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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Insulin dysregulation in a population of Finnhorses and asso...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2020; 34(4); 1599-1605; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15782

Insulin dysregulation in a population of Finnhorses and associated phenotypic markers of obesity.

Abstract: Obesity and insulin dysregulation (ID) predispose horses to laminitis. Determination of management practices or phenotypic markers associated with ID may benefit animal welfare. Objective: Determine ID status of a population of Finnhorses using an oral sugar test (OST) and compare phenotypes and management factors between ID and non-ID Finnhorses. Methods: One hundred twenty-eight purebred Finnhorses ≥3 years of age. Methods: Owners were recruited using an online questionnaire regarding signalment, history, feeding, and exercise of their horses. Selected contributing stables within a predefined area were visited. Phenotypic markers of obesity and the weight of each horse were recorded. After fasting overnight, horses received 0.45 mL/kg corn syrup PO. Serum samples before and at 60 and 90 minutes after syrup administration were analyzed for insulin by chemiluminescent assay. Horses met ID criteria if insulin concentrations were ≥33 μIU/mL at T0, ≥66 μIU/mL at T60 or T90 or some combination thereof. Associations between phenotypic markers, feeding and exercise variables, and ID were examined using mixed effects logistic regression modeling. Results: Several phenotypic markers of obesity were significant on univariable analysis but in the final multivariable model, only obesity (body condition score  ≥8) was associated with ID (P = .04). Over half of the horses (60% [95% confidence interval (CI), 51%-68%]) were considered overweight or obese whereas 16% (95% CI, 10%-23%) were classified as having ID. Conclusions: Because obesity is associated with ID in cold-blooded type horses, objective monitoring of phenotypic markers by owners may be beneficial for health outcomes.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2020-06-17 PubMed ID: 32557899PubMed Central: PMC7379004DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15782Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research aimed to understand insulin regulation disorder in Finnhorses and the association of this disorder with certain visible characteristics of obesity. The research found that obesity significantly related to insulin dysregulation, highlighting the need for horse owners to monitor certain physical signs in detail to ensure better health outcomes.

Research Design and Methodology

  • The researchers employed an oral sugar test (OST) on a sample population of 128 purebred Finnhorses who were at least 3 years old, to determine their insulin dysregulation (ID) status.
  • They collected information on each horse’s signalment (identification information), medical history, feeding, and exercise habits through an online questionnaire filled out by the horse owners.
  • The team visited stables in a specified area to measure physical indicators of obesity and record each horse’s weight.
  • Fasting horses were given 0.45 mL/kg corn syrup orally, and serum samples were taken before and at 60 and 90 minutes after administration. The samples were tested for insulin levels.
  • ID was defined when a horse’s insulin concentrations were ≥33 μIU/mL at the start (T0), ≥66 μIU/mL at the 60th or 90th minute (T60 or T90), or a combination of these.
  • The researchers used mixed effects logistic regression modeling to determine if there were relationships between the obesity indicators, feeding and exercise variables, and ID.

Key Findings

  • The researchers noted that several phenotypic markers of obesity showed significance on univariable analysis; however, in the final multivariable model, mere obesity (as judged by a body condition score  of 8 or higher) was associated with ID.
  • Almost 60% of the horses were considered overweight or obese, and around 16% of these were classified as having ID.

Conclusions

  • The research concludes that there is an association between obesity and ID in Finnhorses, a breed that is of the cold-blooded type.
  • It implies that owners and caretakers of such horses can benefit from closely monitoring these phenotypic signs of obesity, which can further contribute to better health management practices and prevention strategies from the onset of insulin dysregulation disorder.

Cite This Article

APA
Box JR, McGowan CM, Raekallio MR, Mykkänen AK, Carslake H, Karikoski NP. (2020). Insulin dysregulation in a population of Finnhorses and associated phenotypic markers of obesity. J Vet Intern Med, 34(4), 1599-1605. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15782

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 34
Issue: 4
Pages: 1599-1605

Researcher Affiliations

Box, Justin R
  • Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
McGowan, Cathy M
  • Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, United Kingdom.
Raekallio, Marja R
  • Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Mykkänen, Anna K
  • Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Carslake, Harry
  • Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, United Kingdom.
Karikoski, Ninja P
  • Department of Equine and Small Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Finland
  • Glucose Tolerance Test / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / metabolism
  • Horses
  • Hyperinsulinism / epidemiology
  • Hyperinsulinism / veterinary
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance / physiology
  • Male
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / veterinary
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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