Cushings treatment

R

rugrat

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thehorseloader.co.uk
Thank you for all the help re my recently diagnosed 15yo 13.2 pony with cushings. On the treatment front could anyone tell me how long it took for them to see the benefits of the pergolide treatment ie weeks/months?. Also interested in vitex liquid produced by the laminitis trust. I am after the best treatment for her health but the return(hopefully) of her energy level is much sought after as well! Thanks so much for your time.
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Hi there,
Sorry to hear of your pony's diagnosis, but it's not all doom and gloom, you could have plenty of years yet. I can't comment on the pergolide as I used Trilostane (modrenal/vetoryl) but the vitex I used for about a month before I lost my pony: it was a last ditch attempt to see if we could get her to pick up. I noticed that almost immediately she was less depressed, and on her unclipped bits where she was quite furry the hair started to shed. Personally if I had our time again I would have used this in conjunction with the modrenal: my vet wanted me to try and do without the drugs during the summer but I was always too nervous to do it, I think the Vitex would have been enough for the summer months, but I'm not sure whether it would have been in the winter. Good luck, I hope you see some positive results soon, and there are some lovely ladies on here who will help you, coooeee, Eaglestone, Brighteyes, where are yooouuu??
 
I have been told that you know within 3 weeks if pergolide is going to work at the dose you are giving it.
My mare was on Vitex, but died before I had chance to trial it. My gelding with EMS and cushings symptoms is now on CUSH-X the Hilton Herbs formula containing Vitex/Agnus Castus and his energy levels have increased this week - I put it down to the CUSH-X as nothing else is different.
 
Hi rugrat,

my own pony (now 30 yo) has been diagnosed with Cushings about 7 years ago, he is on Pergolide and after another laminitis attack about 2 years ago I added Vitex. Subjectively, his coat is improved and he is more lively since and also he didn't have any laminitis since.
However, despite medication careful management of Cushings horses is importent: Low starch/ high fibre feed, turnout restriction, no turning out on frosty grass, if laminitic already pay atttention to good corrective shoing.

With that ( and some luck) Cushings horses can have a good quality of life for some time and it's definitively worth trying!

Good luck.
 
Hi - When I first started to use pergolide some 4 1/2 years ago in response to a cushings induced laminitis attack the vet suggested a 6 week trial period before evaluating the situation. The horse's response was not immediate by any means. The first sign I had was that the fat pockets above his eyes began to reduce. From what I read at the time pergolide's effect is not instant by any means and different horses have different response times. This is one of the main dilemmas I have had in gauging the dose as because the effect is seen sometime after the increase or decrease in dose other short term factors may have crept in to cloud the siuation. I am just considering using a Vitex type supplement as a top up over the winter months. Have you had a look at the Metabolic horse site on Yahoo? There is a lot of useful information and knowledgeable people on there.
 
Used vitex with my old boy and it made a fantastic difference to his attitude, upped his appetite and seemed to bring him back on to this planet! Well worth a go i feel.

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Hi P{ergolide should have a pretty quick effect, as in a couple of weeks! (It is not a miracle cure, so don't expect a massive turn around in 2 days!) but it can vary from pony to pony!

Sorry about this diagnosis for your pony!

Vitex
works for some not for others, it is a herbal remidy, and it does not effect the symptoms particularly, it just can have an effect on mental state (as in help them perk up a bit etc) and some people think it helps with the laminitis, although there is NO scientific evidence that this is the case, however it does not do any harm!

Hope it works out for the best!
 
Good that you are on to it quickly. Pergolide can take several weeks, but IME it was showing a positive effect in two weeks. Beware of a drop in appetite in the initial period, and there have reports of a slight depression on occasions as the drug takwes effect. You may be able to reduce the dosage during the summer months but as has been said already, the most meticulous attention should be paid to worming, feet, teeth, coat and diet.

Good luck and for extra info, have a look on the YahooGroups 'Themetabolichorse'. I can't rate the help from Jackie JA Taylor highly enough.
 
Hi there, Im sorry to hear your pony has just been diagnosed with cushings. I have a bit of experience with cushings as both one of my retired mares had it for a few years and we suspect that my retired gelding may have the startings of it too! My mare was diagnosed with cushings in September 2002 when she came down with a very nasty bout of laminitis. Once we were on the road to recovery we started her on a course of Cush aid and Hormonise and noticed good results with this. Her coat and demeanour improved and despite a few complications along the way she lived a happy contented life until she was put to sleep following kidney failure on 27th Dec 2006.

My gelding suffered a bout of laminitis in the spring/summer of 2007 and it took him a long time to improve. With careful management we got him paddock sound over the winter only for him to suffer an even worse bout of it in the February of last year where he foundered in one of his feet. Alongside this he had the fat pads above his eyes, depressed demeanor, and a fairly long winter coat. We started him on a course of Vitex Equids, Formula 4 Feet and Global Herbs Bute X in a desperate attempt to help the little man. The Bute X was amazing and within a matter of days we were able to wean him off the large amounts of bute he was taking. Ben has now been on Vitex Equids and Formula 4 feet now for almost a year and despite being retired and unclipped his coat is that of a normal pony, he no longer has fat pads above his eyes and he is extremely well in him self. No one would ever imagine he was in such a desperate state last year.

I've found the management of Cushings horses and ponies to be the key though through all of this, we never turn him out on frosty or particularly wet land, and try to monitor his weight very carefully.

Good luck with your pony, and if you need any further advice or anything about the Vitex Equids, don't hesitate to get in touch!!
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Thanks so much everyone, your stories are really interesting and of great help. We have just started her on vitex and will see how she goes. I will bear all your experiences in mind re the treatments available. I hadn't hear of cush aid.
 
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