Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction?

Cushing's Disease (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction) is a benign tumour of the pituitary gland in the brain. It's considered a functional tumour, in that it results in excessive cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a steroid, and as you would expect chronically excessive levels of steroids in the body causes a whole swag of side effects. Although the condition can occur to any horse, it is commonly seen in geriatric horses, in particular ponies, Morgan's and Quarter horses.

Symptoms of Cushing's Disease

The classical symptom of Cushing's Disease, is a horse with a long curly coat that fails to shed in summer. However, horses can present with a wide array of clinical signs, including:

Excessive hair growth
Non-shedding winter coat
Weight loss
Bulging fat pads above eyes
Weak belly muscles (Pot belly appearance)
Laminitis (founder) – frequent/recurrent/chronic
Lethargy
Increased Appetite
Increased Urination
Increased Drinking
Increased Sweating
Pergolide (oral medication daily) - decreases cortisol producing hormones

How to diagnose Cushing's Disease?

Hormonal blood tests can be run to diagnose Cushing's Disease, and these can be performed by Vets at any stage.

How do you treat the condition?

Horses can be treated with Pergolide, which is an oral medication given daily to your horse. This medication is used to decrease the cortisol levels in the body

What happens if you don't treat Cushings Disease?

Without proper treatment, your horse will continue to have excessive cortisone (steroid) levels within the body. This can cause any or all of the following:

Poor immune function
Laminitis
Decreased work tolerance
Unsightly or excessive hair growth
Vision impairment
Increased susceptibility to infections
o Sinus infections
o Parasite burdens
o Skin infections
o Oral lesions

So if you suspect your horse may have Cushing's Disease, please give the clinic a call to discuss it further.