First signs of Cushings

Toffee44

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What are the first signs of cushings?

Toffee had turned into a mammoth over night and I clipped her today, my friend who helped suggested she may have cushings as her coat is so thick. Toffee normallys does a bit of fluff in the winter but nothing like this.

Bit worried now, she doesnt seem to be drinking excessively.
 
How old is she hun? If a native pony, they can grow winter coats like woolly mammoths but I wouldn't panic about it being cushings if that is the only symptom. If you google Cushings, you'll get a host of information and other symptoms to watch out for. Look for reputable veterinary websites. If you're in any way concerned that Toffee may have other symptoms, get the vet out.
 
What are the first signs of cushings?

Toffee had turned into a mammoth over night and I clipped her today, my friend who helped suggested she may have cushings as her coat is so thick. Toffee normallys does a bit of fluff in the winter but nothing like this.

Bit worried now, she doesnt seem to be drinking excessively.

How old is she - Cushings really is only found in horses over 14yrs.
http://www.equestrianandhorse.com/care/veterinary/cushings.html This link has a simple guide about cushings and the symptoms.

If you are worried get you vet to do a blood test - the ACTH test is the best currently IMO and reliable seasonal variation normal levels are now available so it doesn't matter what time of year you use it....if you want to measure glucose and insulin to be of any use then you need to stave the horse overnight and have the sample taken the next day before food! :o

Hope that gives you some starting point.
Imogen
 
with my pony the signs were

drinking and weeing excessively. like two of the huge huge tub truggs a night.

growing a really wooly curly thick coat that took ages to shed in the spring.

fat pockets above the eyes and on the back end. she was 20 and didnt have dippy eyes atall looked like a youngster.

and she had history of laminitus

had her tested and put on pergolide and she was sound with in about 2 weeks.

good luck
 
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