Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a cluster of problems that includes obesity, insulin resistance, and laminitis. Horses with EMS are easy keepers and stay fat even when fed only hay or pasture grass. They often have a thick cresty neck and fat pads elsewhere. Ponies, Morgans, Paso Finos, and Arabians are particularly prone to EMS, but all breeds are affected. Insulin resistance is like early diabetes and affects the ability of the horse to regulate its glucose levels in the blood. This can only be detected with a blood test. The third component of EMS is laminitis, which is commonly called founder. This occurs most often in horses grazing on pasture and is more common in the spring when the grass is lush and green.

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Contact:

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