PPID Flashcards
Most likely diagnosis
PPID
(Primary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction)
Equine Cushing’s Disease
List the most common clinical signs associated ith this disease
Hypertrichosis / Hisrutism
Laminitis
PU/PD
Muslce wasting - pendulous abdomen
Weight loss
Recurrent infections
When and at what age are you most likely to encounter this disease
During Spring or summer when horses fail to shed their winter coats
Horses older than 7yrs (7-40)
More prevalent in ponies
Common recurrent infections associated with PPID
Dermatitis
Sinusitis
Pneumonia
Other disease that are likely DD’s for PPID
Equine metabolic syndrome
Obesity and laminitis
Hyperadrenocortisism
Hypothyroidism
Diagnose PPID
- Resting ACTH test
- DST (dexamethasone suppression test)
How to collect sample for resting ACTH test
EDTA blood sample
Centrifuge and decant plasma
Send frozen to receive cool
Causes of increased ACTH in horses
Excitement
Exercise
Severe illness
How to collect sample for DST in horses
Draw lood into serum tube (RED)
Inject 20mg Dexamethasone IM
Collect another Serum sample (RED) 19 hours later
Process both samples at the same time
Send the the serum cool / frozen
Actue general treatment for PPID
Pergolide (0.2-5.0 mg/kg) PO Q24h
What is Pergolide
DOC for treating PPID in horses
Dopamine D2 receptor agonist
Chronic treatment of PPID in horses
- Pergolide for life (can get expensive)
- Change diet: decrease soluble carbs(concentrates, sweet feed and corn)
- Specific treatment for chronic laminitis
- Clip hair in warmer regions
- Avoid stressful conditions
Prognosis of PPID in horses
- PPID is incurable so it depends on the clinical signs
- Mild laminitis with specific treatment can live for years
- Severe laminitis or secondary infections have guarded prognosis
