Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID or equine Cushings disease) is the most common endocrine disorder in older horses. Treatment dramatically improves welfare for affected animals.
PPID welfare impacts operate through two main pathways: the direct effects of hormonal dysregulation and the serious complication of laminitis. The hormonal effects of uncontrolled PPID include muscle wasting, immunosuppression leading to chronic infections, and coat abnormalities that impair thermoregulation. More critically, PPID significantly elevates laminitis risk — and laminitis causes some of the most severe and prolonged pain experienced by horses. Early PPID diagnosis through ACTH testing, followed by timely pergolide therapy, prevents laminitis episodes and preserves comfort in horses that might otherwise deteriorate into severe welfare-compromising disease. Regular monitoring of treated horses ensures medication dose adjustments keep ACTH within normal ranges.