The obese horse

1. The horse needs 2% of its weight in concentrates

1. Fat
   1. release of bad toxins
      1. Leptin
      2. Resistin
      3. Cortisol
      4. Free fatty acids
      5. Cytokines
         1. Damage the horse lamella
         2. TNF-alpha
         3. IL-1
         4. IL-6
         5. 11 beta dehydrogenase
            1. Promotes cortisol
            2. Decreases sensitivity to insulin
   2. Crest size directly correlates with mental fat
2. Native breed
   1. There is some heritability

1. Insulin and glucose tollerence
2. Hypercoagulable
   1. predisposing to laminitis
3. Vascular compramise
   1. Predisposing to laminitis

1. Insulin-glucose tolerance testing

   Nota:

   • A base line glucose blood sample is taken after 12 hours of fasting then samples are at 1, 5 and 10 minuets followed but samples ever 10 minuets up to an hour then every 30 minuets up to 2.5 hours

1. Thyroxine
   1. increases the basal metabolism
2. Laminitis treatment

   Nota:

   • -NSAIDs -Pain killers -farriery -light exercise once better
3. Weight loss
4. anti hyperglycemic agents
   1. Metformin
      1. Acts on liver
      2. Actions short lived

1. Diagnosis options
   1. Gold standard ACTH assay

1. Extremely rare

1. Fat
2. Genetics
   1. Breed
3. lactating
4. Pregnancy
5. Inactivity
6. Underlying disease
7. Stress

Nota:

• If the pony is ill and fat test, if it is peripartuant on top of that test ASAP!!

1. Blood sample
   1. White plasma
   2. triglycerides >5mmol/l
   3. increased liver enzymes
   4. azotaemia
   5. electrolyte issues
   6. Hypoglycemia

1. Treat the underlying cause
2. Nutritional support
   1. reverse negative energy balance
   2. Enteral feeding
      1. Pre brought or home made
   3. highly palatable feed.
3. Fluids
4. Correct electrolyte abnormalities
5. Diuresis if metabolic acidosis
6. Exogenous insulin and heperin
   1. decreases lipolysis

1. decrease BCS
2. correct energy balance
3. miinimise stress