June 2002

No Sweets For Laminitis-Prone Horses

Treat your metabolic-syndrome horse as if he were diabetic.

No matter how much he begs: No sweets!

You know the type: easy keeper, cresty neck, weird fat deposits. He’s prone to laminitis, and you’ve heard “pre-Cushing’s” comments from the vet, or maybe he is Cushing’s. Most of these horses also have insulin-resistance problems. In fact, they’re said to have “metabolic syndrome,” somewhat like Syndrome X in “pre-diabetic” people. These horses require a strict diet, just like human diabetics do.

Theories abound regarding what causes the insulin resistance, from something as simple as overfeeding to a suspicion that they’re all really in a stage of Cushing’s. Regardless of why, however, one thing is clear: This horse should only consume feed that won’t produce a rise in blood sugar.…