Pergolide helps manage equine PPID, study finds
The pergolide treatment did not have any effect on horses which were diagnosed with ID only.
A new study has highlighted the benefits of using pergolide mesylate to treat horses diagnosed with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID).
The drug, which is already commonly used for treating the condition, proved to be effective in reducing the amount of insulin produced by horses when eating.
PPID, also known as Cushing's syndrome, affects the pituitary gland at the base of a horse's brain which produces hormones in response to brain signals. When damaged due to PPID, there can be excessive production of normal hormones, leading to issues such as laminitis and weight loss.
The risk of developing laminitis is higher in horses also diagnosed with insulin dysregulation (ID). A high concentration of insulin is now recognised as the leading cause of laminitis in the UK.
A research project, published by the University of Melbourne, sought to investigate how effective pergolide was at managing the clinical signs of PPID.
The study saw 16 senior horses (eight with PPID and ID, eight with ID only) take part in a standard meal test. Researchers measured the horses' insulin concentration before and after they had eaten a high starch meal.
All of the horses did the standard meal test twice, once after four weeks of pergolide treatment and once without pergolide treatment.
The results revealed that pergolide was an effective treatment for horses with both PPID and ID. Horses treated with pergolide recorded blood insulin levels at the same level as horses that only had ID.
However, the pergolide treatment did not have any effect on horses which were diagnosed with ID only. Researchers say that this highlights the importance of testing for PPID and ID separately, as treating one may not manage the other.
The study also found that, even when treated with pergolide, the horses diagnosed with PPID or ID still produced more insulin from starchy, sugary meals than healthy horses. Researchers say that a low sugar and starch diet remains vital for managing horses with PPID and ID.
The full study has been published in the Equine Veterinary Journal.
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The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
