Insulin Resistance: Variation in Blood Test Levels

A blood sample is usually a key step in diagnosing a horse as insulin resistant. But a recent study showed that one sample might not give enough information for an accurate diagnosis, because the horse’s blood sugar and insulin fluctuates daily. “Your veterinarian should probably take at least two samples on different days,” recommended Shannon E. Pratt, PhD, of North Carolina State University, wh
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A blood sample is usually a key step in diagnosing a horse as insulin resistant. But a recent study showed that one sample might not give enough information for an accurate diagnosis, because the horse's blood sugar and insulin fluctuates daily.

"Your veterinarian should probably take at least two samples on different days," recommended Shannon E. Pratt, PhD, of North Carolina State University, who recently completed a study on the topic.

For six days, Pratt and her colleagues took blood samples from six horses that had not been fed for four hours. The researchers measured the insulin and glucose concentrations, finding "significant day-to-day variation, which means that the results from a single blood sample aren�t entirely reliable," Pratt said.

Insulin resistance has been associated with an increased risk of laminitis and metabolic syndrome. If an owner wants to help the veterinarian get the best blood samples for testing, Pratt suggested that animals should not be fed nor exercised for at least four hours before the test

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