Signs of PPID vary widely and may be mild or severe. Your horse may show several signs of disease or only one, so it's best to check with your veterinarian if you notice unusual changes in your horse. Three common telltale signs that your horse might have PPID include an abnormal hair coat (such as long patches of hair or hair that doesn't shed), unexplained laminitis (lameness), or getting a pot belly or fat pouches around the eyes or tail head.1,2

Additional common signs that your horse may have PPID, include:

  • Excessive sweating1,2
  • Increased appetite2
  • Increased drinking1-3
  • Increased urination1-3
  • Muscle loss2,3
  • Slow-to-heal wounds and more frequent infections3
  • Dental problems1
  • Lack of energy or poor performance1-3

If you spot any of these signs in your horse, you can help your horse by seeing your veterinarian right away. He or she will look deeper to find out the cause. The best news is that even if your veterinarian finds that your horse has PPID, there are care and treatment options available to help keep your horse healthy and happy. Click here for more information.

sign

Abnormal Hair Coat

One of the easiest-to-spot signs of PPID that you might notice is a change to your horse's hair coat. You may see anything from a slight change in color or shedding patterns to a long, overgrown coat that fails to shed (a condition that veterinarians call hirsutism).1,2 But don't wait until your... Read More

sign

Laminitis (lameness)

Another sign that your horse might have PPID is laminitis or lameness that keeps coming back or just won't go away.1,3,4 Laminitis affects the feet and hooves of horses and ponies, causing pain and lameness varying from slight to severe. In the worst cases, tissues in the feet become so... Read More

sign

Unusual fat pouches

If you notice your horse getting fat in uncommon places, it's not part of the normal aging process. But, it may be a sign of PPID. This disease can cause fat pouches in strange places, such as the top of the neck, the tail head, and above and around the eyes.1-3 Or, your horse may begin to show a... Read More

Important safety information

PRASCEND is for use in horses only. Treatment with PRASCEND may cause loss of appetite. Most cases are mild. Weight loss, lack of energy, and behavioral changes also may be observed. If severe, a temporary dose reduction may be necessary. PRASCEND has not been evaluated in breeding, pregnant, or lactating horses and may interfere with reproductive hormones in these horses. Using PRASCEND at the same time as drugs known as dopamine antagonists should be avoided. These drugs may diminish the effectiveness of PRASCEND. If your horse is especially sensitive to pergolide mesylate or similar products, PRASCEND should not be used. Refer to the package insert for complete product information.

References:

  1. Schott HC. Pars pituitary intermedia dysfunction: challenges of diagnosis and treatment. In: Proceedings from the 52nd American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention; December 2-6, 2006; San Antonio, TX.
  2. Oke S. Equine Cushing's disease [fact sheet]. Beech J, ed. The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications; 2010. Available at: http://www.southmountainequine.net/educational/documents/cushings.pdf. Accessed August 12, 2011.
  3. Schott HC. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: equine Cushing's disease. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2002;18(2):237-270.
  4. Donaldson MT, Jorgensen AJ, Beech J. Evaluation of suspected pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses with laminitis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2004;224(7):1123-1127.

Photos courtesy of: N. Frank, DVM, PhD, ACVIM The Liphook Equine Hospital, East Hampshire, United Kingdom