Saturday, October 13, 2007

The Trouble With Long Hair - Cushing's Disease.

As summer sets in most horses have shed their winter coats. But some older horses are still clinging to their winter coat. Some have not shed it at all.
Failure to shed the winter coat is a good indication that a horse has Cushing's disease.
Cushing's disease is being recognised more and more frequently in older horses and ponies. The condition is named because of its similarities to the human disease of the same name. But there are significant differences.
Equine Cushing's disease is associated with excessive cortisol production by the adrenal gland. In almost all cases, it is caused by increased activity in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland, which sits at the base of the brain. The underlying problem seems to lie with nerves that should limit View the rest of this article


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