Cushings/PPID. ACTH levels?

[Patterdale]

One of our ponies has just been diagnosed - she had a test because she’s a bit down in the dumps/lots of small generic issues. ACTH was 150.

I’ve not had much to do with cushings since it changed its name, so years now. Any tips would be much appreciated please!

She’s not overweight, under if anything and has never had laminitis (despite many doses of steroids for breathing issues, so hopefully she won’t go there!). Starting on half a prascend a day.

Thanks!

 

[meleeka]

Have a look at the FB group Equine PPID (cushings). You’ll find loads of info on there. I have only positive things to say about Prascend. It really has been a lifesaver for mine and worth the cost, which is no more than a good supplement would be. Just be aware of the ‘veil’ which might happen. It’s usually temporary and she might seem even more down and spaced out or go off her hard feed. If that happens, just reduce the dose for a week or so, until it’s passed, then increase gradually.

I have one that’s never shown any other symptom but a long coat, not even curly. She’s never had laminitis and has been medicated for a few years now. The other of mine is now on 2.5 tablets, but she has been on it for 10 years so not surprising. She’s still living her best life and looks amazing for her age (29).

 

[Northern Hare]

Another vote for Prascend, and that's great advice from Meleeka above. It's worth getting a decent pill splitter (only a couple of £'s online), and start out on a low dose (perhaps a qtr tablet) and gradually work up, with the vets advice of course. Be watchful of any flushes of spring (or later) grass. Do you routinely muzzle her in the field, depending on her grazing it might be worth getting one if not?

Also, for your pony's young rider, they might notice a big difference if she has been a bit sluggish recently - hopefully your point will feel a lot better, and might get the zoomies!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If she hasn't been prone to laminitis previously, it is highly unlikely that Prascend will tip her over the edge. The whole point of them taking it is that they can live a normal life. I certainly wouldn't muzzle a pony that usnt overweight just because she gas started taking Prascend, which should bring her reading down.

 

[Patterdale]

Another vote for Prascend, and that's great advice from Meleeka above. It's worth getting a decent pill splitter (only a couple of £'s online), and start out on a low dose (perhaps a qtr tablet) and gradually work up, with the vets advice of course. Be watchful of any flushes of spring (or later) grass. Do you routinely muzzle her in the field, depending on her grazing it might be worth getting one if not?

Also, for your pony's young rider, they might notice a big difference if she has been a bit sluggish recently - hopefully your point will feel a lot better, and might get the zoomies!

Thanks. I’ve never muzzled anything, this pony has extra feeds and ad-lib forage as she is underweight. She’s not in work at the moment but hopefully she might cheer up enough to come out a bit!

 

[Northern Hare]

If she hasn't been prone to laminitis previously, it is highly unlikely that Prascend will tip her over the edge. The whole point of them taking it is that they can live a normal life. I certainly wouldn't muzzle a pony that usnt overweight just because she gas started taking Prascend, which should bring her reading down.

Thanks. I’ve never muzzled anything, this pony has extra feeds and ad-lib forage as she is underweight. She’s not in work at the moment but hopefully she might cheer up enough to come out a bit!

Hi Pearlsasinger and Patterdale, apologies, when I said on my post about the muzzle, it was meant in association with my comment on flushes of grass, rather than for routine. I agree that the use of Prascend should allow horses and ponies with PPID to return normal life - and in my horses case it did, but my vet recommended the use of a muzzle for when there were rich flushes of grass with high sugar levels. Sorry for causing the confusion.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My Louis has half a prascend a day he was only borderline but his coat wasn't shedding properly his never had laminitis but can put on weight.

You might find she will hold weight better now on prascend some horses struggle with weight gain with cushings.

 

[Hackback]

My horse also lost weight (actually muscle wastage) and has never suffered laminitis. I asked my vet about diet when he was diagnosed and he said there was no need to restrict his diet, that was only necessary for laminitics, not the PPID itself. Mind you, if you contact a company for feed advice they won't recommend anything that isn't low starch/low sugar, never mind what the vet says. Mine was diagnosed at only 9 years old and has been on Prascend since. He's 17 now and still living a completely normal life with the medication. It was rough to start with as he suffered the 'veil' pretty badly and we had to take him off the Prascend and reintroduce several weeks later at a quarter of a tablet daily, but he never looked back since. I give him his 1 1/2 tablets pushed into a quarter apple just as I'm putting his breakfast through the door.

 

[Hollylee1989]

My shetland got laminitis, and his cushings levels were 105. At the retest they were down to 27.5, our winter fields are far too lush so he's in a fenced off paddock with grass mats down to help prevent any flare ups. He never went off his food or depressed, some do but it's usually mild.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Just had a ACHT test on mine which came back 70 which vet said was in the grey/borderline area. Now awaiting TRH test results hopefully monday.

Symptoms are , lethargy, sweating (usually more a cold horse than a hot one) itchy skin and runny eyes and a few hoof abscesses over summer - small ones bursting out of back of heel each time very easy to deal with.

Vet is not convinced as her condition is excellent beautiful coat shine and good topline.

Did anyone elses horse look well but just not feel well? First time dealing with cushings first hand so anxiously awaiting results

 

[claracanter]

Just had a ACHT test on mine which came back 70 which vet said was in the grey/borderline area. Now awaiting TRH test results hopefully monday.

Symptoms are , lethargy, sweating (usually more a cold horse than a hot one) itchy skin and runny eyes and a few hoof abscesses over summer - small ones bursting out of back of heel each time very easy to deal with.

Vet is not convinced as her condition is excellent beautiful coat shine and good topline.

Did anyone elses horse look well but just not feel well? First time dealing with cushings first hand so anxiously awaiting results

When my horse was first diagnosed, I’d only had him a short while so didn’t know what was ‘normal’ for him. His only symptom was lethargy and rather chubby but that seems to be his build. He has always had a great shine on his coat. He was put on one prascend a day and can’t say it really speeded him up, unless HE wanted to get somewhere quickly!!! I manage him in a small paddock in summer and winter he lives out without a rug and just hay in an attempt to keep his weight down.
He’s been on prascend for 8 years now and we’ve reduced his dose over time. Vet is suggesting that after the winter we stop the tablets altogether which I never thought was possible as I thought it was a progressive disease.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Our Appaloosa mare had 3(?) ACTH tests, all came back within normal levels but each one higher than the last. We were suspicious and had the TRH-Stim test which came back *8 times* the maximum normal reading. When the vet rang to tell me the result, she asked if I was sitting down! The poor mare had breathing difficulties, to the point of needing steroids when the elderbushes were in flower. She struggled if the clouds were holding pollution from the nearby motorway down, was generally just not herself all the time. Apart from the breathing problems there wasn't much that you could put your finger on, except that she had lost her spark.
I think for yours, I would ask the vet for a Prascend trial, even if the TRH test is borderline.

 

[splashgirl45]

My mare was diagnosed at 20, she was lethargic and seemed depressed , took longer to lose her winter coat and started to get grumpy when being groomed, thought it might be cushings so called vet who immediately said I don’t think she has cushings she look so well. Her level came back at 172, it was in 2012 so can’t be sure but it was high, vet was very surprised . Once on prascend for about 6 weeks, she changed back to her loving self and being loony on rides which was normal for her

 

[Zoeypxo]

thanks for your replies ive had mine 10 years i know she isnt her normal self shes usually more sharp than lazy. Shes coming up to 16 now.
I hope the results come back with some more definitive results but yes ill be wanting a prascend trial if its borderline too on the TRH

 

[meleeka]

I too would push for a Prascend trial, even if in the grey area. I had a mare that the vet didn’t want to treat as numbers weren’t high enough and her recurrent abscesses eventually caused laminitis, so she was pts. If I had insisted she may well be still here now

 

[Zoeypxo]

I too would push for a Prascend trial, even if in the grey area. I had a mare that the vet didn’t want to treat as numbers weren’t high enough and her recurrent abscesses eventually caused laminitis, so she was pts. If I had insisted she may well be still here now

Thank you sorry to hear that how old was she ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I also agree about a trial maybe just a low dose of half a tablet.

Louis only really had a few symptoms his coat wasn't shedding properly and he did have some fat pads, since being on prascend his coat is better and the fat pads have gone now.

 

[Northern Hare]

Just had a ACHT test on mine which came back 70 which vet said was in the grey/borderline area. Now awaiting TRH test results hopefully monday.

Symptoms are , lethargy, sweating (usually more a cold horse than a hot one) itchy skin and runny eyes and a few hoof abscesses over summer - small ones bursting out of back of heel each time very easy to deal with.

Vet is not convinced as her condition is excellent beautiful coat shine and good topline.

Did anyone elses horse look well but just not feel well? First time dealing with cushings first hand so anxiously awaiting results

Hi, sorry to hear your horse is unwell at the moment.

My horse was 19 when he was diagnosed. He had been part of a drug company trial, where the "late teen" horses did not have Cushings, but had their ACTH tests taken twice yearly, plus some other monitoring.

Soon after another low ACTH, and looking really great, he went slightly lame in front and I suspected laminitis, so I asked the vet to test his ACTH levels again. His levels were really high and well into the Cushings range.

We started him straight away on Prascend, but my only regret is that I didn't start it very low and slowly increase (to 1 tablet a day), as he went through the low mood/ off his feed "Prascend veil" for a few weeks. Once through that he was great and did really well on the Prascend.

Funny you should say about the hoof abscesses, if my horse ever lost a front shoe, it often ended with an abscess, but whether just coincidence, he didn't have any once he was on the Prascend.

Good luck!

 

[Zoeypxo]

Hi, sorry to hear your horse is unwell at the moment.

My horse was 19 when he was diagnosed. He had been part of a drug company trial, where the "late teen" horses did not have Cushings, but had their ACTH tests taken twice yearly, plus some other monitoring.

Soon after another low ACTH, and looking really great, he went slightly lame in front and I suspected laminitis, so I asked the vet to test his ACTH levels again. His levels were really high and well into the Cushings range.

We started him straight away on Prascend, but my only regret is that I didn't start it very low and slowly increase (to 1 tablet a day), as he went through the low mood/ off his feed "Prascend veil" for a few weeks. Once through that he was great and did really well on the Prascend.

Funny you should say about the hoof abscesses, if my horse ever lost a front shoe, it often ended with an abscess, but whether just coincidence, he didn't have any once he was on the Prascend.

Good luck!

Interesting thank you, did your horse ever become footy/lame infront again once starting the prascend ?

 

[Northern Hare]

Interesting thank you, did your horse ever become footy/lame infront again once starting the prascend ?

No, he didn't

 

[meleeka]

Thank you sorry to hear that how old was she ?

25. She was a big horse so laminitis wasn’t going to end well.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Sorry to hijack again OP!
trh came back positive for mine and i started 1 prascend a day 12 days ago.
Footiness has improved massively already.
Can anyone give me a rough idea of how long it took for your horse to feel normal again? My mares biggest symptom is lethargy and just not being interested in going out as she normally would be. Usually sharp to ride !

 

[Hollylee1989]

Sorry to hijack again OP!
trh came back positive for mine and i started 1 prascend a day 12 days ago.
Footiness has improved massively already.
Can anyone give me a rough idea of how long it took for your horse to feel normal again? My mares biggest symptom is lethargy and just not being interested in going out as she normally would be. Usually sharp to ride !

Usually 6 weeks for a follow up blood test, but on the prascend information sheet it said anything up to 3 months.

 

[meleeka]

Mine was about a month. It wasn’t gradual either, so best to be prepared!

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I really recommend cushcare for getting/keeping weight on, plus, it's the only feed that my fussy PPID mare will take the prascend in! I soak it and feed it as a mash. (it's not cheap though. Obvs. What is?!)

 

[spookypony]

My mare was diagnosed aged 12, before showing symptoms other than a tendency to get round at any given opportunity. She's managed on 1/2 prascend since (fingers crossed...). My gelding was diagnosed at 15, looking a bit poor. Management-wise, the yard setup meant that the best solution I found was as follows: a track around the outside of the field in the summer, so that they had little grass, but were fed hay/haylage free choice, and then out on standing hay (the middle of the field) in the winter, with no supplementary forage (well, only when everything was snowed under). This meant a much more natural pattern of gradual weight gain in the summer, and weight loss in the winter, so that they came into April well on the skinny side.

For support of muscle gain/general condition, I feed a mixture of Alpha-Beet or Fibre-Beet with Coolstance Copra. Copra is about the lowest-carb, highest-protein feed out there for metabolic horses, and if yours likes it, is amazing!

After diagnosis, my mare still completed several 60k endurance rides, and indeed, her vet highly encourages fitness as part of the treatment programme.