Wellness Ready, the first and only point-of-care equine insulin diagnostic test available to equine practitioners, has been validated by researchers at UC Davis in a recent study comparing the test’s results to those of a commonly used radioimmunoassay (RIA) test.

The validation study was led by Emily Berryhill, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant professor of equine internal medicine at UC Davis, and published in the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation in December 2022. Its conclusion is particularly important to the equine health industry, as excess insulin production is the primary risk factor for laminitis, the second-leading cause of death among horses.

With Wellness Ready, veterinarians can now accurately measure a horse’s insulin levels at the point-of-care in a matter of minutes, as opposed to traditional lab testing that can often take days to decipher.

“Wellness Ready is changing the way we practice medicine for metabolic horses,” said Vernon Dryden, DVM, CJF, Wellness Ready co-founder and chief medical officer. “It allows us to make decisions in real time and also identify horses that may not have been diagnosed otherwise. With this technology, we can save a lot of lives and prevent a lot of cases of laminitis.”

Wellness Ready helps veterinarians identify and manage horses prone to founder due to endocrine disorders such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and equine Cushing’s disease (PPID). The validation of Wellness Ready by UC Davis confirms its effectiveness in providing accurate and timely results, potentially saving the lives of horses suffering from metabolic disorders.

“With the Wellness Ready Stall Side Insulin Test, you’re going to be able to know within minutes what the metabolic status of your horse is,” explained Patrick Lawless, PhD, Wellness Ready co-founder and CEO. “It’s an extremely easy and convenient test to administer, and we’re able to provide this high-level diagnostic testing device at a price that’s no more expensive than the current technology. Now horse owners and veterinarians can develop a management plan for their horses, immediately.”

For more information about Wellness Ready, please visit wellnessready.com.