Assessing
nutrition
in NEW WP PASTURES AST TURES
Update on
PICA
in HORSES
CUSHING’S SYNDROME
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF
PERIPHERAL LOADING
SCENAR
therapy
in the hoof
ffor or P PAIN AIN
Herbs
to boost his
IMMUNE SYSTEM
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 2
DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 31, 2017
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April/May 2017
ENDURANCE RIDING How to do it
naturally
EquineWellnessMagazine.com Equine Wellness
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Conte 22 FEATURES 10 ASSESSING THE
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF A NEW PASTURE
If you’re moving your horse to a different facility, or purchasing a place of your own, you need to make sure his new pasture is going to measure up nutritionally.
14 CUSHING’S SYNDROME IN HORSES – AN UPDATE PART 1
As the number of horses with Cushing’s continues to rise, we need to keep building on our understanding of the disease, as well as how to recognize and treat it.
22 FEEDING HORSES BY TCM TEMPERAMENT TYPE Your horse’s personality as defined by Five Element theory could be the key to determining his dietary needs.
30 SCENAR THERAPY AND YOUR HORSE An emerging equine therapy, SCENAR may offer natural pain relief for your horse.
34 HERBS TO BOOST YOUR HORSE’S IMMUNITY These herbs can protect your horse from illness and infection by helping his immune system stay strong and resilient.
18 PROPER HYDRATION FOR 38 ADVENTURES IN EQUESTRIANS
ENDURANCE RIDING
You understand the importance of proper hydration for your horse, so you always make sure he gets the right amount of water and electrolytes – but it’s just as vital to pay attention to your own hydration needs!
How a friendly dare led one woman and her horse on a journey towards the most challenging ride in endurance – barefoot and bitless!
42 PICA IN HORSES Does your horse seem fixated on eating strange things? There may be much more to this behavior than you realize!
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48 WHY PERIPHERAL LOADING IN THE HOOF IS BAD FOR YOUR HORSE Shoeing and some trimming methods force a horse to bear all his weight on the hoof walls. This causes peripheral loading, along with negative effects on his comfort and movement.
51 DOES SPRING-FRESH GRASS DISTRACT YOUR HORSE FROM TRAINING? Turn your horse’s obsession with spring grass into a reinforcement opportunity by using clicker training and focusing on what you want from him.
nts 10
48 DEPARTMENTS 6 Editorial
COLUMNS 8 Neighborhood news
33 Product picks
28 Green acres
41 Heads up
45 Herb blurb
46 Equine Wellness resource guide
54 Minute horsemanship
59 Social media corner
56 To the rescue
60 Marketplace
58 Acupressure at-a-glance
61 Classifieds 61 Book review 62 Events
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Cushing’s SYNDROME in horses – an update
part 1
By Joyce C. Harman, DVM, MRCVS
As the number of horses with Cushing’s continues to rise, we need to keep building on our understanding of the disease, as well as how to recognize and treat it.
C
ushing’s syndrome has become one of the most common diagnoses in equine practice. There are several reasons why. Perhaps a major one is that we keep our horses going for a greater number of years than we did in the past, and Cushing’s tends to more commonly affect elderly horses. Veterinarians and horse owners are also much better informed about the condition and are knowledgeable about symptoms. In addition, our ability to test for the Cushing’s has improved, and the main drug prescribed for it has been approved for use in horses, leading to easy conventional treatment.
What is Cushing’s syndrome? A more correct term for Cushing’s among researchers is PPID (Pituitary Par Intermedia Dysfunction). This is because Cushing’s in humans and dogs affects a different part of the pituitary gland than it does in equines. PPID is a more correct functional term for the disease in horses, and should be adapted to describe this condition. Pituitary adenomas (tumors) of the pars intermedia part of the pituitary gland have been considered an almost normal part of aging in horses. However, tests show conflicting reports about how common the true adenoma tumor is. About half 14
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the sources feel an actual adenoma is less common, and that hyperplasia (abnormal and overactive, but not tumorous growth of cells) occurs instead. Both adenomas and hyperplasia cause similar sets of symptoms, but hyperplasia, being a functional disturbance rather than a tumor, is easier to treat. Many horses respond well to treatment; in these cases, the condition is probably more functional than cancerous. Older horses that do not respond well to treatment may have actual tumors.
A holistic perspective Looking at this condition from a holistic perspective, the primary issue is basically that the pituitary gland is aging and becoming less functional. The AAEP description of PPID supports this thinking by defining it as a condition that arises because the hypothalamus is no longer properly regulating the pituitary gland. Since the pituitary acts as the “grandmother” or master gland for the entire hormonal system, the entire system becomes dysfunctional as it loses function (see Fig. 1). Damage to any part of the system can affect other hormonal pathways. PPID has a large group of possible symptoms, depending on which system is most affected in an individual horse. Since natural medicine is generally tailored to the individual, it
Hypothalamus
Thyroid gland
Thyroid stimulating hormone
Regulates pituitary, uses dopamine
Ovaries
Folicle stimulating hormone
Testicles
Luteinizing hormone Insulin
Pituitary gland
Carries glucose to cells, muscle, etc.
Young body – growth
Growth hormone Adult – bones, muscle, fat
Pancreas Prolactin Glucagon
Milk for foal
Raises blood sugar if needed
Carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism Cortisol (glucocorticoids)
ACTH
Mineral balance Anti-inflammatory
Adrenals Anti-diuretic hormone
Stress, epinephrine, etc.
Kidneys, water regulation
Figure 1: The pituitary is the master gland for the entire hormonal system.
becomes possible to support each horse. Younger horses with a diagnosis of Cushing’s disease have most likely been stressed, often by a show or competitive career. There is also evidence that the inflammation caused by imbalances in the hormones contributes to tissue oxidation and breakdown. Laminitis remains one of the more frustrating complications of Cushing’s disease. Chronic cases can take a significant amount of time and energy to treat, and still yield unsatisfactory results.
Natural medicine provides a different and more diverse toolbox of treatments for the spectrum of symptoms collected under the title of Cushing’s disease.
Clinical signs The clinical signs most commonly associated with Cushing’s syndrome in horses are hirsutism (long hair that does not shed out in the summer), difficult-to-treat laminitis, and weight problems (over- or underweight). Many other symptoms appear
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