If your horse is over five years old, overweight, and prone to laminitis, they might have equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). It is a chronic condition comparable to Type II diabetes in humans. While EMS cannot be cured, it can be managed to help minimize symptoms and complications. Horse owners often work closely with veterinarians while using supportive products found in categories such as horse supplements and wellness supplies from retailers like horse supplements.
What Is Equine Metabolic Syndrome?
Equine metabolic syndrome affects horses in three main ways. They are easy keepers and may be obese despite a healthy diet. Those who are not obese might have areas of fat accumulation on the back of their neck, on their ribs, and over their topline to their tail head.
Horses with EMS are prone to insulin resistance. They may overproduce insulin after a meal high in soluble carbohydrates, and their tissues may not respond properly to the insulin, allowing abnormally high levels of glucose to remain in the bloodstream rather than enter cells to be used as energy.
The most debilitating aspect of EMS is how it predisposes horses to laminitis. Researchers are still not sure exactly why insulin resistance is linked to laminitis, but it may be related to the way high levels of insulin in the blood cause blood vessels in the hoof to constrict. Another theory is that high insulin levels interact with the way cells grow, weakening the connection between the coffin bone and the hoof wall. Products that support hoof health can be found in categories like horse hoof care.
Other symptoms may include:
- Increased water consumption
- Increased urination
- Increased appetite
- Infertility
How Do Horses Get Equine Metabolic Syndrome?
Horses with EMS appear to have a genetic predisposition that once aided their survival in conditions with inadequate resources. While they once had the evolutionary advantage of maintaining their weight on fewer calories, easy keepers are now more likely to become obese and develop EMS.
Modern feeding practices can also contribute. Diets high in sugars and starches combined with limited exercise increase the likelihood of insulin resistance developing in susceptible horses.
How Is Equine Metabolic Syndrome Treated?
Most horses are diagnosed after several bouts of laminitis. Diagnostic testing typically consists of blood glucose checks and insulin resistance tests performed by a veterinarian.
With treatment and dietary changes, horses with EMS can remain healthy and can often be ridden so long as they are not experiencing a laminitis flare-up. However, damage to the coffin bone after severe bouts of laminitis may eventually lead to chronic lameness and, in some cases, euthanasia.
Fortunately, there are several treatment options available to help manage EMS symptoms and reduce the risk of laminitis.
Your veterinarian may prescribe:
- Synthetic thyroid hormone replacements to aid weight loss
- Insulin-sensitizing medications to help reduce insulin resistance
The primary way to manage EMS is through diet and exercise. A horse with EMS cannot tolerate sugars of any kind, including carbohydrates that convert to sugar, so grains are usually removed from the diet. Hay can be soaked to remove excess starch. Fresh spring grass can also trigger insulin overproduction, so it may be necessary to use a grazing muzzle when the horse is turned out.
Many horse owners also explore nutritional support and metabolic supplements designed to support insulin regulation and overall metabolic health. These products can be found in the horse supplies category along with other products that help maintain equine wellness.
Working closely with your veterinarian and managing diet, exercise, and supportive care can help horses with equine metabolic syndrome live comfortable and active lives.
