cushings advice

**Vanner**

**Vanner**

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My friends horse is having blood tests for cushings. She's mortified and very worried. Her boy is 24.

What sort of regime do people with experience of this use? any advice is welcome not ever had first hand experience of this.
 
Varies horse to horse. Some will take pergolide ( or the new drug to replace it)and be happy and healthy for years, other need more intensive looking after to stay looking good.
Your friend will have to take the advice of the vet to see what is going to suit the horse in question.
 
For many its a manageable condition :)
Reading up on the condition can be a tad scarey, but gives you a good underastanding of what you are dealing with.
 
Horse had the test for cushings last year and results came back positive for it. She had the test because she had BAD lami but was on a very restcited diet and we were always careful about what she ate, so couldnt pinpoint the cause. She did have a history of lami. She was put on pergolide, carefully managed diets and turnout in the sand school or a bare 'mud paddock'. She also suffered with an abcess in her hoof at this point, and due to complications it took a long time to heal, and now a year later she is laminitis free and completely sound and is now back in light work. She is 28 and still looks fab and is back to her childish ways :D
 
I think the prognosis depends on why the decision to test has been made. If the horse is already getting laminitis it's a harder road than if it's because the coat & fat pattern are suggesting Cushings. I have a 29yo who has, on my Vets suggestion, been on Cushinaze (there are other similar supplements) for aboout 18 months - the difference in him has been amazing so if it's early stage that might be worth trying. Other than that I watch his weight & diet like a hawk. Tbh I think that dental efficiency will bring about Bobby's end rather than the Cushings.
 
Thanks everyone.

He hasn't had lami and isn't overweight. His main sign is coat and his third eyelid, hence being tested; at the moment we don't know for sure so I am just asking in case (although I am expecting positive).
 
Our pony has been on pergolide (shortly to change to prascend) for 6 years, she was first diagnosed at 12. It has been managed well until late last year when she had a laminitis attack followed by an abcess. She had another blood test and it was found the acth levels were high again, she is now on 2 pergolide a day and was retested a couple of weeks ago and level is down to 19, which is great. Although she is not in work, as she was daughters first pony and is 12hh, and daughter is now 22, she is doing fine on a strictly managed diet .
 
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