first signs of cushings.

luckyoldme

luckyoldme

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Im the first to admit that I should know this.
I ve got a lovely idx who recently passed his winter mot.
The vet asked me if I had noticed any of the first signs of cushings and because I did nt want to appear thick I said no.
The said horse gives me no cause for worry... maybe a tiny bit stiff on frosty mornings but not this year so far as it has been so amazingly mild.
he is out 24/7 with a rug with a lovely glossy shine to his coat. The only thing amiss is a few cracks on his hooves... for which im giving him biotin and applying kevin bacon hoof treatment.
he is 23 (or thereabouts) and ive had him for five years during which time he has had one bout of lameness due to an abcess.
 
My mare got very mild but chronic laminitis, and her summer coat was a tiny bit thicker and less silky than it had been. She was also drinking a lot, although I didn't really notice that because she was out all the time. My gelding hasn't really had any symptoms - his slightly raised ACTH level was picked up by a free test. The only thing in retrospect is that his sheath got more gunky and prone to swelling if it wasn't cleaned. He has always had a winter coat like a mammoth (even though he is TB) and his summer coat hasn't changed.
In a horse of that age, it is probably worth keeping an eye out for the free testing - they have been doing it each year for the last few. You still have the vet callout, but it saves about £40 for the test, so if you can combine it with a visit for vaccinations or something it does work out free.
 
Thankyou very much solo
more thick questions! ........if he has raised acth levels does this mean you can give them treatment which controls the symptoms better?
 
The first sign with mine was that when we hacked out in autumn as soon as we got back he needed a wee, then he started needing one halfway round as well, if we went a long way.
 
First sign my horse showed was weight loss, he is 20yrs, lost a bit of weight after xmas last year and wouldn't regain it. Tested him at the end March because of free test and ACTH was 91.4 but because he didn't have any other cushings symptoms he wasn't put on prascend. He had lost his winter coat as usual during Dec/Jan but in April he started to regrow a coat, which got longer and longer so end May he went on Prascend.
I also tested my then 25yr mare last Nov 2012 because she had quite a thick coat but no other signs, she didn't have it ACTH was 19. Tested another 22yr mare last month, again because she is a little ribby no other signs and her ACTH was 24. Anything under 29 is considered normal. I think usually they only say treat with prascend if there are actual symptoms of cushings with a raised ACTH result.
 
Prascend is used to reduce ACTH levels. It doesn't control the gradual enlargement of the pituitary gland directly, but there is a possibility that because the hormone levels are kept under control, the enlargement happens more slowly than it would otherwise. That is speculation, there is no evidence for it yet, but for me it's enough to use Prascend even when the horse isn't showing clear symptoms of Cushings. My gelding is on half a tablet a day, which costs around 50p and his ACTH levels have been in the acceptable range on that for over a year now.
 
The first sign in many barefoot horses is a reduction in foot quality and a sensitivity to stones.

I hope your horse is negative, but I do wonder why your vet asked, and having asked, why he didn't ask if you had seen specific things rather than that general question.

Personally, given his age and feet cracks, I would test him. Do be aware that there are a lot of false negatives with the test, so keep a watch for other symptoms anyway.
 
hey, first signs that were physically noticable was her sweting in the flank area in winter and also her coat was very thick and long (not curly) ... she had always been a wet mare and seem to be constantly in season ( i should of thought that these were early signs but just thought she was a hormonal mare)
 
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