Equine metabolic syndrome.
Authors: Morgan, Keen, McGowan
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Metabolic Syndrome Laminitis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in equine practice, yet for decades treatment protocols have remained largely unchanged despite significant advances in our understanding of its underlying causes. Morgan, Keen and McGowan's 2016 review in *The Veterinary Record* challenges practitioners to reconceptualise laminitis not as a primary disease but as a clinical manifestation of systemic pathology, with over 90% of cases attributable to endocrine dysfunction—predominantly equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). The authors examine the predisposing factors, diagnostic criteria and management strategies for EMS, emphasising that early identification and effective control of metabolic disease offers the most pragmatic route to preventing chronic, debilitating laminitis in affected horses. For equine professionals across all disciplines, this represents a fundamental shift in diagnostic thinking: rather than treating laminitis as an isolated orthopaedic problem, a thorough metabolic workup should form the foundation of any lameness investigation. Implementing proactive screening and management protocols for EMS—particularly in predisposed populations—can substantially improve long-term outcomes and reduce the welfare burden of recurrent or chronic disease.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Always investigate the underlying cause when a horse presents with laminitis—assume endocrine disease (particularly EMS) until proven otherwise
- •Implement early screening and management protocols for EMS in your practice to prevent the devastating progression to chronic painful laminitis
- •Familiarize yourself with EMS diagnosis and management strategies, as this represents the primary preventive opportunity for laminitis in most cases
Key Findings
- •Laminitis should be considered a clinical sign of underlying disease rather than a disease in itself
- •More than 90% of horses presenting with laminitis have endocrine disease as the underlying cause, most commonly equine metabolic syndrome
- •Early diagnosis and effective management of EMS is crucial to prevent chronic recurrent laminitis
- •Understanding predisposing factors and diagnostic approaches for EMS is essential for equine practitioners