Horses with equine metabolic syndrome usually have fat deposits over the ribs, withers, and buttocks, a cresty neck, and evidence of other abnormalities associated with laminitis development. | Photo: iStock

Equine metabolic syndrome and Cushing’s disease prevention start from birth and include regular veterinary exams and proper nutrition.

By the time most owners start talking about equine metabolic issues, their horses have already developed a problem. But what if we could take a more proactive approach by feeding and monitoring our horses to curtail metabolic disease development in the first place? Much like we use vaccines and biosecurity measures to prevent infectious disease, we might be able to forestall metabolic disease with nutrition and overall wellness strategies.

Nick Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of large animal internal medicine and chair of the department of clinical sciences at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, is a pioneer in equine metabolic disease research. He suggests owners take a proactive approach to managing metabolic issues such as equine obesity and insulin dysregulation (excessive insulin response to oral sugars, evident as postprandial hyperinsulinemia, fasting hyperinsulinemia, or insulin resistance based on when it occurs)—a relatively new recommendation in equine veterinary medicine. 

“An endocrine/metabolic evaluation should be part of semiannual wellness programs and is recommended throughout the life of the horse,” he says. “Even a weanling can develop obesity through overfeeding. This is noteworthy because the length of time that a horse is obese is likely to be important in developing equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)