ENDOCRINE

1. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (Equine Cushing’s syndrome)

● Horses >15 years, PPID enlargement (adenoma); Morgan horses and ponies high
incidence
● Hirsutism*, PU/PD, laminitis, lethargy, excessive sweating/lactation, decreased
muscle mass, infertility
● Hyperglycemia, low USG, stress leukogram
● Dx –
o ACTH concentrations (!! Seasonal variance in horses, highest in Sept,
lower in Jan)
o Dexamethasone Suppression Test – fear of steroid induced laminitis
● Tx – pergolide (dopamine agonist): suppresses pituitary hormone secretion

2. Anhidrosis
● Inability to sweat, fatal if not addressed
● Cause unknown, tends to occur in hot and humid climates
● Increase occurrence in horses brought into the climate
● Tx – move horse back into a more favourable climate

3. Equine metabolic syndrome

● Grossly obese, chronic laminitis
● Insulin resistant, higher than normal insulin levels in blood

4. Hypothyroidism
● Causes: inadequate iodine intake by the foal or mare; excessive iodine intake by
mare
● Life-threatening; physeal dysgenesis, incoordination, limb deformities, tendon
ruptures, stillbirths, weakness and death

5. Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM)

● Warmblood, intermittent exercise intolerance, weakness, muscle fasciculations
and stiff abnormal hind-limb gait
● Autosomal dominant mutation of glycogen synthase gene in QH
o Paint, appaloosas, warmbloods and drafts
● Elevations in CK, AST