cushings

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oliviacharley

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does anyone know much about cushings..? My pony seems to not shed her winter coat around her belly very much, has a pot belly and has slightly buldgy eyes....her eyes are extremely sensitive and run like mad if she does not have a mask on in the summer....she is coming onto 30 and is my first pony so I am pretty upset as she seems to have a couple of symptoms I think...
I am wondering if this is cushings...? My vet friend is coming out to see her but just wondered what people do to keep their condition and what the normal symptoms are..? She ( touch wood ) has not had laminitus....
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i dont know what other areas are like but at the moment where i live - any older horses with these kind of symptoms of that age are being told - 'cushings' by the vet but then the vets say its not worth testing for it! its happened to a few on my yard - only one has had it confirmed and he has previously had bad lami - the owner has dramatically reduced the medication the vet prescribed with time and thankfully he is fine with that and never been better!
i would really try not to worry - i know its hard but IF it is - its managable.
i would just wait and see what vet says? the ones on my yard who the vets have said have it but not tested for all are fine it just takes time to get your head around it.
hope i make sense and have helped a bit - let me know how you get on and fingers crossed for you.
 
We had a cushings pony - he was only 14 though. He had no symptoms other than the bulgy eyes and recurring laminitis. He was tested and it was confirmed. The vet prescribed pergolide, which is apparently the best treatment. Dont buy it through your vet though - you'll pay loads more than you need to.
The vet reckoned that most horses over 25 will have cushings, and that every horse would develop it at some point if they live long enough.
Unfortunately, in our case, the treatment didnt keep the laminitis away and Murphy had to be put to sleep.
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But if your horse is only showing the initial symptoms, treatment would probably be successful. I hope so. Good luck.
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Lou. x
 
My Icelandic has Cushings (he is the grey in my sig). He was tested for it 2 and a half years ago after having bouts of laminitis in the previous two winters (never the spring/summer). He tested positive and is now on Pergolide. With the medication and management for laminitis, he is fine and is as naughty as ever. Before he was on pergolide, I used to have to clip him every 2-3 weeks, but since being on the medication, his coat hardly grows. Some horses/ponies don't respond to it. At 30, the chances are your pony might well have it but tbh I wouldn't worry - if she has never had laminitis, your management is obviously pretty good anyway.
 
Super advice above. My vet let me put ours on Pergolide without the tests and on 500mcg per day (approx 19p) she's her old wicked self. Pay much attention to teeth coat and hooves and as a Cushing's pony has reduced immunity, a low worm burden is esp good. Jackie JA Taylor of the Yahoo Group 'themetabolichorse' is a mine of information and will e-mail you an advice sheet. She certainly helped our pony. The suggestion about getting pergolide from a regular chemist is invaluable as sometimes the cost of the drug (esp via a vet) can be prohibitive and I would guess the quite unnecessary reason for more than one pony to be euthanased based on the cost of treatment alone. No test and cheap pergolide.......... no decision for me! I owe the HHO lot so much in the way of gratitude for their help and advice. Good luck.
 
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