Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, also known as Cushing’s disease) in horses is an issue many owners face. It mostly occurs in senior equids, but researchers have found younger horses can also have PPID.

The 5th Global Equine Endocrine Symposium (GEES), brought to you by Boehringer Ingelheim, was held in 2023. It featured 37 presentations on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of horses with endocrine diseases.

Owner Decisions for PPID in Horses

One study presented at the 5th GEES was titled “Factors influencing owner decision-making regarding the management and treatment of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction.” Jo L. Ireland, BVMS, PhD, Cert AVP(EM), FHEA, FRCVS, of the University of Liverpool’s School of Veterinary Science, delivered the presentation. This study investigated owner understanding of PPID and treatment. The research included surveys, telephone questionnaires, and in-depth interviews with 10 owners of PPID-positive horses.

The study authors found that:

  • Where horses were not exhibiting typical signs of PPID, the disease became “abstract and difficult to comprehend.”
  • Owners with horses that had concurrent health issues, such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) plus PPID, found it difficult to differentiate between the diseases.
  • Owners believed they knew their horses best.
  • Balancing management and treatment was complex. For example, for weight management horses must be kept off grass, but for arthritis they need to move around.
  • Owners wanted horses to have time to be out with other horses.
  • The vet-owner relationship was important in the care of the horse.
  • Small improvements in veterinary-to-owner communication could have a large impact on treatment compliance.
  • Cost of treatment was not the main consideration, but it was a concern.
  • Health and happiness go hand in hand. Owners think horses can’t have one without the other.
  • The perceived risk of laminitis was troubling to owners.

Editor’s note: You can access the full Proceedings of the 5th GEES Symposium here.

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  • Kimberly S. Brown
    Kimberly S. Brown is an award-winning writer and publisher. She is the Editorial Director for My Senior Horse. Brown spent 10 years at Equine Network, parent company of My Senior Horse. Prior to that she worked for three years in equine nutrition after she retired from nearly 30 years working at The Blood-Horse. Brown spent the last 15 years of her time at that organization creating and developing The Horse and TheHorse.com.
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