Evaluating an Anti-inflammatory Drug’s Effect on Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Horses with equine metabolic syndrome have issues with insulin and glucose regulation and are predisposed to developing laminitis, a painful and potentially fatal condition of the hoof. The drug phenylbutazone is the most commonly prescribed treatment of chronic laminitis. However, studies of this drug in humans and rodents indicate that phenylbutazone can cause increases in insulin secretion. If also true for horses, the drug may exacerbate equine metabolic syndrome, which in turn can worsen laminitis. Researchers will study whether phenylbutazone is detrimental to horses with insulin dysregulation and if an alternative treatment is warranted to treat chronic laminitis in patients with concurrent equine metabolic syndrome.