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Cocorules

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My mare tested 38 for ACTH levels in December. She was not treated as the vet said treating it could send the level too low. She has just been retested and come back at 21 and 26 on separate samples taken 10 minutes apart. She will be retested again in October. Just thought I would share this in case anyone has had a similar experience.
 
Well that's really good news as 'normal' ACTH levels for this time of year are 29 or below so you're safe! Good luck with your next blood test but am guessing your mare probably doesn't have cushings if she's on no medication and levels are that low?
 
That's very interesting.

Motor came up as 38 a couple of week ago and is on 2mg of Pergolide and Vet has suggested we retest in a couple of months.

This is the first time he has had the ACTH test in the 6 plus years he has been diagnosed with Cushing's, which was on clinical signs alone. In those days there was only the ACTH Suppression Test, which was not a good idea, when the horse was suffering from Laminitis as the time.
 
native pony i think your vet is on a money spinner! unless your pony is struggling i would leave on 2 mg. as a 56 reading of acth is not high ep as we have had a spring flush already. i certainly wouldnt increase by 1 mg when you can happily do it in halves!
 
Really? Do you think so? Am so worried about her & just want her to be ok - she's well in herself and still ridden most days but am worried if it's not under control then she may get laminitis etc? On 3mg if the levels drop enough would the amount be reduced or do is it normally not usual to reduce dosage?
 
take precautions with her diet as the spring grass is starting, keep up with the same regular work. how old is your pony? does she show any classic symptoms of cushions.. fat pockets? coat? feet? water consumption? peeing excessively? etc
 
No - no signs although she was blood tested before her !due time' because she'd lost some topline - she has her quiet days but to look at her you really wouldn't know she has cushings. She is NF and 21 later this month. She was diagnosed with cushings 2 years ago in May and has always been on 2mg until now when the levels seem to be creeping up!
 
I wouldn't take a chance that she'll be ok and follow your vets advice.
My gelding was diagnosed in June 2009 and his ACTH still increased for the first year. First reading was 86 so started on 1mg, tested again in August it was 84! so increased to 2mg, next test was October at 104:eek: vet just said they didn't recommend more than 2mg but if I wanted to increase it, that was my choice - so I did - up again to 3mg. Jan 2010 was still over normal (<28) at 41 so I increased again up to 3 and half. Next test was March 2010 and was 45:eek: so we ended up giving him 4mg and tested again in June 2010 - it was down to normal at last.
So I would increase as per your vets advice, test again in a month or 6 weeks, just to make sure you are bringing the ACTH levels down.
The EC/IR yahoo group say "The correct dose is the one which keeps the ACTH down to normal level. This eliminates the risk of laminitis."
Once you have had 12 months of tests, you will know what her pattern of rise and fall in levels and will be in a position to go by clinical signs, with twice yearly tests,. I test February and August.
Losing topline is a clinical sign, so is "being quiet" or depression. Only signs my boy has is depression, his sheath get icky and at worst he goes off feeds.
Join the Yahoo group, they have over 10,000 members now and you can learn tons from them and files on the group site. Good luck
 
I'm with Muff747 - all horses process Prascend differently, so one horse may manage to bring levels down with 1mg, and another may need more, no matter what size.
My shetand started on half a tablet, and was re-tested (he was diagnosed in the late 40s, but symptomless apart from getting footy)
We upped this to a tablet, and re-tested 6 months later - he remains on 1 mg as his levels dropped to 29 so only just in the normal zone.
I will be testing again in a year as his bloods have remained stable for the last 2 tests.
When he was first diagnosed, although I'm in Yorkshire the bloods were processed by Liphook. I rang Liphook to discuss the results, and spoke to their Cushings expert - he was really helpful
 
I know I've posted this link on other threads, but I just think it's such a useful document that I'll post it on any Cushing's thread!

It's the details of testing for Cushing's, from Liphook Equine Hospital.

Scroll down page 1 for a graph showing how ACTH levels vary month by month in both "normal" and Cushing's horses:

http://www.liphookequinehosp.co.uk/documents/PituitaryParsIntermediaDysfunction.pdf

So it would seem reasonable that some Cushing's horses may need more pergolide to keep their ACTH levels down during the late summer/autumn peak.

Sarah
 
mine was daignosed at 39 at the begining of Feb. There were no clinical signs whatsoever. Just the severe laminitis that appeared one day for no accountable reason.
 
Thanks flinfootfilly that link is interesting. Both to see that levels of ACTH are likely to drop generally between December and March and that spikes can be pain related. She has arthritis and suspensory ligament damage and she seems more comfortable with those now the weather is warming up.
 
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