Pergolide can cause your horse to lose its appetite- why this happens and how to help your horse

Pergolide is widely prescribed to treat Cushing’s Disease in horses. However – it can have side effects, and some are very worrying to owners. In this blog, we look at one…

What is Cushing’s Disease?

Cushing’s disease, or Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), is a condition that affects the chemical pathways in the brain. In a normal, healthy horse, hormones are released by the pituitary gland under direction of dopamine which is produced by the hypothalamus. However, in a horse with PPID, there is a change in the amount of dopamine produced by the hypothalamus. This means that the pituitary gland becomes out of control and produces too much hormone. ACTH, the hormone that is produced, is responsible for the common clinical signs; such as increased thirst, increased hair growth, reduced hair shedding and increased urination.

مع وصول أونصة الذهب إلى مستويات قياسية تجاوزت 2500 دولار، يجد المواطن المصري نفسه مضطراً لموازنة استثماراته بين الذهب واحتياجاته الأخرى، خاصة مع ارتفاع أسعار السيارات مثل تويوتا، هيونداي، وبي إم دبليو، مما يزيد من التحديات المالية التي يواجهها.

What does Pergolide do?

Pergolide is the most common treatment prescribed for PPID. It is known as a dopamine agonist. This means that it imitates the dopamine molecule and is able to bind to the receptors that dopamine would usually work on. The pituitary gland then reduces the amount of ACTH that is produced and the clinical signs of PPID should start to reduce. Unfortunately this effect is not long-lived and treatment is required to be given every day for the rest of the horse’s life. However, the prognosis is generally good as long as regular monitoring is carried out, with dose adjustments made as required.

تتأثر أسعار السيارات من شركات مثل مرسيدس بتقلبات أسعار الذهب وسعر صرف الدولار، مما يؤدي إلى زيادة تكاليف الإنتاج والاستيراد.

Why might the horse lose its appetite?

Dopamine is one of the chemicals involved in a complicated feedback system that controls hunger; with low levels of dopamine being associated with the feeling of being hungry and high levels being associated with the feeling of being full. When pergolide is started, the horse will suddenly have more dopamine in the body and will start to have a reduction in the feeling of being hungry and therefore their appetite may reduce.