Do all old horses get cushings

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puss

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The reason i ask i have a cob hes 22. I look for the signs all the time he dosent seem to have any eating well the only thing is he not as overweight as normal. I have reduced his feed to no sugar or molasses chaff 365 balancer joint supplement mug full of linseed as he hardley does much work and my other horses cant eat sugar so have given my old boy the same food. Im just asking has someone had an old horse that didnt get cushing
 
No, not all old horses get it.

We have an "oldie" at the yard, 31 this year and touch wood no signs. His field mate is the same age and has had mild cushings for the last couple of years.

It's not just old horses that get it, if you search threads on here you'll see posts from people with much younger horses that have it
 
Im getting parnoid about him looking for signs all the time down my yard a few have got it youngest is fourteen. Hes my baby i worry about him since he got old more than ever before
 
As Cushings is a problem with the pituitory gland, I kind of assumed that although some do experience these problems when they are not so old, in old age it ceases to function as well as part of the aging process. Nice to hear there are some geriatrics not affected by it.
 
I've had plenty of geriatrics over the years, including my present two and never had a case of cushings (now touching wood).
 
My vet said "if they live long enough, they'll all get it at some point. Some younger than others."
Some (like my mare) have it, but with no symptoms. I only had her tested because of her age. Most people wouldn't know yet.
 
here_i_am said:
My vet said "if they live long enough, they'll all get it at some point. Some younger than others."
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Hmm are you sure you didn't mishear your vet? The usual saying is "if Cushings horses live long enough, they will all get laminitis at some point".

OP I've only had one old horse develop Cushings, and I've had many many very old horses.
 
Nope, she definitely said it that way around. She did also say about the lami though. She said it was by no means proven, but that was her (and many other vets') belief.
 
We have had several elderly horses over the years (oldest into her 40's estimated by the vet) Not one of them has had cushings, the only one who did was a six year old shire.
 
I have a 37 year old who does not have it (touch wood)

Good job too as the amount of calories I have to feed him to keep weight on he would be certain for lammi
 
My old shetland was late 30s when he died and never showed any signs. My gelding on the other hand started showing signs about 3 years ago (he was 18) of being insulin resistant, but tested negative for Cushings.
 
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