In other parts of the world, Pergolide is used in human medicine to combat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, restless leg syndrome, and hyperprolactinemia. Side effects can include fibrotic lesions of the atrioventricular valves in the heart.

Dr. Heidrun Gehlen, from the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the Free University of Berlin, gathered a team of scientists to determine whether the same effects would be seen in horses.

The scientists examined 23 horses between 19 and 30 years old, all of which had been diagnosed with PPID using the ACTH adrenocorticotrophin hormone test. The treatment group comprised 12 horses that had been receiving Pergolide for between 14 days and 6 years, while 11 other horses in the control group received no Pergolide.

The researchers performed an echocardiographic exam on all horses, and found that each was free of cardiovascular disease; no valve defects were found.

Follow-up exams were then given to nine horses in the treatment group and five in the control group between three and eight months later. The findings were the same: use of Pergolide did not affect ventricular function or cause valve disease in horses.

Read more at Equine Science Update.

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Dr. Barbara Anne Murphy, head of equine science at the School of Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin, and Dr. Amanda Adams of the Gluck Center are looking for horses to take part in the study to determine if exposure to blue light would minimize the development of the long, thick haircoat that is a hallmark of horses with PPID. Each participant will receive an Equilume light mask for their participation, whether their horse wears the mask or is a control horse.

Owners or managers of horses with diagnosed PPID and that have a long, curly hair coat are invited to complete a short questionnaire by October 22 to see if they are eligible to participate. Medicated and unmedicated horses can apply.

The study will require monthly hair sample collection, as well as the completion of bi-monthly questionnaires and the provision of images.

Click here to complete the questionnaire

Read more at Equine Science Update.

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Dr. Takeru Tsuchiya and a research team used 67 Thoroughbred broodmares with unknown fertility issues for the study. Each horse had a physical exam and was deemed healthy.

The mares were tested for PPID in the fall using baseline plasma ACTH concentrations; they were divided into three groups based on their ACTH concentration level: low, intermediate, and high.

The team found 77.3 percent conception rates in the low ACTH group, and 56.5 percent in the high ACTH group. The high ACTH group didn't have a significant difference in the number of breedings, but it had lower conception rates.

PPID affects 15 to 30 percent of horses over 15. High ACTH concentrations are common in older horses. Almost two-thirds of the mares used in the study had elevated ACTH hormones. ACTH may indirectly affect reproductive performance.

The study team concluded that if infertile mares are tested for ACTH concentration levels early, it may be possible to improve reproduction performance. They recommend that other factors, including other reproductive hormones, be investigated for their effect on reproductive performance.

Read the article here.

Read more at HorseTalk.

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There are multiple claims in the equine world about how to best manage horses, but overweight equines are the exception. Some of these claims include:

• Restricting forage makes a horse lose muscle, as well as increase hormone reactions and oxidative stress—it can even cause Cushing's disease or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID).
  This has been no proof that any of the issues above are brought on or exacerbated by restricting forage intake. Restricting calories does not lead to an increase in any hormones or cause any oxidative stress. Additionally, horses won't begin to lose muscle because of restricted calorie intake unless all body fat has been burned.

• Horses bodies are designed to ingest pasture or hay 24/7.
  The only reason horses spend so much time ingesting grass is that it is nearly 80 percent water. Additionally, wild horses travel tens of miles each day to find food; a paddock or pasture cannot offer an obese horse exercise of that level.

Though drastic limitation of food isn't necessary to control weight, some reduction is required. The Equine Cushing's and Insulin Resistance Group (ECIR) and the National Research Council (NRC) recommends using the starting point of 1.5 percent of actual weight or 2 percent of ideal weight (whichever is larger) as the target daily hay intake. This target may have to be adjusted if the hay is high in calories.

To keep horses at an ideal weight, they should be exercised as much as possible, whether this includes turnout (possibly with a muzzle), hand walking or riding. Feeding horses in a slow-feed hay net can lengthen intake time and prevent boredom.

Keeping a chubby horse at a reasonable weight isn't fun, but it is imperative to keeping him healthy.

Read more at Horse Journals.

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