Cushings question?

A

andlaw

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Hi

My Section A has today been diagnosed with cushings and equine metabolic syndrome :-( He's only 9 and my vet said he'd never heard of such a young pony getting cushings. The reason we tested him is because he's got terrible laminitis and has been in on bute since Christmas day and doesn't seem to be getting any better.

I keep reading that the prognosis is not good if they already have bad laminitis, is this true and has anyone else managed to get their pony stablised from this point? My vet is starting him on prascend (?) which he says is expensive, is there any other way of getting this drug?

My problem is that I don't want him to end up being stabled for 23/24 hours a day as I feel he would not have any quality of life and he would be miserable. He is my daughter's pony but she's a bit of a 'summer' rider so his exercise is a bit hit and miss at the moment although I was considering trying to drive him if I can get him sound.

Any advice would be really appreciated and sorry for all the questions.

Thanks
A
 
Hi,
My Sec A was diagnosed at 7!
It is not that it is uncommon, just that vets don't tend to look for it.
We started mine on the lowest dose Prascend and then worked upwards to dose he is on now...not the whole tablet...it is broken in to 3 with a pill splitter, he has a third....but each pony is different.
It does not work out expensive this way.
You will need to take xrays of the pony's feet, so you can see if there is a rotation of the pedal bone, then with vet and a very good farrier, trim the feet to the angle of the PB.
All being well....your pony should be fine.
I also feed him Equistro Biotin as he used to abcess all the time but since using this he has not abcessed for 6 months.
Mine lives out 24/7 and the only feed he has is hay and literally a handful of my local farmers co op H&P nuts.
He is also in full work.
Best of luck
Bryndu :)
 
My pony (14hh) was recently diagnosed with Lami brought on by Cushings. We had xrays done and pedal bones rotated badly in both hind legs and slightly in both fronts too. He's 24, never had lami before and had about 6 weeks box rest at the end of summer last year. He's had remedial shoeing all round and is now sound and able to be turned out in a starvation paddock, albeit with a grazing muzzle still.

We started off on 1/2 tablet of prascend but after blood testing the hormone was still 212 (maximum is 29 it should be below) so we increased to 1 whole tablet per day. Bloods came back at Christmas with hormone at 24 so really pleased with him. I got a prescription from my vet for Prascend because it works out cheaper and I think I paid about £136 last time for 100 or so tablets.

Best of luck - it's hard work managing them but there is light at the end of the tunnel and worth giving it a go!
 
I had my pony put down yesterday. He had laminitis and was borderline for cushings. My only comment, is please make sure your vet takes some x rays of the pony's feet sooner, rather than later. My vet kept telling me x rays were not needed, yet my pony was in increasing levels of pain. By the time I got angry and demanded the x-rays the pony had severe rotation in his front feet and despite immediate treatment from my farrier was still in too much pain for me to consider keeping him going.
 
I had the same scenario about four years ago, but as soon as pony was put on Prascend it was like a miracle. She had lami all over the Xmas period and into New Year and wasn't improving at all. She was started on a tablet a day and within a week was a new pony. It's not just the pain, but the depression that goes with it and they just seem as though they're ready to give up. Her feet were x.rayed (Very Important!) so the farrier could see how to trim her them. By April she was back being ridden again. We treat her like a lami. prone pony with restricted grazing i.e. a little 1/4 acre paddock of her own, out every day for about 8 hours and just hay, plus a straw chop and Farriers Forumla.

We have her tested every October to ensure her dosage is correct as it's when the days start shortening that the danger time approaches for cushings ponies.
 
Thank you everyone for your replies, I do feel much more positive now and will speak to my vet about getting his feet x-rayed in case there is some rotation.

Thanks again
A
 
x-rays are so important

I would be questioning why your vet wont do them or say they are not important.


I lost track of how many x- rays we have had since july last year ( lami) off fore rotated twice now and have shown infection in pedal bone.

How can the farrier know how to trim the foot or the vet know how to treat the foot without them???

I would insist you get them done

This website was created to capture all the good information previous posters have said . They are copied and pasted on this site so you dont have to search or miss any important things on any 1 illness, check it out. I have put it on the correct page which is obviously (*C*)
http://equinecare-and-control.weebly.com/c.html


you say you been reading prognosis not good, ?? I am guilty of this too read search the web see all the negatives printed , but my hubby says for every bad post there will be as many positive, its just the positives are not usually posted as much.

all the ones i read on the pedal bone are neg maybe they are but i have been told she is on best meds she is remaining happy ( as she can be for 6 months box rest ) and as long as she is fighting i will even tho still on bute and hobbly there is always hope till either the pony gives up or you can see enough is enough .

I found most of the neg post i read are from 2009 and before not recent , the medicines now are more advanced than a few years back. Listen to your pony he will tell you when he has given up.( if he does )


my mares first rotation was 11 now 15 ( but hasnt move since a few weeks back x- ray )
if he has rotated you want styrofoam pads to support the sole etc heel supports are ok but they wont stop founder ( sinking )

again there is info on styrofoam pads on that website under (L) for laminitis .


.
 
Last edited:
andlaw said:
Thank you everyone for your replies, I do feel much more positive now and will speak to my vet about getting his feet x-rayed in case there is some rotation.

Thanks again
A
Click to expand...

hi,
my vet wanted £209. for 160 tablets pracsend, i got them online for £136.69 from www.vet-medics.com for 160 tablets . you will need a prescription from your vet though..
my boy is on 1 a day...his acth levels were 245 they are now 33.5,.
 
my old 15.1 got very bad laminitis when he first got cushings and with careful management he should be fine, but you will have to restrict grazing especially for first few months. soak hay for over 30 mins to get rid of excess sugar and cut hard feed right down or out completely. Also ask vet for a perscription for the drug and but it online- it should be cheaper. Also after you've used the drug for a while and you control the laminitis you can cut down the amount you give him each day.

Hope that helps :D
 
BigRed said:
I had my pony put down yesterday. He had laminitis and was borderline for cushings. My only comment, is please make sure your vet takes some x rays of the pony's feet sooner, rather than later. My vet kept telling me x rays were not needed, yet my pony was in increasing levels of pain. By the time I got angry and demanded the x-rays the pony had severe rotation in his front feet and despite immediate treatment from my farrier was still in too much pain for me to consider keeping him going.
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry to read this. x
 
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