Cushings meds - have you set a limit?

[Sophstar]

Brat pony diagnosed last year has been on only 250mcg pergolide up until recently. I have upped it slightly to 325 due to him looking under the weather and 'not quite right' and this seems to have helped considerably.

When he first got diagnosed my vet said when you start getting to pergolide/prascend levels of 4mg or more, you really are losing the battle. I'm part of the Equine Cushings group on Yahoo and my latest email just gives a brief detail on the number of horses on certain levels of meds. There is one horse on 15mg but many who are on and above 4mg

As a cushings owner, I know I will be faced with the 'when is enough' question and though you can sustain and manage cushings with good management and medication, I know my decision will be based on either 1) quality of life the brat is having 2) whether laminitis becomes more frequent and sadly 3) how much battering my bank account can take for the medication or a combination of them all.

If your cushings ponies could be given infinite amount of meds would you happily keep increasing them? Or is there a point that as my vet says your losing the battle and more importantly the control. I would have thought 15mg is far too much.

 

[dressagecrazy]

My 27yo is currently on 1.5mg of Prascend a day. He was diagnosed a few years back & we have so far only had to up is by 1/2 a tab.

I do have a limit & pretty much agree with everything your vet has said. I know that if my boy was reaching 4mg he would be in a state tbh as he suffers enough when his acth is at 32. I already have to live by a strict routine to maintain him he's off grass for most of the year. He is lucky in that we do have a surfaced T/O for him, atm he's happy.

I personally would not be happy at all with a horse on 15mg per day, Prascend does have side effects & at that level your pretty much living day to day with that horse imo. It would also be cripplingly expensive & not something i could fund. But i wont judge as i dont know the specifics of this case.

 

[LifeofRiley]

I agree with your comments and think you have to be sensible about it. My pony has been on 1 tablet of prascend for a year now and so far, so good. But like you, I know there will come a time when I have to make that decision. For me, the answer to your question is I will keep going as long as I can and as long as is reasonable. I've always vowed I wouldn't put off making a decision because it's hard for me to do so, but would know when the time is right. As long as I can afford the medication, and as long as he has a good quality of life, I will keep going. If one, either, or both cease, that's the time to say goodbye. I'm hoping that's a good few years away yet though!

 

[canteron]

My 19yo is on 1 tablet a day and the difference it has made to his quality of life is amazing.

As he is reitred, as long as he is happy, then we will keep on going. But to be happy I believe he has to be able to spend the majority of his time out at grass. Currently, he is out during the day with all the other horses and then on a starvation patch at night with some hay and all is good. Over winter he will be out 24/7.

The day I have to stable him for more than a couple of hours a day is when I believe it is unfair to keep him going.

So basically, pretty much in line with everyone else!

 

[ihatework]

My big 17yo is on 1mg per day, there is a definite limit for me, he has to be able to live out 24/7 without being muzzled and without getting laminitis - this for him is essential quality of life. I'd probably double the dose to 2mg but wouldn't go much higher I'm afraid.

 

[BackRidingAgain]

Our 27 year old mare in on 1.5 peroglide tabs per day and the difference has been amazing. She is very prone to laminitis so we are keeping an eye on her, but so far no problem. She has also recently started on the edible ventolin for her breathing/coughing - vet thinks its allergen related and will stop in the winter. We think her feet are better since she started on the edible ventolin, I'd be interested if anyone else if also on the same combination and has noticed a difference in this area.

 

[Wagtail]

My horse is only on 1 mg but has only been diagnosed for 6 months. Interesting you mention the breathing thing as she too has started with problems recently and I had wondered if there was any link with cushings. I hope i never have to up her dose to more than 2 mg. I don't really know what I would do if faced with that decision until I get there.

 

[Old Bat]

I have two with Cushings, both on Prascend but only 1/4 and 1/2 a tablet and have been kept well in check for a couple of years now. One was prone to respiratory infections before she went on Pergolide, none since the medication started thankfully. My vet said at the time that Cushings can lower their resistance to infections, especially respiratory. Annoyingly, the other came in from her paddock breathing heavily yesterday! I had been about to check her ACTH levels anyway, as the daylight hours are getting shorter and she has seemed a bit grumpy and weeing a bit more, so off to vets tomorrow!

 

[Wagtail]

I found this to be a very informative and up to date artical on Equine Cushings: http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-health/equine-cushings-disease-24321.aspx

 

[splashgirl45]

oh dear, you lot are very lucky, my 15.2, 21 year old is currently on 2 1/2 prascend daily and i am struggling to cope with the cost and her levels are still 52 so not yet within normal limits,, have discussed with my vet and i will increase if she seems out of sorts..at the moment she is happy, is out 24/7, is hacked out most days and fingers crossed has never had laminitis. so i have decided that while she is ok i will keep her management exactly the same and have decided to pts if she gets laminitis and have already spoken to my vet about the arrangements.