Equine Cushing’s Disease, or to give its proper title, Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), is probably the most common hormonal disorder affecting horses, especially older animals. The primary significance of the disease is in its potential to induce and perpetuate laminitis, and it is in the laminitic animal that we most frequently make this diagnosis. A recent study showed that more than 80% of horses and ponies with laminitis have an underlying hormonal disorder, and we consider testing for these problems imperative in all but the simplest cases.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), previously known as Peripheral Cushing’s Disease, is a hormonal disorder of horses, and more commonly ponies, that has been identified in the recent past.  It has some similarities with Cushing’s Disease, most notably in its propensity to cause laminitis.  Overweight native ponies are most frequently affected, although it has been observed [...]