New Weight Loss Program for EMS Horses a Welcomed Success

Researchers recently tested a weight loss plan designed for horses with EMS and had positive results.
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One of the first steps to helping an obese horse drop a few pounds is recognizing that he’s overweight in the first place. The next step? Implementing a diet program. But that hasn’t always been as easy as it seems, as few tried and true weight loss programs for horses exist. British researchers recently tested a weight loss plan designed specifically for horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and had positive results.

“Weight loss in obese horses and ponies is important because obesity can contribute to the development of insulin resistance, equine metabolic syndrome, and laminitis,” explained Cathy McGowan, BVSc, MACVSc, PhD, DEIM, Dip. ECEIM, FHEA, MRCVS, Head of Equine Internal Medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool, U.K. In turn, laminitis can cause severe pain and, in some cases, necessitate euthanasia.

“Obesity is often a result of over nutrition and inadequate physical activity, both of which are under the control of the owner,” McGowan said.

Veterinarians recommend restricting an EMS horse’s diet to achieve and maintain a healthy body condition score. But until now, a “diet” that helps improve insulin sensitivity in horses with EMS has not been described

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Written by:

Stacey Oke, MSc, DVM, is a practicing veterinarian and freelance medical writer and editor. She is interested in both large and small animals, as well as complementary and alternative medicine. Since 2005, she’s worked as a research consultant for nutritional supplement companies, assisted physicians and veterinarians in publishing research articles and textbooks, and written for a number of educational magazines and websites.

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