Category: Metabolic

𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐚𝐰 is one of many possible consequences of 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞, and results in jaw bones that are unusually soft and malleable, like rubber! This condition is more scientifically known as 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲.

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐭 is when the fat becomes jelly-like and clear, rather than having its normal fatty yellow appearance.

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 is essentially what it sounds like, having too much copper in the body. There are two basic forms, 𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, where the body is delivered a large amount of copper over a short period of time, and 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, where there are consistently high levels of copper, but not enough to induce acute toxicity.

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐮𝐭 is the accumulation of 𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐝, a breakdown product of protein that is normally excreted by the kidneys. When there is an issue with the kidneys, uric acid is not properly excreted, leading to little white nodules of urate crystals all over the internal organs. Weird!

𝐄𝐌𝐒 is an endocrine dysfunction of 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧, the body’s main hormone it uses to get 𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐞 (the main sugar used for energy) into cells. In normal horses, insulin levels increase when blood glucose levels increase, to help store the glucose away in cells and provide the cells energy. In EMS horses, they typically have 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚, which is when there are high levels of insulin despite normal levels of blood glucose.

𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐃 is an endocrine dysfunction caused by an 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐚 (a benign tumour) in the pituitary gland of the horse. The pituitary gland’s main job is to produce hormones that control the other hormone-secreting organs, such as the adrenal glands or thyroid gland. So when it develops an adenoma, the tumour can interfere with the normal hormone production of the pituitary gland, causing issues like PPID.

Diabetes mellitus is a 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, meaning that it impacts how the body processes certain materials. In diabetes mellitus, 𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐞 (the major sugar in our body) is not able to move through its normal metabolic cycle, causing it to accumulate in the blood stream causing 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐥𝐲𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚 (too much glucose in the blood).

Hepatic lipidosis is basically when there is accumulation of 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐥𝐲𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 (the smallest component of fat) within the liver cells.