Treatment of equine metabolic syndrome: A clinical case series

Reasons for performing study
Treatment of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is essential to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of laminitis. Calorie restriction and increased exercise are the mainstays of treatment but there is potential for poor owner compliance.

Objectives
To determine whether significant weight loss accompanied by improvements in measures of insulin sensitivity can be achieved in horses and ponies with EMS managed by their owners in their normal environment under veterinary guidance.

Study design
Retrospective clinical case series.

Methods
Horses and ponies attending 2 university hospitals for investigation and treatment of suspected EMS were eligible for inclusion in the study. Animals underwent a clinical examination, basal and dynamic endocrine testing; those with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) were excluded. Owners were given individually tailored diet and exercise programmes to follow for between 3 and 6 months. After the treatment period, clinical examination and endocrine tests were repeated and results compared to the initial assessment.

Results
Nineteen animals were recruited to the study, 17 with a history of laminitis. All animals showed a reduction in body condition score (P
Conclusions
A diet and exercise programme tailored to the needs of the individual animal and implemented by the owner results in weight loss accompanied by improvements in insulin sensitivity.