cushings disease worries

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tikino

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i have posted several times regarding my little lad. he is a 7year old welsh section A who has suspected cushings disease. he already had blood tests down where his calcium levels where raised. blood tests where sent to labs for dosage for pergolide anyway blood tests results where incunclosive. next stage is vet coming next week to do a resting blood test followed by steriod injection then more blood tests next day 19 hours later. the thing is i know that steriods can induce laminitis so i am now realy worried about this but now i need to get it done for his sake.
remeinder of origanal post
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...rue#Post3738171
 
I understand your worries about the steriods - have you tried talking through them with the vet. I'd be asking for some kind of reassurance. What do they hope to achieve with the steriod injection?
 
if the steriods are given at certain times, they are much less likey to induce laminits.

I understand why you are worried about the steriods but if it is needed to discover whats wrong then its a chance you need to take.. In the same breath, if it is cushings, and at his at 9which is very young for cushings) he is more than likely gonna suffer laminitis unless the condition is confirmed anf treated.

Lou x
 
The steroid is given to see whether the horse is processing the steroid correctly - If the levels in the blood are not back to normal 24hrs later then it is likely that the horse has Cushings, which is why bloods are taken before the steroid injection, then 24hrs later. (This is my understanding of the test - please correct me if I'm wrong!!)
 
The test you are describing is meant to be the most reliable apparently but our mare Willow returned as EMS with this, ie high insulin/glucose. No cushings. We then went to get her on the EMS trial with the laminitis trust. They tested her blood before the trial(starvation overnight before taking blood) and she had raised ACTH level indicating cushings, and therefore rejected for the trial. My gut instinct all along was that she had cushings so if your horse returns with negative initially don't discount it in the long run. These tests were only 4/5 months apart.
 
When my horse had suspected Cushings the Vet advised me not to have this test and on further reading up on this, I know she was right, it is just not worth the risk IMO.

I do recall your previous post and would hope that the Vet would try Pergolide, to see how it helped.

Please keep us updated and hope all goes well.
 
I personally wouldn't let any vet near if they intended to jab a known laminitic with steroids! I'd be angling for prescription on high suspcion of Cushing's. And what if you get a false negative?

See if you can get hold of Jackie JA Taylor on her Yahoo Group 'Themetabolichorse' and see what her advice is. She's absolutely the authority on it.
 
Hi I have a pony who had laminitus over the summer, he had the blood tests you are talking about and was diagnosed with cushings, the blood tests didnt make him any worse. He was soon on Pergolide and Metformin and the transformation has been fantastic, he looks and feels years younger, he is clipped every 4 weeks but his coat is no where near as thick, he is now totally sound and is on far better form than before and is happily hunting, sj and xc. Good luck with your pony x
 
The test is a dexamethasone suppression test
basically its to see if he is able to suppress the high level of steroid that is given him in the injection.
HOWEVER the amount given is rarely sufficient to induce laminitis!
It is the GOLD STANDARD TEST FOR CUSHING'S!!!!!!!!!!
If you are unsure of whether or not he is 100% cushingoid, this is the test you need.
If your vet thought it would cause problems they would not do it! but as I say the risk is minimal!
Hope this helps you with a definitive diagnosis!

x
 
[ QUOTE ]
The test is a dexamethasone suppression test
basically its to see if he is able to suppress the high level of steroid that is given him in the injection.
HOWEVER the amount given is rarely sufficient to induce laminitis!
It is the GOLD STANDARD TEST FOR CUSHING'S!!!!!!!!!!
If you are unsure of whether or not he is 100% cushingoid, this is the test you need.
If your vet thought it would cause problems they would not do it! but as I say the risk is minimal!
Hope this helps you with a definitive diagnosis!

x

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't want to sound rude, but being an owner of a Cushinoid horse, I would not have this test done, I would never have forgiven myself, especially if a horse is currently suffereing from Laminitis.

Motor was diagnosed on clinical signs alone, together with his age etc, so this horse is a completely different scenario, but hey ho that is my opinion
frown.gif
 
Ye I agree that if the horse is diagnosable from signs alone etc then that is sufficient in many cases. But in this one where it is NOT that simple, tests are the only way, and the less risky ones are obviously not doing the job to say definitively one way or the other
So why not go for the gold standard? ok there is a risk, but there is a risk when you get your horse vaccinated that they will get a big swelling, but everyone does it.....
Its really own opinion some people are certain they want the test because it gives them piece of mind, being almost 100% accurate, one way or the other. Where as other (like yourself) are less fond of it, and the symptoms are enough to identify the disease.....which obviously makes the decision a bit easier

I would have faith in the vet, if they think it is ok, then trust them, that is what you are paying them for!!!
 
From what I have read there are 3 different types of test for cushings, my pony is being tested on Friday and as far as I am aware is not having the steroid test as he is already suffering from Laminitis, if you are worried then ask for one of the other tests.
 
he there after having a long talk with the vet he had the test done as we felt it was the right think todo for him. he is just not right and we feel he is to young to not be getting the right treatment available for him. he had the tests done on wednesday and touch would he has been fine. will be the results beginning of next week so i guess it is now a wiating game till the results come back. the reason he had the tests done as we were adviced to the tests by the lab and i just went into a panic.but as i said i need to know what is wrong with my boy as he is only 7, 8 in may to young not to sort this problem out although i know if it is cushings there is no cure. p.s he does not have laminitis as the moment touch wood.
 
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