Signs and Treatment of Cushings Disease
Although cushings disease occurs in different animals (horses, dogs, even people), the symptoms for each species are different. For example, in horses it causes the coat to grow longer and thicker, often becoming curly, whereas in dogs it has the opposite effect of causing hair to fall out and produce bald spots. The equine (horses, ponies, etc.) version of this illness is known as ECD (Equine Cushings Disease).
As a horse ages, there is an increasing tendency for the pituitary gland to develop tumors or to grow too large, resulting in it producing more hormones. This in turn stimulates the adrenal glands to produce additional steroids and when the level of steroids becomes excessive it results in cushings. Since these changes are age related, ECD is most often found in 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 symptoms of cushings disease vary somewhat from horse to horse, with the more common symptoms including: - Changes to the coat. It may become longer and curly. It may not be shed in Spring. In some cases the color becomes lighter. - Increased sweating. This is often due to the coat become longer and thicker, and retention of the winter coat into summer. - Weight loss despite increased appetite and food consumption. Changes to the body shape, with loss of muscle in back and neck, and development of pendulous abdomen. - General depression, loss of coat shine, horse looks ill. - Development of diabetes and a resulting increase in water consumption. This can be difficult to detect with pastured horses, but with stabled horses one may notice an abnormal amount of urine (or soiled bedding) in its box. - Development of laminitis. The most common cause of normal laminitis is carbohydrate overload due to eating spring grass, whereas ECD-caused laminitis is more frequent in autumn and winter since ECD is worse when the days are shorter (this is because the pineal gland is light-sensitive and as daylight decreases it stimulates the pituitary gland). - Immune system declines, leaving the horse more prone to infections and slower to heal from external injuries. - The depressions above the eyes fill in. These depressions are most evident when a horse is chewing, but gradually fill in with fat in ECD horses.
Any of these symptoms can be caused by a variety of illnesses other than ECD. Consequently, blood and urine tests are normally used to confirm that the cause is ECD (e.g. by measuring hormone levels and hormone response levels) and to rule out other possible diseases. Studies have shown that many horses with ECD are either not diagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed (the symptoms are incorrectly attributed to a different disease), with the result that they do not receive appropriate treatment.
Unfortunately it is not possible to cure ECD. However, one can slow the disease by the use of medication to reduce hormone production to normal levels. Note that some of these medications have strong side effects, so appropriate testing and control is required to prevent secondary illnesses (e.g. liver disease).
As cushings disease can result in the development of secondary diseases (e.g. laminitis, diabetes), the horse needs to be closely monitored for any symptoms of these, with appropriate and prompt treatment.
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.
Dr. Douglas Stewart is the owner of Horse Health and author of Cushings Disease in Horses article
categories: cushing,cushings,disease,horse,horses,equine,pets
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