Equine Endocrine Health
The horse endocrine system is a collection of hormone producing organs that control many body functions including metabolism, growth, reproduction, stress response, and much more. Changes in the function of the endocrine system can lead to significant hormone imbalances and clinical dysfunction.
Common endocrine disorders in horses:
• Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID)
• Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)
One of the most common endocrine diseases in horses is PPID (previously referred to as equine Cushing’s disease), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. PPID causes the horse's pituitary gland, which utilizes hormones to control body functions, to work overtime. This can lead to a variety of problems ranging from delayed shedding, loss of muscle mass to several serious conditions including laminitis and secondary infections.
Diagnosing PPID requires a comprehensive approach using three main components: collecting a comprehensive patient history, conducting a detailed physical examination and submitting plasma samples for testing. For detailed information on our available testing program, diagnosis and other helpful information on PPID visit idppid.com.