Laminitis Research: Might inflammation be an underlying cause of insulin dysregulation and equine metabolic syndrome?

DENVER/September 20, 2019 – Inflammation may be a bigger player in insulin dysregulation in horses than is commonly thought. Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Melbourne are working to determine if low-grade systemic inflammation might be an important underlying cause of insulin dysregulation.

If they are correct, their findings could help change current dietary recommendations for horses at risk of laminitis, a devastating disease linked to high insulin levels associated with insulin dysregulation.

Possible environmental chemical link found to equine metabolic syndrome and related laminitis in Welsh ponies and Morgan horses

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in a horse’s environment may play a role in the development of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), a leading cause of laminitis. This finding, made by Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at The University of Minnesota, could explain some of the variability in EMS severity that can’t be explained by other commonly measured factors, such as diet, exercise and season.

American Farrier's Association Funds Equine Stem Cell Research

Today the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) announced a donation of $10,000 through its Equine Research Fund to the Morris Animal Foundation in support of research being conducted by Morris Animal Foundation Fellow Dr. Alix Berglund at North Carolina State University.