding from planning through foal care

Prevention and treatment for problems of the equine foot

Proper feeding practices for foals, adult horses, and older horses

Discussions about the welfare of our equine friends

Horse-heath-problem risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment

How to care for the basic health needs of horses

All aspects of caring for performance horses

Design and maintain a healthy horse operation

Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of leg lameness

News and issues for equine health professionals

Cover Story

The Many Faces of Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Unveiling what EMD and ID really look like.

Also in this Issue

Post-Foaling Red Flags
HERDA 20 Years Later
Strangles: An Old Disease in a Modern World
Before She Foals: Managing Broodmares
Beneath the Hoof Wall: Soft Tissues Injuries of the Equine Foot

Latest Q&A

4 Ways to Boost Soil Health on Horse Farms

April 22, 2024

Q&As

Equine Behavior

Our animal behavior experts field your questions about why your horse does XYZ.

Horse Nutrition

Equine nutritionists respond to queries about forage, grain, supplements, and other related topics.

Performance Horse Health

Veterinarians and researchers tackle questions about equine athletes.

Featured Podcasts

Can PPID or EMS Affect My Horse’s Joints?

Methodologies for Assessing Horses' Quality of Life Needed

When Should I Retire My Horse From Riding?

Podcasts

Ask 'TheHorse' Live

The Horse’s experts answer your questions during a monthly live audio event.

Equine Innovators

Join us as we interview leading equine researchers from the University of Kentucky.

Fact Sheet: Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID)

Fact Sheet: Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) in Horses

Free Reports:

View All Free Reports

Quick referenced of horse conditions, diseases and health topics

Forms

Checklists and identification forms for horse owners

Testing for Endocrine Diseases in Middle-Aged and Older Horses

February 9, 2019
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD

The older equine population is at greater risk of developing debilitating endocrine disorders such as insulin dysregulation and equine metabolic syndrome, all of which are best identified and treated as early as possible.

Topics: AAEP Convention 2018, Cushing's Disease, Diseases and Conditions, Hoof Problems, Horse Care, Laminitis (Founder), Metabolic Problems, Metabolic Syndrome, Older Horse Care Concerns

Favorite

No account yet? Register

testing for endocrine diseases in older horses

Insulin dysregulation can occur alone or alongside clinical signs associated with other diseases. It is one of three components that constitute equine metabolic syndrome, the other two being obesity and clinical or subclinical endocrine-related laminitis. | Photo: iStock

Thanks to advances in equine health care, more horse owners find themselves in the position of managing middle-aged and older horses with careers extending well in to their 20s. This older equine population is at greater risk of developing debilitating endocrine disorders such as insulin dysregulation and equine metabolic syndrome, all of which are best treated as early as possible. As such, one Michigan State University (MSU) researcher says it’s essential that owners be aware of the signs that suggest their horses might be suffering from these conditions and to have their veterinarians screen for them during routine visits.

At the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5, in San Francisco, California, Elizabeth Tadros, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant professor of endocrinology at the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, in Lansing, gave a rundown on these diseases and described commonly used tests for diagnosing them.

Insulin dysregulation (ID), which can plague horses of any age, is a metabolic derangement that can manifest in several ways, including:

Higher-than-expected insulin levels in horses that have been fasted (fasting hyperinsulinemia);
Higher-than-expected insulin levels after a meal (postprandial hyperinsulinemia);
Exaggerated responses to oral or intravenously introduced carbohydrates;
Tissue insulin resistance; and
Dyslipidemia (elevated blood lipid, or fat, levels).

Horses with ID might have one or a combination of these characteristics

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Written by:

Clair Thunes, PhD

Clair Thunes, PhD, is an equine nutritionist who owns Clarity Equine Nutrition, based in Gilbert, Arizona. She works as a consultant with owners/trainers and veterinarians across the United States and globally to take the guesswork out of feeding horses and provides services to select companies. As a nutritionist she works with all equids, from WEG competitors to Miniature donkeys and everything in between. Born in England, she earned her undergraduate degree at Edinburgh University, in Scotland, and her master’s and doctorate in nutrition at the University of California, Davis. Growing up, she competed in a wide array of disciplines and was an active member of the U.K. Pony Club. Today, she serves as the district commissioner for the Salt River Pony Club.