Equine Cushing’s disease (ECD)

Equine Cushing’s disease (ECD) is also called pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and it affects older horses. The most reliable sign of this disease is a thick curly haircoat in an older horse or pony. This long haircoat fails to shed out in the spring, or in the early stages, the hair sheds out later than on other horses in the barn. Horses with Cushing’s disease are thinner overall because they are losing muscle mass, but still have fat deposits in the neck, above the eyes, and near the tailhead. These horses also suffer from founder.  

 

.

Contact:

Dr. Frank, Associate Professor College of Veterinary Medicine The University of Tennessee 2407 River Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 Email: