Cushings info please

The_snoopster

The_snoopster

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I had the vet out today for a follow up on my shettie,s laminitis, and although it was a very mild case the vet suggested a test for cushings.
He is 13 and as quite a few of the signs of cushings, vet as mentioned treatment if it is confirmed the treatment being 1 tablet a day.
Was wondering if anyone out there as any info on this treatment and how successful it is and how long it keeps working for. Thanks in advance.
 
The most common treatment is pergolide. It isn't a cure but it can control the symptoms of cushings for many years. The length of time it works for varies, and you may find the disease manageable with a low dose for a while, and then need to increase it. If the pony does have cushings, pergolide is certainly worth trying because it really does improve the horse's quality of life, even if it doesn't work forever.
 
We had two horses with Cushings and did not treat it. one 16.1hh ISH and an 11.2hh welsh mountain.

Our vet came and gave them an MOT every 6 months, however he was of the opinion that cushings was a result of horses living longer and there is no cure for old age- and I agree with him- they were both pushing 40 when they died!

They were both retired, happy, eating well, much loved, well cared for and still bombing round the field and garden when it suited them! The biggest problem we had was the vast intake in water which resulted in a huge wet patch in the beds every night- we are talking gallons of wee from a 16.1hh every night.

Although every horse and situation is different I would not recommend starting treatment, it is expensiv and you can not stop it once you start.

In my experience Cushings does not cause death- old age does- and cushings certainly did not affect my pair one bit! There is no medicine to stop old age. Tough as it is to know you will lose a good friend.
 
Fair point but when one of the symptoms occuring is laminitis, like in this case, its more important to try to keep it under control, IMO.
 
My problem i think in not going with the vets advice would be he as got a long way before i consider him old.
He is only 13 and it will be the laminitis that will do the damage before he is even 20.
Yes cushings is an age thing but there are cases where it can develope before 10 and giving them a chance to grow old must surely be worth a try. For my shettie he would have to suffer with cushings for 27 years to reach 40 like yours which is unrealistic. So feel its really worth ago with treatment and the cost of it just part of owning him.
 
You may find these useful for cushings and laminitis:
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http://www.laminitisclinic.org/ECD.htm
http://www.laminitisclinic.org/Vitex.htm
 
Can i ask a numpty question - what exactly IS cushings?
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I'm in a similar position to the OP, where it looks like my 17 year old gelding will be getting tested. He has a very thick coat at the mo and is not putting on weight despite brilliant grazing and ad lib haylege. He started to seem unhappy to be ridden earlier this year, and is now retired because of this .. however it still seems to have come on rather fast? Is this normal?

Sorry to hijack post!!
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the treatment which is 1 tablet a day (to start) is pergolide.
It compensates for the lack of hormone which results in the tumour in the pituitary gland.

It does not get rid of this tumour but minimises the effects of it dramatically!
Yes one of the most common symptoms of cushings is laminitis which can become chronic and crippling. Not every horse gets it, but it is one of the most common symptoms. Horses on pergolide have no or fewer laminitis problems than those not on pergolide.

There are other clinical signs like hirsutism, polyuria/polydipsia (excessive weeing and drinking), excess sweating, fat depositions around the eyes, tailhead and sheath (in males) or mammaries in females, muscle wastage, pot bellied appearance, fat cresty neck..................
pergolide reduces the extent/stops the appearance of many of these (depending on which of these the horse gets/is destined to get)

Hope this helps, pergolide is a really good treatment! There is a yahoo support group which is very good on Equine Cushings and Equine metabolic syndrome.

If you would like any more info, or have any other questions on cushings feel free to ask, or PM me if you would like
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Thanks lucy that as helpful one more question how long is it affective for or does it vary with each case and severity. My boy is not drinking or weeing overly, he has a very long coat but always as since he was two thats how long i,ve known him. This year he did not want to lose it it took ages to get him clipped. He also as no topline but a big belly i thought this looked better this year as he put some weight on his back, but then developed mild lami and vet suggested cushings so waiting for test results now.
 
We have a 32 yr old TB, with cushings, hes got the long coat, and struggles to thermo-regulate properly. He drinks and wees a lot, but is generally a happy chappie. He's been on chaste berry, for a few yrs, which has kept his symptoms under conrtol, but reciently he's not doing so well, so he may go on the pergolide.
We also had a little welshie that was on chaste berry, for cushings and it worked fab on him, he used it for yrs, with no need for anyfurther treatment, and he was lami prone.

For those horses with mild symptoms and that dont want to take the pergolide plunge, chaste berry is great. Its primarily marketed towards moody mares, but it helps to level out the hormone levels so also helps cushings. It comes in liquid form, but if your horse will eat it, the dry herb is far cheaper, and does the same job
 
I have two horses both with Cushings and both on one tablet of Pergolide 250 microgram per day. The Pergolide (available from your local pharmacist with a veterinary prescription) costs £35.00 for 100 tablets. They have had Cushings for the last 4 years.

It has worked for both my horses and they both happily hack for up to 4 hours at a time. (One is 25 and the other 28).

I also give them one measure daily of Formula 4 Feet (developed by Robert Eustace the vet that specialises in Laminitis).

They are both also on restricted grazing Summer and Winter and wormed regularly every 3 months. Poos picked up in field daily. Laminitis can be set of by emerging encystead Red Worms.
 
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