Diet, Cushings & Potential False Positives In Older Horses

This research article on diet and Cushings concludes that older horses without Cushings who are on “Starch-rich diets result in significantly higher endogenous ACTH concentrations and decreased cortisol suppression in aged horses. With this in mind, it is possible for horses on a starch-rich diet to be incorrectly diagnosed with PPID due to an elevation of ACTH above expected cutoff levels. They further state that there might be a need for different reference ranges for aged horses, and especially for different times of the year. Adjusted seasonal cutoff values are appropriate from July to November.” The full article is attached. https://equimanagement.com/articles/effect-of-diet-on-acth-values-in-horses