Page 17 - Summer 21

Homeopathic Treatment in Cases of Insulin Resistance in Horses
by Madalyn Ward, DVM, CVH
Equine insulin resistance is a genetic condition affecting multiple breeds of horses including Arabians, Morgans, Mustangs, Iberian types and ponies. Insulin resistance is also an issue in many donkeys and mules. Low sugar diets, regular exercise and weight management help control the manifestation of insulin resistance but do not remove the susceptibility.
Horses with active insulin resistance show hard fat deposits in the crest and shoulder areas. Decompensated insulin resistance will often cause laminitis that develops gradually and is refractory to treatment with NSAIDs. Horses with insulin resistance also have low levels of thyroid function, contributing to obesity, but treatment with thyroid hormone gives only temporary improvement. Chronic stress, mineral imbalances/deficiencies, free radical damage, and iron toxicity can be additional triggers for the expression of the insulin resistant gene.
Constitutional homeopathy is helpful in preventing the expression of the insulin resistant gene. Horses showing signs of insulin resistance and/or endocrine related laminitis also benefit from homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy in combination with diet and weight loss management gives the best results.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin Resistance (IR) is a condition that occurs when more energy is coming into the body and being converted into glucose than the body can use and/or store for future needs. Insulin is the hormone responsible for transferring glucose from the blood into the cells and IR occurs when the cells become less responsive to insulin. With IR the
This case originally publiched in AVH journal winter 2019. Reproduced with kind permission.
levels of insulin in the blood increase above normal in an effort to keep blood glucose levels within normal range. Although insulin is most often connected with sugar metabolism, it is also important in the ut ilization of lipids and proteins.
Certain breeds of horses are genetically more prone to IR and are considered to inherit this “thrifty gene.” These horses do well on lower quality and quantity of feed and are considered “Easy Keepers.” These breeds have evolved from arid climates where food was scarce, so the IR gene was useful for survival. In modern times, most horses are overfed and under-exercised, so the IR gene becomes a liability.
Research has shown that mineral balanced, low sugar diets, and moderate exercise are the best ways to manage the IR prone horse.1 Access to grass or pasture should be restricted or limited, depending on the sugar levels. Sugar levels in pasture forage can vary greatly depending on the season, type of plants and stress on the plants. These horses need an overall diet that is less than 10% ESC/Starch.
Testing feed, hay and pasture can be done at Cargill lab or Equi-analytical lab. The Trainer test from Equi-analytical provides the levels of Protein, ESC, Starch and Trace minerals so the diet can be evaluated for safety and mineral balance. This test also gives the digestibility of the forage.
Symptoms of Insulin Resistance
Horses with actively expressing IR will have hard fat deposits on the crest of the neck. Hard fat deposits can
also be found across the withers and tail head. The sheath of geldings and udders of mares can show swelling from local fat deposits interfering wit h lymphatic drainage in the area. 2
Obesity is a common sign of IR but some horses with improperly controlled IR will maintain the hard fat deposits in the usual places of the body even after losing weight. Other signs include low thyroid function, lethargy and, most devastating of all, laminitis.
Testing for IR is important to determine if the condition is present alone or in combination with other hormone imbalances, such as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID, Cushings disorder), low thyroid function or leptin resistance. The best lab to perform these tests is Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center and the Equine Metabolic Syndrome Diagnostic Plan is the best test. This test should be done without fasting the horse, but the horse should be given low sugar hay and the test performed with the least amount of stress.
Handling of the samples is critical for accurate values.
Samples: (1) EDTA plasma in LTT (separated and placed in plastic tube or plain RTT) and frozen within 4 hours of obtaining sample; AND (2) serum (separated promptly). SHIP CHILLED/FROZEN.
Containers required: 1) Lavender top tube AND 1) Redtop
Coolant: (1) Separate and Freeze plasma within 4 hours of drawing sample; (2) Separate serum promptly and refrigerate. Ship chilled with ice packs in insulated container. Delayed serum separation or submission of
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