NO Laminitis!
Conference Proceedings 2025

Discussion of the benefits of vitamin and mineral supplementation for faster hoof growth, providing recommendations for managing horses with poor hoof health or history of past laminitis. It also discussed the role of jiaogulan supplementation in feeding programs and how to manage horses with metabolic health issues, as well as the validity of blood testing for vitamin and mineral status.

This presentation draws on qualitative interviews among a sample of horse owners who manage one or more horses with EMS and/or PPID.

Review of forage analysis terms and how carbohydrates are extracted from samples, as well as several published works from around the world explaining the effects of various factors such as time of day, time of year, time of planting, differences in grass species, effect of shading, and effects of rotational grazing on carbohydrate accumulation in fresh grass and hay. Effects of various experiments using added carbohydrates on equine insulin, fecal pH, and laminitis, key differences in symptoms and clinical presentation also reviewed.

EMS and PPID with hyperinsulinemia require dietary management to reduce the intake of hyrolyzable carbohydrates (HC). Equines with metabolic disorders have specific nutrient requirements that are at times overlooked in the quest for safe forage. This presentation will demonstrate how to select forage and supplement to meet nutrient requirements but stay within the recommended HC threshold of 10% or less.

Measurement of basal adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration and of ACTH concentration following administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; the TRH stimulation test) are the most commonly used diagnostic tests for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). A large number of very diverse factors can affect ACTH concentrations.

This discussion will cover some of the lesser-known signs of early PPID and how these can alert you to this possible diagnosis.

GLP-1 Mimetics drugs are all the rage for people now. This presentation will discuss the state of our knowledge of where GLP-1 Mimetics might fit in with equine obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Hypertriglyceridemia is the most common side effect of the -flozin drugs. The likely reason for this complication and strategies for managing it will be discussed.

This lecture will discuss the reluctance of many veterinarians to go over a dosage of 2 mg/day for a horse, and will describe what happens if you do, as well as other insights from members of the ECIR group.

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors with specific breeds being more susceptible to EMS. Disease risk can also vary within breeds.We will discuss how the Arabian breed can be used to explore the differences in risk factor between different subgroups based on management and genetics.

This presentation is designed to aid in understanding the importance of obesity and metabolic disease in the development of laminitis.

Both PPID and Parkinson's Disease are caused by slow, progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. Anatomic variation in the areas of brain affected likely explain differences in clinical signs. We will review current knowledge about how PPID develops and possible ways to predict which equids will develop PPID in the future.

Understand the safe and responsible use of SGLT2 inhibitors, a new treatment option for managing hyperinsulinemia in horses, how these medications work, what they do to support horses with conditions like laminitis, when they may be appropriate, and why careful use is essential.