Cushings?!

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superpony

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Sultan's been to the vets today and being tested for metabolic syndrome, his liver and cushings disease.

The vet thinks cushing disease is quite likely.. hes sweating up alot, very fluffy, not putting weight on but eating loads and got a cresty neck and is quite unhappy in himself. Hes had laminitis once, approx 3 years ago.

Hopefully the test results will be back Monday. Wondering if anyone can tell me more about cushings? Prognosis for the future?
 
it is very common in older horses (15 plus normally) it is caused by abnormal pituitary gland activity.
as you already know it causes abnormal hair growth can cause sweating and a matted smelly coat,
horses that have it often find it difficult to heal wounds and are of increased risk of infections, they can get laminitis and can respond poorly to treatment unless a specific anti-cushings treatment is also given,
they normally get abnormal fat distribution ( sometimes fat on rump but ribs may be very visible)
along with bulging fat pads over the eyes,
they also get a sway-backed appearance /pot belly
they also drink alot and wee alot.

if abnormal hair coat is the only sign then clipping may be required as treatment. however if more than this your vet will probably give you pergolide. you need to be rigorous with your worming and control the nutritional side as well.
pergolide works very well, with effective dosage the hair will shed almost normally and it may prolong life span by 2-3 years . however it must be used continually.

i hope i have helped a little to give you some more info xx

it is very treatable so please do not stress out too much i am sure you horse will be ok x
 
Hi,

Just wondering how soon I should expect to see an improvement in my pony on Pergolide?
He was diagnosed around a month ago and started the treatment almost immediately. He seemed to improve slightly at the beginig of last week (his symptoms are mainly laminitis) beginning to walk easier. However over the weekend I have seen a decline again. He is sweating again and very stiff. Am I hoping for to much too soon? Oh and he has been box rested for the past month too.

Thanks in advance,
Kat.x
 
One of the associated problems of Cushings, is that they are very prone to getting laminitis. Sometimes the diagnosis come at the same time, the vet realises the laminitis is being caused because the pony has cushings. The pergolide treats the cushings, it does not cure laminitis. You still need to treat the laminitis in the normal way and hope you can get the pony right, as with all laminitis cases, not everyone is successul.
 
My girl was diagnosed with Cushings nearly a year ago now and since being on Pergolide I have seen a MASSIVE difference both in temperament and physically. Before she was diagnosed she quiet, lacking in energy and enthusiasm for general life. I just put it down to old age (she is 23).

She now has her sparkle back, her interest and energy for life in general. Her top line has come back somewhat and she just looks really "well"

I believe Pergolide can take weeks to produce any visible changes but this can vary, in my girls case it was about a week or two.

As for long term management well Cushings is not curable and it is degenererative as time goes on. But with good management and a watchful eye you can give them the best chance to live a happy normalish life.

Things I would suggest off the top of my head from my own experience:

Stingent worming and keep a close eye of the physical well being of your horse - A horses immune system is one of the things compromised by Cushings and this can lead to a broad spectrum of problems such as chronic uclers, cuts that take a long time to heal etc...

Diet management - As has been pointed out Laminitis is much more likely in a Cushings equine. So follow all the usual guidelines for managing a lamanitic. but also be aware that due to Cushings, Laminitis can present itself no matter how carefully you manage the external factors.

6 monthly ACTH level blood test - To check that the Pergolide is still keeping the ACTH level within an acceptable range and if not then the medication should be adjusted as dicated by your vet.

Good luck!
Sadiemay
 
If your horse is diagnosed with Cushings then the treatment is usually Pergolide which is given in the form of a daily tablet. However, Pergolide is now being withdrawn as its a drug which was developed to treat Parkinsons in humans. Vets are now prescribing an alternative called Prascend which is an equine version of the same thing but, of course, is much more expensive! Usually, once the drug has been taken for a few weeks, the horse will shed the thick hairy coat and look and feel so much better - they find a renewed energy as Cushings can make them lethargic. As has been said before, cushings can affect the immune system so they become more susceptible to infection.
Actually, the cause of Cushings is a tumour on the Pituitory gland but is quite benign so don't worry about that.
Laminitis is always a worry so you should reduce any sugars the diet, i.e. no carrots, no sugary mixes. A high fbre diet is required. If you need more info then google the Laminitis Clinic - there is plenty of advice re diet etc on there.
Good luck - hope you get some good results.
 
Forgot to mention, if Cushings is diagnosed and treated the horse can live for many years. I've had two with the disease - one died when he is 30 and the other is still going strong at 23.
 
I have found that Peroglide can also suppress the immune system - my old mare came down with every virus when I got her back after being out on loan. My vet has taken blood tests and has reduced the dosage (it was high) and then will retest her again in 2 months. In my mares case, if she can be weaned off Peroglide my vet wants her to try alternatives such as Naf cushineaze - which has had good feedback on this board. My mare shows no physical signs of cushings and she is 21 - and looking very well!
 
Luci07 said:
I have found that Peroglide can also suppress the immune system - my old mare came down with every virus when I got her back after being out on loan. My vet has taken blood tests and has reduced the dosage (it was high) and then will retest her again in 2 months. In my mares case, if she can be weaned off Peroglide my vet wants her to try alternatives such as Naf cushineaze - which has had good feedback on this board. My mare shows no physical signs of cushings and she is 21 - and looking very well!
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I echo this, i had my boy on Cushings for 6 months, he showed no sign of it having any decent effect on him - he was miserable, lacked life which was unlike him and his coat was the worst i have ever seen it, not only that but he refused to eat anything so getting a tablet down him twice a day was impossible - even attempted blow pipe down throat, no amount/any other food tempted him at all, i had run out of options, so after much internet research i made the decision to take him off it and try a herbal alternative - i now have him on a supplement called Cushylife, Echinacea and Milk Thistle and hes a completely different pony, new lease of life, shiny cost which dropped out after a few weeks.
 
I dont think Pergolide weakens the immune system its the Cushings Disease. Obviously, the dosage needs to be correct to have an affect - it will vary between horses (depending on how severe the disease is and the weight/size of the horse or pony) so the vet needs to do blood tests to get the right result.
 
Zuzzie said:
I dont think Pergolide weakens the immune system its the Cushings Disease. Obviously, the dosage needs to be correct to have an affect - it will vary between horses (depending on how severe the disease is and the weight/size of the horse or pony) so the vet needs to do blood tests to get the right result.
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It also helps if you are able to actually administer the drugs.
 
bensababy said:
It also helps if you are able to actually administer the drugs.
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Yes, I agree. My 23 year old is a nightmare with medicine. Currently, he gets his pergolide broken in two pieces and hidden in some cool mix which he loves. My old horse (now long since gone) used to get his tablet tucked into his mouth against his gums where it slowly dissolved - never had a problem with that.
 
Cushings is a disease of the endocrine system and its cause is multifaceted and complex, effecting the horse entire metabolism. The causes, triggers and symptoms need to be addressed and this requires a holistic apporach. I would recommend you seek advice from a hoof care provider which is experienced in recognising and reacting to early signs of equine digital elastosis which is a common symptom of the disease. This can lead to laminitis and due to the nature of the disease, is more difficult to treat in horses with cushings. I highly recommend evaluating your horses environment and removing the causes of stress to his system including chemicals, toxins and causes of emotional or mental strain. Anything which can put a stress or strain on your horse needs to be considered and dealt with as much as possible as stress causes elastosis which is exaccerbated in the cushings horse. I found Dr Elenor Kellons on-line course on cushings and metabolic disease useful to help my understanding of the disease but it all comes down to managing the environment..... No haylage, organic (soaked) hay and thunderbrook feed/cushings supplement (to help heal the gut and immune system) is; I have found, the best approach in this country along with a good working relationship with your equine vet and DAEP.
For a paper on equine digital elastosis...
http://www.appliedequinepodiatry.org/Text_Files/EDE_Paper_Sept_2010.pdf

To locate a DAEP:
http://www.appliedequinepodiatry.org/iaep/locate.html#UK

Beccy
 
My horse was diagnosed with Cushings around 4 years ago and pergolide has made all the difference to her (although her only real symptons were a long non-shedding coat and a wet bed/drinking more than normal).

She has been so well that she won inhand veteran champion at the Midland Arabian Festival at 26 - having not been to a show for 11 years!! She also came 3rd in the ridden veteran at the same show in a big against purebred stallions and Anglos.

It doesnt have to be the end of the world. Fayre is now a happy healthy 28 year old who is still ridden. I do watch what I feed her and keep her clipped through the summer but otherwise she is fitter than most "normal" horses and looks half her age.

Try not to worry too much.
 
Zuzzie said:
Vets are now prescribing an alternative called Prascend which is an equine version of the same thing but, of course, is much more expensive!
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Not MUCH more TBH - it works out about 10p more per tablet....:p

Zuzzie said:
Forgot to mention, if Cushings is diagnosed and treated the horse can live for many years. I've had two with the disease - one died when he is 30 and the other is still going strong at 23.
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Absolutely tight - although if they are symptom free having Cushings itself won't necessarily shorten the lifespan in any case!
 
Zuzzie said:
I dont think Pergolide weakens the immune system its the Cushings Disease. Obviously, the dosage needs to be correct to have an affect - it will vary between horses (depending on how severe the disease is and the weight/size of the horse or pony) so the vet needs to do blood tests to get the right result.
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No, my vet was very specific - he said that the drug was known to weaken the immune system. He wasn't knocking the drug, just offering me an explantion why my mare seemed to catching every blooming thing in the yard when she came home. She has seen the vet more times in 6 weeks than my gelding has in 6 years - and thats counting his annual jabs etc. However, he (vet) was keen to reduce the dosage (and Imogen ran a very interesting post comparing dosage levels recently) - my mare was on double the "normal" amount.

He has halved that, will take bloods again in another couple of months and then look to see if we can reduce or wean her off it. Interestingly, her blood also showed high levels of something else (non related) which he said would cause her to be quite stressy - which she is so monitoring that as well. At the moment, there is no exterior signs at all of any changes with the drug reduction.

Definately horses for courses though - if she needs the drug she will have it, but I am keen to try to look at other alternatives as well.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice, i really appreciate it. :)

His blood results came back.. he doesn't have cushings but has metabolic syndrome, which if i understand correctly is all connected with cushings, lami etc..

Hes been on tablets for a few weeks now and is so much happier in himself! Including playing in the field again (much to my tb's digust!) and back to his normal self!!
 
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