Feeding for weight gain on Cushing Veteran

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Menolly

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Hi all,

I'm hoping for some advice on feed solutions for my 28 yo oldie. Shes laminitis prone and on Pracsend and chasteberry for Cushings however shes not the normal fatty and quite poor.

She has very recently gone back to day time grazing after a low grade laminitis bout and my vet wasn't too concerned with her weight as long as she doesn't loose anymore so I need your help!

Her prascend was increased back up to 1 tablet about 8 weeks ago, shes kept on restricted grazing through the day and although i'm able to put hay out in the field shes just leaving this for the thistles and nettles!

she has a morning feed of 2 small scoops of soaked Fast fibre ,1 of speedi beet and stubbs scoop of alfa oil and an evening feed of 2 small scoops of fast fibre soaked, 2 of speedi beet and stubbs scoop of alfa oil. (Small scoops as in the standard size not the saucepan stubbs scoops)

over night she also has 1.5 stubbs scoop of Speedi beet, 3 stubbs scoops of hi fi lite , 1 stubbs scoop of safe and sound and 1 alf alfa pellets as a hay replacer. I do split this into two trugs at each end of the stable so she at least has some movement and a gap between eating. She eats about half a haynet full of hay also.


I have spoken to D&H and Dengie who both advised fibre fibre fibre but through the feeds I am currently giving. I can only be at the farm twice a day so cant do a third feed and wonder if anyone else can spot a hole in her current feed or can recommend anything?

Shes has her teeth done every 6 months and still has full chewing abilities.

I've read wonder reviews of linseed and have ordered a sack which should hopefully be with me tomorrow.Can anyone give me an idea of quanities I can feed as I have read people giving a mug full only.

J X
 
sounds like she is getting enough to me, can you post a recent pic....if your vet is happy with her weight you may be worrying too much. as she has had laminitis shes prob better a bit lean rather than toofat.. i also have a cushings horse and have just started to feed speedibeet with her happy hoof and formula 4 feet, as she has lost a bit too much weight so know how you feel...good luck
 
I would suggest feeding soaked fibre nuts instead of the fast fibre in the 'meals' as they will have a higher DE than fast fibre so will add in weight gain. Something like Spillers High Fibre cubes or Saracen Super Fibre Pencils
 
My mare is 39 & has had Cushings for 13 years. She lost weight on Prascend as it seemed to dampen her appetite, and I couldn't get her to eat it, so she's now off it.

She eats calm & condition, alfa a & build up mix, one scoop of each twice a day, plus adlib hay. She's never had lami (touch wood) so not sure if any of that is suitable for lami. She's holding her weight really well.

T x
 
Thanks for all your input. I'll get some up to date photos.
Your right I could be worrying over nothing, she was my first pony when i was a teenager and now my first veteran and I'm making the mistake of comparing her against my other horse who she's got over 20 years on!

Thanks Rachel ill try the soaked cubes - I am finding that the fast fibre almost goes like cement if she's abit slow to eat it!

catembi - wow 39! What a fab age, I'd love it if M is still causing me grief in 11 years!

She was only diagnosed with cushings a year ago and thankfully she's very greedy so no trouble taking the prascend but it's honestly made me neurotic!

Thanks again x
 
Micronised linseed safe for cushings/lami as low in starch and sugar but very high oil content think the rule of thumb is 1gm/kg but needs to be started slowly to allow metabolism to adjust to the introduction of the oils (liver processing it)
 
I feed my cushings mare micronised linseed, blue chip, speedi beet and a bunch of supplements including minerals (had her forage analysed), yeasacc, milk thistle (she has a dodgy liver), riaflex (for joints) and probably something else I've forgotten.

Yeasacc is good for weight gain because it helps them to get more benefit from whatever fibre you are feeding - mine is 22 and has fabulous teeth so grass and hay for her.

I took her off blue chip because I didn't really want her on wheatfeed but her condition has improved since I put her back on it so that is a win. She used to be on the local one but now is on the normal one.

I have to be really careful with mine because she also has liver damage so I feed low protein and low fat so can't feed too much fat (so go easy on the micronised linseed) but assuming yours is fine apart from the cushings you can stick in up to two mugs a day which will really help with the weight gain.

Personally I avoid most dengie products like the plague as alfalfa makes my horse footy and hi fi lite has molasses in and gave her a bout of laminitis a couple of years ago. Carefully check the ingredients of anything you feed rather than just trusting feed companies' nutritionists, who are biased and want to sell you their products.
 
catembi said:
My mare is 39 & has had Cushings for 13 years. She lost weight on Prascend as it seemed to dampen her appetite, and I couldn't get her to eat it, so she's now off it.

She eats calm & condition, alfa a & build up mix, one scoop of each twice a day, plus adlib hay. She's never had lami (touch wood) so not sure if any of that is suitable for lami. She's holding her weight really well.

T x
Click to expand...

How long was yours on Prascend for with the appetite loss? Did your vet talk to you about 'the veil'? The veil as I understand it anyway is basically something that many horses go through when they are initially put on Prascend which causes lack of appetite and depression. It wears off after two or three months normally and the effects can be reduced by building up the dose super gradually i.e. in quarter tablets. This website gives really useful advice about the veil among many other things laminitis and cushings related so it might be useful for some of us here:
http://ecirhorse.com/

39 is such an amazing age - I hope I still have mine then! What breed is yours?
 
My mare is 39 & has had Cushings for 13 years. She dropped a few pounds on Prascend as it seemed to reduce her hunger, and I couldn't get her to eat it, so she is now off it.
 
I think you need to re-analyze the diet and tighten things down even more. A scoop of this or that will not work. It must be weighed in pounds and fed accordingly. Nettles shouldn't be part of the diet and its a possibility that he can't tolerate alfalfa either. He needs to be tested several times a year to see where things are and Prescend increased accordingly. He may need APF to help recover the circulation in his feet. He needs a good balanced trim to remove all torque off his feet....no riding, no shoes and boots and padding to make him more comfortable. Pain causes weight loss.
Fibre is the way to go, but add up all the calories you are feeding in a day and then really know what the sugar and starch is. I would analyze the hay and only feed what is needed to balance the diet. I would get another ATCH test done and consider increasing the Prescend. Once you know what you are up against, you can increase it slowly and maintain it there when the symptoms go away. That's the amount he needs to control Cushings...whatever that amount is. I know horses that are on 8mg/day all year around and some that increase and decrease the medication, depending on the time of year...spring grass, fall rise, winter laminitis. There's also the Prescend Veil that kills appetite and that can be addressed as well.
The fact that you mention he has laminitis and is on Prescend, tells me that you need to tighten the diet down more and increase the Prescend to get the disease under control. At 32, no messing around, get the diet balanced better and the medication he needs.
You can find excellent information and help with it all from expert professionals on the front line of Cushings here. This is exactly where you need to be for him. Best wishes...

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/
 
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