Tag Archives: insulin

Insulin, ACTH and Pain

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Dr. Kellon

Because testing for hormonal disease in horses is often triggered by the horse developing laminitis, the effect of pain on test results is always a concern. A 2020 German study looked at hospitalized horses in pain from various conditions including … Continue reading →

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Forget About Fructan and NSC

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Dr. Kellon

Some beliefs simply will not die, no matter how incorrect they are. Horses, ponies, donkeys/mules and minis which are prone to high insulin levels are at risk of developing health problems. For example, it has been clearly demonstrated that high … Continue reading →

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Insulin and Mineral Nutrition

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Dr. Kellon

High insulin in horses  does not have the clear inflammatory component documented in people but there is increased oxidative stress. The size of the upper legs is a good indicator of what this high insulin pony’s body should look like … Continue reading →

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Diet and Laminitis – No Link to Fructan

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

Horses and ponies, donkeys and mules, may develop laminitis on diets based on either hay or pasture. The cause isn’t fructan.  It isn’t hind gut acidosis.  Here’s the science. The AAEP’s Laminitis Working Group did a four year study with … Continue reading →

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Safe Supplements for Metabolic Horses

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

When evaluating supplements for horses prone to high insulin levels there are two basic areas to consider – the active ingredients and the base. On the ingredients front, some things to generally avoid include:  Added iron.  These horses often have … Continue reading →

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Grazing the Metabolic Horse

Posted on June 20, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

The hardest thing for owners of horses with EMS or PPID to accept is that grazing can be hazardous. Vegetation available to feral horses looks very different from the dense green grass domestic horses graze. Eating grass seems like the … Continue reading →

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All Carbs Matter in Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

There are physiological differences between humans and horses. For example, horses don’t produce high levels of ketones, even when starving.  Horses with EMS are not at high risk for cardiovascular disease the way humans are. They develop laminitis instead. Despite … Continue reading →

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Metabolic Disease Misinformation

Posted on May 16, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

Grazing season makes attention turn to equine metabolic disorders but there is a wealth of misinformation out there, despite solid research that disproves some pieces of advice and a clear lack of supporting research for others. False:  NSC and fructan … Continue reading →

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Spring Pastures

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

In most areas of North America, pastures are coming to their verdant peak.  This beautiful flush is also a powerhouse of nutrition for the horse. Spring grass has abundant supplies of  vitamins and omega-3 essential fats which likely contribute to … Continue reading →

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Do You Need an Oral Sugar Test to Diagnose EMS?

Posted on October 27, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

It has been established that high blood insulin is responsible for about 90% of all laminitis cases and best current estimate is 10 to 15% of the equine population is at risk of EMS – Equine Metabolic Syndrome.  A central … Continue reading →

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