At a Glance: Signs Your Horse Has PPID

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Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, formerly known as equine Cushing’s disease) is the most common endocrine disorder of older equids. It affects 20-30% of horses over age 15, though veterinarians have diagnosed it in horses younger than 10. The disease develops when the neurons in the hypothalamus at the base of the brain deteriorate and fail to regulate the pituitary gland’s pars intermedia. As a result, the pars intermedia produces excess levels of various hormones that cause the clinical signs of PPID. Download this free guide to learn more!

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Alexandra Beckstett, a native of Houston, Texas, is a lifelong horse owner who has shown successfully on the national hunter/jumper circuit and dabbled in hunter breeding. After graduating from Duke University, she joined Blood-Horse Publications as assistant editor of its book division, Eclipse Press, before joining The Horse. She was the managing editor of The Horse for nearly 14 years and is now editorial director of EquiManagement and My New Horse, sister publications of The Horse.

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