Diet for Equine Cushing's Disease

Equine Cushing's disease is a disease in horses where the pituitary gland, which is responsible for producing hormones, becomes overactive. The gland can grow in size, causing it to press against the brain and, in some cases, results in nerve problems. Horses with Cushing's disease experience many health problems, including weight loss, lethargy and excessive drinking and urination. Cushing's disease can be treated with drugs as well as a strict diet.

  1. Feed the horse grass hay and grass hay pellets

    • Horses with Cushing's disease often suffer from insulin resistance, which means their bodies cannot break down sugar properly, and they are left with excess sugar in the bloodstream. Feeding a horse with Cushing's grass hay and grass hay pellets, which are low in sugar and carbohydrates, can help the horse's body manage its insulin and sugar levels.

    Eliminate alfalfa and grain

    • Alfalfa and grain are relatively high in sugar and carbohydrates, which can cause insulin processing problems in some horses with Cushing's. Eliminating alfalfa and grain from the horse's diet may help with some of its Cushing symptoms by reducing the amount of sugar it takes in. In her article "Advances Against Cushing's Disease," veterinarian Janice Posnikoff recommends this approach as a way to help manage Cushing's symptoms.

    Feed the horse extruded feeds

    • Because many horses with Cushing's disease lose weight, feeding them an extruded feed that uses soy and beet pulp can help keep them from becoming too thin. Posnikoff recommends using these types of feed for horses with Cushing's whose symptoms are not severe, because soy and beet pulp feeds may contain more sugar.

    Try using chasteberry

    • Chasteberry is an herb that has long been used to treat menstrual problems in women. Some horse enthusiasts, including Nina Arbella, founder and president of Eye of the Storm Equine Rescue in Stow, Massachusetts, say they have seen improvements in Cushing's horses after they were given chasteberry. Arbella writes on the horse enthusiast website Alpha Horse that she has used chasteberry to treat Cushing's horses with great success.