cushing disease!! ACTH =54.8

[mailme1918]

hello ive had a post going over in new owners and riders under 22 year old horse to buy or not.. and I ve has some fantastic advice and support through out this last month there are pics of my pony Angel and basically the story so far from start of me becoming her new owner. but ive decided to post here for this new subject to hopfully get some more advice and help.
so while having the vet out to do Angels health check and teeth I took advantage of the free cushions test . this was taken last not under the best conditions Angel had needed to be heavily sedated due to becoming very upset when having her teeth done as they were a mess.
so the results come back at 54.8 normal range should be 29 or under. my vet wants to star angel on prescend 1/2 a tablet a day then retest in 4 weeks .
to me angel is showing no serious signs of the disese as some of the signs could be due to her being neglected..
she does have a pot belly - possibly to being left unfed and un wormed
she is under weight - again neglected no feeds
hairy no excessive at all - un rugged for 2 years shedding coat with lots of grooming
no thirst - she lives open stabled so comes and goes as she pleases never are the water buckets empty
feet - very sensitive soles been advised to shoe
laminitis - according to the previous owner she has never had.

so I ve spoke to another vet surgery and asked that because Angel was under a lot of stress and then heavily sedated would this effect the outcome of the result and he said yes and if she is nt showing signs of cushions - curly long coat excessive thurst and urinating then he would wait and retest in 6 months under calmer conditions
my vet wants to start the prescent asap ?
what do I do? Angel was very depressed when I got her she is perking up a lot but I have nothing to compare to other than what she was like a month ago. im scared of her getting laminitis if I do not treat but don't want to medicate her unnecessary as the medication does not slow or treat it just helps with the symtoms
would you wait and re test which is going to cost £35 for the lab test £9 for bloods to be taken and £36 call out

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[beaujolais1967]

My 14.2hh pony is 39 years old and has a few signs of Cushings but not all. His winter coat is longer and coarser in patches, but not all over. He doesn't drink or urinate excessively. He has had laminitis in the past so I'm very careful with his grass intake. I had the ACTH test done and the result was 200 so the vet suggested he go on Pergolide at 1 tablet per day. Unfortunately it turned him into a zombie and he wouldn't eat and became very subdued. So the vet suggested I try him on half a tab a day, but it didn't make any difference. There is no dose lower than half a tab, so I took him off them, and he became much more like his old self. I sorted his winter coat out by addding linseed meal to his feeds - all the excessive patches of hair came out fairly soon after.
It's a real balancing act but I think it's better if ponies can manage without drugs unless it's really necessary. My pony is on Hilton Herbs Cush-X which is more natural. I would sort your new pony out first and then think about Prascend if you get problems later on. Good luck with her!

 

[scardycat]

She is looking so much better, you must be very pleased at the difference you have made to her, I must admit I think I too would wait a while before starting treatment, I realise this will cost you more money, but if it turns out she doesn`t need the prescend it will be ultimately cheaper. Good luck, and well done!

 

[mailme1918]

thankyou .. theres just some thing stopping me from starting treatment I was all for it when the vet said then after reading up and speaking to a few different people I though no theres something not right. I have been reading up on cushx and this I may add this alont with the other 2 suppliments she is already on. Ive reduced her feed especially the 16+ mix as its cereal based and down to one feed a day . grass at the moment the field she is in hasn't got long lush grass but the other one I will be moving her to has got better grass I think to be precautious I will get a grazing muzzle until it is eaten down a bit more as it is looking like she is going to be getting 2 new buddys joining her which im sure will make her feel better having company.
im really happy with her progress so far just the vet has kinda put dampners on it and now im annoyed I even did the test as *1 he did it under the wrong conditions and wasted my freebie test and *3 kbis will insure for illness disease and accident but now I have a positive cushions test the wont insure for laminitis ... until I get a negative result!! arrgggh I ve got so much to learn in the horsey world!!!
so ill hold off medication and putting cushX in is not gonna do no harm I suppose?
if angel needs meds she will get them I took this pony on and I will do right by her no matter what the cost. she deserves so much .. my poor old nag!!