Cushing’s syndrome in horses
Cushing’s syndrome is also a comparatively common metabolic disorder in horses. The excess of the hormone cortisone has similar effects on the metabolic processes as in humans or many other animals. Metabolic processes involved in fertility, sugar and fat metabolism, the immune system and many other body processes are also disturbed.
A frequent disorder in horses is the coat metabolism disorder. This is accompanied by diffuse hair loss, but also by unusually long, dense and curly hair. The change between summer and winter coat is also disturbed, and the pigmentation and colour of the coat can change.
An inflammation of the hooves is a dangerous symptom. The so-called “laminitis” is caused by circulatory disorders and can be serious and life-threatening. Furthermore, similar to humans, a bacon neck, trunk obesity and muscle loss typically develop. The Cushing’s syndrome is also often conspicuous by the infertility of the affected horse.