Efficacy of trilostane for the treatment of equine Cushing’s syndrome.

This study looked at the effects of a medication called trilostane on horses with Cushing’s syndrome. The researchers found the drug to be effective in reducing symptoms and positively affecting laboratory measures of the disease, with no reported side effects.

Overview and Purpose of the Study

• This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of trilostane, a medication originally designed for dogs with comparable health issues, as a viable treatment option for horses with Cushing’s syndrome.
• The study’s objective was to track changes in symptoms and disease markers in horses after they received trilostane treatments.

Methods Employed

• The researchers studied 20 horses diagnosed with the disease, monitoring each for one or two years.
• Affected horses were given doses of trilostane, which interferes with the body’s production of certain types of hormones, daily, and the progression of their disease was tracked.

Findings of the Study

• The study reported an overall decrease in Cushing’s syndrome symptoms such as lethargy, excessive urination and thirst (polyuria and/or polydipsia), and recurring laminitis, a painful inflammation in a horse’s foot.
• Furthermore, lab tests showed significant changes in hormone levels, indicating a positive response to the trilostane treatment.
• The researchers did not document any adverse side effects from the trilostane treatment throughout the course of the study.

Conclusions and Recommendations for Further Research

• The study concluded that trilostane significantly improved the clinical symptoms in horses with equine Cushing’s syndrome, reduced cortisol responses, and did so without causing any detected side effects.
• The researchers deemed trilostane a promising treatment for equine Cushing’s syndrome and called for further studies comparing the effects of trilostane and pergolide, a medication commonly used in treating this condition.