Cushings borderline result query

NOISYGIRL

NOISYGIRL

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My horse is 36 showing no signs of cushings but my vet wanted to test due to his age and test is free at the moment. He had mild laminitis approx 7+ years ago no signs since, touch wood, presumably to how he's managed since diet wise.

Result came back as 36 with the threshold being 29. Wants to re-test in sept as the daylight could affect result? How does the light affect the result - confused !

Many thanks
 
I brlieve levels are naturally higher in September - that may be why retest then.

What I would say us that if you had the ACTH test, it is not necessarily that accurate. Ours had a rssult of 31 with the ACTH test. She displayed a lot of physical symptoms so we did the TRH test, which came back at 300+.

It might be worth asking your vet whether it is worth trying another type of test.
 
http://www.thelaminitissite.org/ppid.html

this link details all the symptoms of cushings. You will see that muscle loss is a very important indicator along with several other symptoms not commonly thought of.

The latter part of the link tells you about testing in Autumn and the seasonal rise at that time of the year.


36 is a wonderful age.
 
Mine had a borderline result, had test done as a routine healthcheck. Showing no symptoms and the labs actually said to vet that they wouldn't treat yet.

36 is a great age and he's obviously doing very well being managed correctly. What does your vet say?
 
Thanks all I will read the link above thanks.

He doesn't display any symptoms my vet listed. He said not to medicate yet and retest in sept.

He thinks he is 3 and has to have a calmer to hack out as he can be bit reactive. No lethargy, no excessive water drinking, no long hair, dimples above eyes normal, muscles seem fine, thats the only symptoms I can think of . Will read the link see about any others.

Thanks all. Trying not to worry yet :-(
 
I haven't found the ACTH results to accurately reflect the situation. Mine horse had every single cushings symptom, had a test results of 11 and improved 100% on prascend (the medication) I had another whose results were 39. He was dead a couple of weeks later from laminitis. He had symptoms but I didn't recognise them at the time. The muscles and pot belly ones are the ones to look for. Try looking at old pics and seeing if there is any deterioration in the last couple of years.
Hopefully you will be lucky and if not it is absolutely not the end of the world. Still ridden at 36!!! WOW!
 
I'm sorry that happened to you :-(

yeh he thinks he is 3 lol he has a calmer to hack out.

no symtoms. Have been reading up and I think it was liphook who said blood being frozen before testing can cause a higher reading than normal, his blood was taken last Friday and they said it would be frozen so...... might be the issue. I will have it taken on a monday next time
 
I cant remember the figures but... My horse was tested for cushings after having a tough 18 month period plagued with a few injuries, lots of medication and a bout of stress laminitis. We ran a fulll blood check just the make sure everything was ok. His 1st test test came back borderline and this was in June. Vet suggested we re-test in December, which we did, and his test results came back higher thus positive for cushings. I noticed possibly very slight symptoms, but was difficult to tell. As my vet said however due him being an older horse it would be likely that old age would cause death before the cushings would!
 
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