Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Summary

The term equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is used to describe the clustering of obesity (and/or regional accumulations of fat), insulin resistance and increased susceptibility to laminitis in horses and ponies. In fact, EMS is now regarded as the most common cause of laminitis.

This presentation will review the clinical features, diagnosis and medical management of EMS, and discuss dietary and exercise measures for mitigation of laminitis risk in affected animals.

This webcast is the fourth in a series titled “Equine Genetics: A New Diagnostic Resource for Horse Owners,” and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Research Initiative.

Presenter Information

Dr. Raymond Geor is a Professor and Chairperson in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. Dr. Geor earned his veterinary degree from Massey University in New Zealand in 1983 and completed a large-animal internship at Murdoch University in Australia in 1984. He then did a large-animal residency and completed an MVSc degree at Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, in 1988. He earned a PhD from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Large Animal).

His clinical and research interests are in equine medicine, nutrition and exercise science. A current research focus is the interactions between obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance, and how these conditions increase susceptibility to laminitis.

Watch the recorded webcast below!