Cushings - a couple of questions

[Wagtail]

My eighteen year old mare was diagnosed with Cushings after she had her first ever bout of laminitis at Christmas. I have her on 1 mg prascend and she was tested to be in the upper end of the normal range last month. However, she has not even started shedding her winter coat and is getting really sweaty due to the hot weather. I have therefore given her a low chaser clip and noticed that she is not even growing her sumer coat through. Usually, she is very early shedding her coat and if I clip her at this time of year I end up nipping off the tips of the new summer coat. So my question is, does this mean she won't grow a sumer coat at all? And if I fully clip her, will she even grow a winter coat next Autumn?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Can't answer all your questions, but I found with my late little fuzzy that we had to clip from last Sept, 4 months after being diagnosed, as despite the Prascend she was sweating down her flanks overnight, this despite being unrugged in zero temps. She was so much more comfy in her low chaser clip

She was re-clipped every month, the last being done the 1st week in Feb (in the last snow). Her coat DID keep growing in between.

Hope things improve for you/her

 

[be positive]

She has not yet completely adjusted her system even though she is on prascend and it may take a little longer for her to start losing her coat/growing her summer one. Most will grow summer coats even if you clip now and she will grow her usual winter coat although it may be thicker than in the past.

The old pony I have was diagnosed in October 2010 so he was ahead of yours in his treatment by the following spring he still held on fairly late but this year is much more forward in his coat and feeling rather well at the moment.
I think even with the medication and levels appearing to be normal it is a condition that affects the metabolism so each horse will be different in how well they adjust.

 

[Wagtail]

Thanks both, for that! I had visions of this being her 'only' coat and that if I clipped it all off, she wouldn't grow a winter one. I've never had a horse with Cushings before. Good to know that the coat does keep growing, and that maybe she will still get a summer coat.

 

[brighteyes]

Just keep clipping as often as you need in summer. The winter coat starts again in late July IME.

 

[Kellys Heroes]

Our girl who has always been a bit odd with coats (!) is incredibly long at the moment but she was clipped not long back and she is just starting to shed. However, before the Cushings her coat would be long gone by now.
We're not going to reclip her as we don't think there's a point, we can see her dapples coming through so we think her summer coat is on its way!!

Just to add, last year she did shed her whole coat and had a lovely summer coat as normal
she's on 1mg per day too. We're just plaiting her mane up at the moment to keep her neck cool as she does sweat a fair bit under her mane.
K x

 

[Puppy]

Just keep clipping as often as you need in summer.

Ditto

I lost my girl last year but she had cushings for the last several years of her life and it would be pretty much spot on this time each Spring that I would give her an entire clip. She was always much happier for it.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i clip one of my cushions ponies every 6 weeks, all year round. the other cushion pony still has a nice coat and moults appropriately. they are 32 and 34. the 34 yr old is still in gentle work hacking, the 32 yr old is retired. both round shiny and bright in themselves! so you have plenty of yrs left i hope!!!! clip away and keep your pony happy and comfortable as req.

 

[lornaA]

my mare was diagnosed with cushings a year ago now. She was extremely hairy last year and i had to clip her, it was that bad it took me 6 hours to hunter clip her! she did slowly grow in a summer coat which she then slowly shed in the autum and this winter she has grown a hairy but much more normal winter coat. She is now very slowly starting to shed this. She is on one pergolide tablet per day and that has made a huge difference to her.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I have heard Chaste Berry is very good for cushings horses

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.co...ry-and-cushings-excellent-results-125842.html



http://www.livestrong.com/article/466178-chasteberry-for-cushings-disease/:D










.

 

[Wagtail]

Thanks everyone. It is reassuring to know that this is quite normal.

 

[bensababy]

My boy was diagnosed 2 years ago and in his first year on Prascend he didnt lose his winter coat or get a very decent summer coat. This year however he is shedding in bucket loads and has a nice gloss to it.

 

[Wagtail]

My boy was diagnosed 2 years ago and in his first year on Prascend he didnt lose his winter coat or get a very decent summer coat. This year however he is shedding in bucket loads and has a nice gloss to it.

That's encouraging. Thank you! My mare had a lovely summer coat last year. Cushings must come on them very suddenly.