Equine Cushings Syndrome

Full information on this condition in contained in both publications

What is Cushing's Syndrome?

In simple terms Cushing's is caused by a benign tumour of the Pituitary Gland. This results in an overproduction of a peptide called POMC. POMC stimulates the production of ACTH which in turn leads to the adrenal glands producing cortisol. Contrasting with a "normal horse", in the Cushing's animal, the pituitary gland does not curtail its production of ACTH when cortisol levels increase. Cortisol levels are consequently able to elevate , thus producing various symptoms:

• Long curly coat (hirsutism)
• Failure to shed the winter coat/long summer coat
• Sudden Laminitis
• Lethargy
• Excessive urination
• Pot belly
• Drinking too much water
• High levels of insulin & insulin resistance

If suspected, tests can be taken to confirm Cushing's. The three most common are a) Dexamthasone Suppression Test b) ACTH test c) TRH stimulation test. The dexamethasone suppression test is regarded as one of the most accurate but is not recommended for horses at high risk from laminitis. This is because dexamethasone is a corticosteroid & the latter can trigger an acute attack. The disease is more common in ponies and is a disease usually affecting older horses. It is slowly progressive and causes more symptoms as time goes on.

Conventional Treatment

Presently the disease is incurable & treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms. There are 3 main drugs used, Pergolide, Cyproheptadine & Trilostane.

Complementary Treatment

There have been several advances in recent years regarding the complementary treatment of Cushings. Not everyone wishes to treat their horse with drugs straight away & of course cost can be an issue. Homoeopathic & herbal treatments in particular have provided success comparable to drug therapy when it comes to relief from the symptoms.

Owner Support

It is always distressing to learn that your horse suffers from a condition that currently has no cure, especially if you have owned your horse for a long time. Cushings is a common condition amongst older horses (younger ones can be affected). It is quite easy to "wrap your horse up in cotton wool" after a diagnosis, but we urge you to think differently. Whilst you cannot cure the condition, you can greatly improve the symptoms. The condition is slowly progressive and many horses do not develop all the "classic" symptoms. Cushings requires careful management especially on the Laminitis front. If you can stabilize your horse on treatment & be very vigilant as to subtle signs that he/she is "under the weather", there is no reason whatsoever why your horse cannot carry on virtually as normal.

Typical Cushing's coat changes

Excessive coat growth and curliness.	Again the curly nature of the coat is apparent