Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Veterinary Medicine have discovered that degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD), a common disorder in horses once thought to involve only ligaments in the legs, actually affects connective tissue throughout the body.

As a result of the finding, lead author Jaroslava Halper, MD, PhD, and her colleagues recommend that DSLD be renamed to reflect more accurately the disorder’s true nature.

“It’s a systemic disorder involving accumulation of proteoglycans (a class of molecules that help organize connective tissue so that it is elastic yet strong),” said Halper, an associate professor of pathology. “So we propose equine systemic proteoglycan accumulation, or ESPA, as a more appropriate name for the condition.”

The disorder affects an estimated 1 percent to 7 percent of horses, and it’s most commonly detected in Peruvian Pasos. It also affects Arabians, American Saddlebreds, American Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and some European breeds. Affected horses become lame as the lower portion of the leg swells. There is no cure, so horses with advanced cases of the disorder are often euthanatized