cushings question

Firehorse

Firehorse

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my 19 yr old pony had bloods taken today to test for cushings. he's been lethargic on and off for a while now, and very hungry this winter. he has changed shape and some fat pads hve become visible.
anyhow, my question is, if the test comes back positive and he has medication, will he be able to continue to live out 24/7?
i hve no other choice for him. he lives in a herd and they are stripped grazed throughout summer and get haylage in winter and obviously his feeds. there is no stabling and i cannot separate him as he'd go crazy. would a grazing muzzle be useful in spring/autumn? i jst want to learn what i can. thx guys x
 
There should be no reason he cannot continue to live out with the herd, you may need to take extra precautions regarding his weight and the risk of laminitis but if he has managed up until now he may not get it and respond well to prascend.
I had an older pony, he was 28 when diagnosed with cushings, he never had laminitis before or after he was tested, he required no special treatment other than his daily meds, it is not a given that they will get laminitis if they are carefully managed, have plenty of exercise and a suitable diet.
 
my 27 year old companion pony has cushings. She is on half a prascend tablet a day (she's only 12hh). She still lives out 24/7 with my other ponies. Other ponies are all cob types and good doers so are managed accordingly. So far the cushings pony has been OK.
 
I've got a retired 19yo with cushings who lives out 24/7 with haylage through the winter. I'm Afraid my philosophy is quality of life over quantity. He gets a bit fat in the summer, occasionally feels his feet on hard ground and I watch him like a hawk in the laminitis risk periods.
 
ihatework said:
I've got a retired 19yo with cushings who lives out 24/7 with haylage through the winter. I'm Afraid my philosophy is quality of life over quantity. He gets a bit fat in the summer, occasionally feels his feet on hard ground and I watch him like a hawk in the laminitis risk periods.
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I have to agree with this I retired my mare in October she has cushings and ems and she hates being stabled especially if not woking, she wont tolerate a grazing muzzle goes nuts running up and down the field, she has lost much of the extra weight she had and will go into summer looking quite trim so I will just have to keep an eye on her weight.
 
Our two live out and haven't had any particular management changes due to Cushings as they were already kept as good doer natives, strip grazed and with a bit of hay if needed. As they have got older they now get a bit of extra high fibre soft feed in winter but are doing fine.
 
My oldie was diagnosed at 26, lived out all her life, continued to do so after diagnosis & lived happily to 40. We tried Prascend/pergolide, but it was pretty well impossible to make her eat it & it made her miserable, so we kept her on a herbal supplement instead. Cushings isn't a death sentence! She showjumped successfully til she did a tendon at 29, & was a strong & lively hack til about 34/5.

T x
 
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