ECIR Group - Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance

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ECIR Group - Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance

The Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) Group was started in 2000. It is the largest field
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The Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) Group was started in 1999 for disseminating information and sharing of experiences among owners and professionals dealing with Equine Cushing's Disease. In ensuing years, each horse and each member has contributed to the learning and the success of the ECIR group and to the health and longevity of many more horses. Robin Siskel founded the ECIR Gro

up for her mare, Night Flight (Tina) with the goal of keeping information firmly based in science. Noted veterinarian Eleanor Kellon, VMD, joined the EC and IR Group in 2001 and became Co-Owner with Robin. Because Insulin Resistance/ Equine Metabolic Syndrome was and still is often mistaken for Cushing's Disease, the ECIR Group developed as a resource for both Cushing's Disease and Insulin Resistance/Equine Metabolic Syndrome. With thousands of international members, the ECIR groups.io outreach group is arguably the largest field trial in the world and provides the latest research, medication information & dietary recommendations for horses with these conditions. Even universities do not and cannot compile and follow long term as many in depth case histories of PPID/EMS horses as the ECIR Group. In 2013 the Equine Cushing's and Insulin Resistance Group Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation, was approved as a 501(c)3 public charity and can now receive tax deductible contributions and grants to support ongoing research, education and awareness of Equine Cushing's Disease and Insulin Resistance/Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

08/09/2025

There's a lot of conflicting information on the internet regarding how much to feed a horse. Scroll down to HOW MUCH SHOULD I FEED MY HORSE? For the correct answer to this question and many others, go here: https://www.ecirhorse.org/FAQ.php

05/09/2025

Dr. Gottschang is a medical anthropologist whose research topic will highlight how caregivers adapt and cope with uncertainties of treatment, drawing on experiential and anecdotal knowledge and practices as well as those of evidence-based veterinary medicine. This work will improve understanding of the ways caregivers navigate management of chronic equine metabolic disorders with the goal of informing veterinarians and owners of approaches that will allow them to work together more effectively.

The often overlooked aspect to successful outcomes in equine metabolic disorders is the human charged with their long-term care. Although a veterinarian handles diagnosis and treatment, it is the owner who must take charge of daily care. This responsibility may involve major adjustments to housing, feeding, medication routines, laminitis recovery, hoof maintenance, and exercise plans. These changes can be overwhelming, causing owners to seek additional information and support. For 25 years, the ECIR group has helped to fill this gap by providing individual support, encouragement, and science-based recommendations through the all-volunteer outreach group.

Dr. Gottschang's presentation Every Horse is Different: How Owners Navigate and Manage Equine Metabolic Disease and PPID will be Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 from 3:45pm to 4:45pm.

All speaker information and lecture topics are available at www.nolaminitis.org.

NO Laminitis! Conference Ticket Pricing:
• $300 Full Lectures Admission
• $275 Early-bird Registration (prior to 10.10.25)
• $350 Veterinary professionals seeking CE
• $175 Veterinary student

Continuing Education Credit approved for equine professionals.

Recordings will be available to all attendees for six months post-conference.

03/09/2025

The classic coat changes associated with PPID are actually an ADVANCED symptom. Besides laminitis in the fall, there are other early signs that are often missed. Learn what to watch out for here: http://bit.ly/2XyUkyJ. For speaker, topics, and registration for the NO Laminitis! Virtual Conference Oct. 31 - Nov. 2, go to nolaminitis.org

01/09/2025

Dietary control of starch and simple sugar (ESC+starch = hydrolyzable carbohydrates) intake is at the heart of managing the horse with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), but could there be other dietary factors? For important details, download Dr. Kellon’s proceedings “Protein, Iron and Insulin” from the 2021 NO Laminitis! Conference here: https://www.e-junkie.com/i/11jjd. Downloads are free.

Learn more from Dr. Kellon and 12 other speakers at the 2025 NO Laminitis! Conference Oct. 31 - Nov. 2. This conference is for owners, veterinary professionals, other equine professionals, barn managers -- all people with one or more horses in their care. OWNERS: for less than the price of an emergency vet call, you can arm yourself with a wealth of knowledge that can help you successfully manage your PPID and/or EMS/IR equine. This conference is virtual. Watch live and/or access digital recordings of the conference for six months post conference. Registration and a list of speakers and topics here: nolaminitis.org.

29/08/2025

If your horse has laminitis, we can help. For individual assistance, please join our free outreach group on groups.io: https://ecir.groups.io/g/main. More information on our website: ecirhorse.org.

For the latest information regarding successfully treating equines with PPID and/or IR/EMS, attend our NO Laminitis! Conference Oct. 31 - Nov. 2. This conference is for owners, veterinary professionals, other equine professionals, barn managers -- all people with one or more horses in their care. OWNERS: for less than the price of an emergency vet call, you can arm yourself with a wealth of knowledge that can help you successfully manage your PPID and/or EMS/IR equine. This conference is virtual. Watch live and/or access digital recordings of the conference for six months post conference. Registration and a list of speakers and topics here: nolaminitis.org.

27/08/2025

There have been no studies documenting the safety or appropriateness of high-fat feeding to IR horses. The only fat insulin-resistant (or any) horses need is a supply of the fatty acids they are unable to manufacture themselves: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (which they would normally ingest from grass). Learn more about appropriate diets for IR/EMS and PPID equines at: https://bit.ly/2HV5Gqs

25/08/2025

If your equine lives in acorn county, be sure to keep him or her away from oak trees. Acorns can be toxic for horses, and present the additional risk of laminitis for horses with EMS. Read more in Dr. Kellon's blog here: https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2021/10/27/acorn-toxicity-in-horses/

22/08/2025

Dr. Bröjer is the inaugural awardee of the 2024 ECIR Group Inc. research grant. His work links specifically to an interest of the ECIR Group – why do some equines treated with SGLT2 inhibitors develop hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of triglycerides in the blood)? Dr. Bröjer is a professor of Equine Internal Medicine at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and is currently focusing on pharmacological treatment of horses with high insulin with SGLT2 inhibitors like canagliflozin (Invokana) and ertugliflozin (Steglatro) due to the increased use of this class of drug to control very high insulin. In 2023, Drs. Kellon and Gustafson were the first to report high triglycerides in a cohort of SGLT2-treated cases from the ECIR database. This report came from an incidental finding in a single horse that prompted them review other cases, leading to modified feeding protocols and testing recommendations prior to treatment. Therefore, Dr. Bröjer’s research is directly aligned with ECIR Group interest in SGLT2 inhibitors, the drug action and side effects, and how to best manage the care and feeding in treated equines.

Dr. Bröjer's presentation Mechanisms Leading to Hypertriglyceridemia in SGLT2-treated Horses will be Saturday, November 1st, 2025: 9:00am - 10:00am.

The goal of ECIR is to serve equines with metabolic disorders and their owners and caregivers through education and research. Drs. Kellon, Gustafson and Robert Bowker, PhD will be joined by 10 internationally recognized experts to present the latest information that will directly effect the treatment, care, and management of equine metabolic disorders. https://www.nolaminitis.org/

20/08/2025

80% to 90% of all laminitis cases are the result of metabolic issues. If your horse, pony, donkey, or mule has laminitis, assume that your equine has EMS/IR (Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance) and start him or her on the Emergency Diet right away. Blood tests are also in order. Test glucose and insulin for EMS/IR, and if PPID/Cushing's disease are suspected, test ACTH. For details on the best ways to deal with and prevent laminitis, go here: https://bit.ly/2J4ZgYT.

Learn more at the 2025 NO Laminitis! Virtual Conference (October 31-November 2): nolaminitis.org

18/08/2025

Preventing laminitis should be top of mind right now as there is an increasing risk this time of year for equines with PPID and/or IR/EMS! You can help prevent laminitis by staying on top of your equine's metabolic status. Watch this short film "Getting the Correct Diagnosis" to learn what to do: https://bit.ly/2BSdEhK. For individual help, please join our free outreach group on groups.io: https://ecir.groups.io/g/main. More information on our website: ecirhorse.org

15/08/2025

For a list of speakers and topics and to register for the 2025 NO Laminitis! Conference, go to nolaminitis.org.

13/08/2025

Important words from Dr. Kellon regarding managing a PPID and/or IR/EMS equine:
"Don't fall into the trap of settling for 'improvement.' You want to always strive for control. If you don't, you can be guaranteed the time will come when the horse is no longer improved, much worse, and very hard to control."

Learn more from the location of your choice (because this event is virtual) at the 2025 NO Laminitis! Conference Oct. 31 - Nov. 2. For speakers, topics and registration, go to nolaminitis.org

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