Thromboelastography in obese horses with insulin dysregulation compared to healthy controls.
Authors: Lovett Amy L, Gilliam Lyndi L, Sykes Benjamin W, McFarlane Dianne
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Hypercoagulability in Obese, Insulin-Dysregulated Horses Obesity and insulin dysregulation in horses trigger a hypercoagulable state—increased blood clotting potential—mirroring the cardiovascular risk profile documented in obese humans, yet this phenomenon had not been formally investigated in equine populations until now. Lovett and colleagues conducted a case-control study comparing kaolin-thromboelastography (TEG) and traditional coagulation markers in 15 healthy horses against 15 obese, insulin-dysregulated animals (defined as body condition score ≥7.5/9 and positive oral sugar test results). Obese, insulin-dysregulated horses demonstrated significantly elevated maximum amplitude (MA: 69.5 versus 64.8 mm) and G-value—a measure of clot strength (11,749 versus 9,319 dyn/m²)—both key TEG parameters indicating enhanced clotting potential; moreover, MA and G-value correlated positively with both body condition score and serum insulin levels at multiple time points during the sugar test. These findings carry important clinical implications: farriers and veterinarians managing overweight or metabolically compromised horses should recognise hypercoagulability as an underappreciated risk factor for thromboembolism and related vascular complications, particularly in animals undergoing surgery, prolonged stall rest, or experiencing systemic inflammation, making weight management and insulin regulation integral components of preventative care strategies.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Obese horses with insulin dysregulation have increased clotting tendency, which may elevate thromboembolism risk—weight management and metabolic control become cardiovascular risk reduction strategies
- •Body condition assessment is relevant to thrombotic risk; horses scoring ≥7.5/9 on the Henneke scale warrant metabolic evaluation and closer clinical monitoring
- •Consider hypercoagulability as an additional systemic consequence of equine obesity and metabolic syndrome when assessing comorbidity risk in these patients
Key Findings
- •Obese, insulin-dysregulated horses showed significantly elevated thromboelastography MA values (69.5 vs 64.8 mm, P=0.007) compared to healthy controls
- •G-value (clot stiffness) was significantly higher in obese horses (11,749 vs 9,319 dyn/m², P=0.004), indicating increased coagulation potential
- •Positive correlations existed between body condition score and both MA (R=0.45, P=0.01) and G-value (R=0.46, P=0.01)
- •Serum insulin levels at multiple timepoints correlated with MA and G-value, suggesting insulin dysregulation drives hypercoagulability