The average age of our patients is probably rising. As horses get older certain diseases become more common. Often following diagnosis many of these problems can be treated giving the horse a better quality of life and you, the owner, peace of mind.
Unfortunately many of these problems may be difficult to spot as the horse gets older and are put down to increasing age. One area in which there has been a rapid advancement of knowledge and the improvement in the effectiveness of treatment is Cushing’s disease in horses. The classic clinical signs are unexplained bouts of laminitis, an increase in drinking and urination and a long curly hair coat. Along with this, horses and ponies are often lethargic, have weight loss particularly of the 
muscles and are susceptible to infections. We often see ponies and horses for the first time for tooth or sinus infections when the underlying cause may well be poor immunity due to Cushing’s disease. A full investigation requires blood sampling and possibly a dexamethasone suppression test. Treatment of choice at present for Cushing’s is pergolide which is administered orally daily. It is wonderful to see these ponies and horses as their coats return to normal and they regain a lot of their youthful vigour following treatment.
Another common medical complaint we often deal with is weight loss. This may be caused by inadequate intake due to poor appetite, teeth problems or behavioural problems in a herd of horses. Or alternatively it may be due to poor absorption of the food once it reaches the gut, or loss of nutrients due to damage to the kidneys or the gut. Initial investigations may centre on analysis of blood samples, but we can also investigate these horses with glucose tolerance test, analysis of abdominal fluid, biopsies of the gut wall, and abdominal ultrasound. Treatment usually involves correction of the underlying problem, whether that be dentistry, or removal of inflammation in the gut wall.