Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI), has received FDA approval to market Prascend (pergolide mesylate) for treatment of clinical signs associated with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as equine Cushing’s disease.

Administered in tablet form, Prascend is the first and only FDA-approved product for managing PPID in horses. BIVI indicates that treating PPID-affected horses with Prascend can improve their quality of life by managing clinical signs and decreasing the risk of potentially life-threatening disease complications.

It is estimated that one in seven horses over the age of 15 has PPID and horses as young as seven years of age have been diagnosed with the disease. In addition, up to 70% of clinical laminitis cases also might be affected with underlying PPID. The most common clinical signs of advanced-stage PPID in horses are hirsutism (an abnormal amount of hair growth), abnormal sweating, weight loss, muscle wasting, abnormal fat distribution, lethargy, laminitis, polydipsia/polyuria (increased drinking and urination), and chronic/recurrent infections.

"Unfortunately, PPID is not a curable disease," says John Tuttle, DVM, BIVI equine technical services veterinarian. "However, Prascend does offer a safe and efficacious treatment option to veterinarians and horse owners that can help reduce the clinical signs of the disease and effectively improve the quality of life of infected horses