Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction affects many older horses. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment significantly improve comfort and quality of life.
Undiagnosed or undertreated PPID causes significant and progressive suffering. Muscle wasting reduces exercise tolerance and comfort, while failure to shed the heavy winter coat causes heat stress in summer. PPID-associated laminitis is painful, potentially severely so, and often leads to premature euthanasia. The coat changes — long and curly — were historically dismissed as normal ageing, delaying diagnosis. Improved awareness and accessible ACTH testing now enable earlier intervention. With effective treatment, many horses experience substantial improvement in coat, energy, and laminitis frequency. Annual monitoring allows dose adjustment as the condition progresses.