Equine Cushings Disease – Symptoms and Treatment
Cushings disease occurs in horses, dogs and even people. However, the symptoms are different, depending on the species. In horses it results in increased hair growth (longer, thicker, curly) whereas in dogs it results in hair loss and even bald spots. The horse version of this illness is called ECD (Equine Cushings Disease).
ECD is the result of excessive steroid production by the adrenal glands. This is caused by the pituitary gland producing too much hormones and thus over-stimulating the adrenals, which is usually the result of either tumor growth on the pituitary or age-related growth of the pituitary gland itself. Both changes of the pituitary are age-related, so ECD is most common in older horses (over 15 years) but has been found in horses as young as seven.
The disease cushings is named after Harvey Cushing, who identified and explained the disease in’21. ECD is simply the equine equivalent of the disease which Dr. Cushing first identified in humans.
The most common symptom of ECD is coat changes (becoming curly, thicker, longer, failure to shed, lighter in color). Sweating tends to increase as a result of the heavier coat. There is muscle loss in the back and neck, even when the horse increases its food intake. Laminitis eventually develops. Diabetes usually develops, with the result that the horse drinks and urinates more than normal. Due to the immune system being depressed, the horse is more prone to infections and slower to heal from injuries. The depressions over the eyes tend to disappear due to fat deposits.
Each of these symptoms could be caused by other illnesses, so it is often a combination of them which results in ECD being diagnosed. Urine and blood tests can be used to rule out other possible causes and to confirm the presence of ECD. Studies have found that many older horses (especially ponies) have ECD than are diagnosed. Consequently, greater care is required to identify ECD in the early stages, when controlling treatment is effective.
Although ECD is not curable, it can be treated. The most common treatment is the use of medication to reduce hormone production to near normal levels, thereby slowing down the development of secondary problems.
One also needs to watch for symptoms of secondary diseases, such as laminitis or diabetes, which are more common in horses with ECD. These need to be treated promptly to prevent them from further damaging the horse’s health.
Finally, one should make the horse more comfortable by treating the individual symptoms. If the horse is over-heating due to a heavier coat, one should clip the coat to make the horse more comfortable.
The article Cushings Disease was written by Doug Stewart as part of his Horse Care series.
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