Excessive urination?

[Three]

My oldie (35 in June) has, over the past few months, been getting wetter and wetter. His bed squelches some mornings.

He is not noticably drinking much more - although I can't monitor his daytime intake as he is out with a largish group.

He does have much wetter feeds these days - he has no pairs of molars left - but it doesn't 'feel' like enough to produce so much extra wee.

He has readigrass & alfa A oil ad lib at night as he can no longer chew long fibres.

I have started using coprameal (the coconut derivative stuff) as a way to help keep his weight on over the winter. Could this do it?

Other than the excess wee-ing he seems bright and perky, still keen to go out, tucks into his feed etc and I can't see any other 'symptoms' of anything.

Any ideas?

 

[scallywags]

Cushings?? Hows his coat? Is he warmer / colder than normal?
We've had 2 with cushings, one was late 20's, one early 30's, we fed chaste berry, to support the liver, (liver deteriation is common) and the weeing decreased.
Neither of there coats were typically long / curly ( they did get a wave when wet, but it dissapared when dry) But the TB did overheat and sweat a lot so required clipping in the summer
Both have been PTS in the last yr, but neither decision was made due to the cushings (one internal tumors, one arthritis)

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

Id say at that age the most likely cause would be cushings.

This can be easily diagnosed by either a single or double blood test. If you can diagnose it now before any other clinical signs develop (such as excess drinking, pot belly, muscle wastage, hirsutism (excessive long wavy hair coat), and recurrent laminitis (which is often the cause of most cushings horses to be pts...))

Id talk to your vet about it, as they might just want to put the horse on pergolide to see if the horse responds.

Best of look, and id just monitor the drinking etc if you can.

 

[Three]

Thanks both.

We did test for Cushings a few years ago when his coat started to 'age' but I'll speak to my vet again about it; you can never be too careful with an oldie I think.

Not that he thinks he's old...

 

[scallywags]

Our 2 both came back with neg cushings tests, one was repeated 6 months later and still neg, and he was a clearer case, one vet even refered to him as the old cushings lad : )

 

[dorani]

Kidney problems?