Can your horse help American Cushing's research?
| Can your horse help American Cushing's research? Researchers in the US are seeking horses with Cushing's disease to assess the value of pergolide for treating the disease. Elanco Animal Health - a Division of Eli Lilly and Company, in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU), Oklahoma State University (OSU), and Louisiana State University (LSU) is seeking horses afflicted with Equine Cushing's Disease to participate in a research study. MSU, OSU and LSU are recruiting cases of ECD/PPID to document the efficacy and safety of pergolide in support of FDA approval. |  |
Pergolide has been the treatment of choice for many horses with Cushing's disease over the last twenty years. Although not available as a veterinary licensed product, it has been used "off label".
Pergolide was originally used to treat Parkinson's disease in people. However, it has now been withdrawn from the human market in the US because of reports of damage to the heart valves in people that were taking the drug. Ultimately this may limit the availability of the drug for use in horses.
An FDA approved pergolide product for horses afflicted with ECD would assure the access to and the uniformity and quality of a pergolide therapy for horses in the United States.
Equine Cushing's disease (ECD or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction - PPID) is associated with over activity of part of the pituitary gland. Affected animals typically have long curly hair. Other signs include weight loss, loss of performance, excessive sweating ("hyperhidrosis") and increased drinking and urinating. Many affected animals eventually develop laminitis
If one or more of these signs is noted in an aged horse, then the horse may be a candidate for the study. An initial evaluation, including laboratory testing, would confirm whether or not the horse would meet study criteria.
Horses that take part in the study will be evaluated at the beginning of the study, and then after three and six months of pergolide treatment. The pergolide, ECD/PPID testing, and all health evaluations would be provided free of charge. Horse owners will be required to document the daily dosing of medication to their horses and any side effects they may notice.
The three visits will require overnight hospitalization for testing (1 night). Enrolment will occur between November 3, 2008 and January 30, 2009. Each horse will participate for six months total duration from initiation of treatment.
To be included in this study, horses should not have been treated with medications or dietary supplements recommended for ECD/PPID within 60 days of the start of the study.
In addition to client-owned animals, the Universities may accept horses as donations. These horses would be enrolled in the pergolide study and maintained in paddocks in small groups for the six-month study period.
These horses would not be returned to the owners at the end of the study, and would be University-owned animals after donation.
If you have an interest in either bringing or donating a horse for this study, please contact:
> Dr. Hal Schott, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University at (517) 353-9710.
> Dr. Dianne McFarlane, Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma at (405) 744-2072
> Dr. Frank M. Andrews, Equine Health Studies Program (EHSP), Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana at (225) 578-9580
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Added on: 29/12/08.
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