Horse seems off / quiet

Leam_Carrie

Leam_Carrie

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My horse seems quiet at the moment. She was on restricted grazing all summer and turned out 24/7 a few weeks ago. She was a bit unenthusiased about hacking so as I was going on holiday for a week I thought I'd give her a couple of weeks off (sometimes she seems to get a bit bored). I'm now back from holiday and she seemed off / quiet on our first hack yesterday.

She's eating fine. She's 22 and does get stiff - so I'm wondering if it's the changing weather? Or something else? I was told she seemed off today at the yard - quiet nothing obvious.

If she doesn't improve I'll get the vet our for blood tests.
 
Also agree to have a cushings test. I may be wrong but I *think * they do a free voucher around this time of year to test for it but you'll need to check as mine has had it confirmed a couple of years ago and the voucher is only for new tests but I used a voucher when I had him done when he was first diagnosed.
 
Leam_Carrie said:
My horse seems quiet at the moment. She was on restricted grazing all summer and turned out 24/7 a few weeks ago. She was a bit unenthusiased about hacking so as I was going on holiday for a week I thought I'd give her a couple of weeks off (sometimes she seems to get a bit bored). I'm now back from holiday and she seemed off / quiet on our first hack yesterday.

She's eating fine. She's 22 and does get stiff - so I'm wondering if it's the changing weather? Or something else? I was told she seemed off today at the yard - quiet nothing obvious.

If she doesn't improve I'll get the vet our for blood tests.
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I would def have a blood test no waiting.

I did a random blood test and found my small one had IBD and my other has raised liver as he was very quiet too.
 
I hope the bloods show nothing untoward. I had the vet out to my pony some years ago as he was "flat". Nothing showed up but he did the same the next year and subsequent years following. Always when he started changing his coat. Vet suggested a tonic at this time of year. (I've given him kossolian blood salts) He's been blood tested again as part of a MOT and showed slightly low level cushings but as asymptomatic testers/vet didn't feel medication necessary but he is carefully monitored.
 
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One of mine gets run down at this time every year and I give him a tonic. I have no basis in science for this, but he seems to get run down when his coat is changing.
 
Crazy_cat_lady said:
Also agree to have a cushings test. I may be wrong but I *think * they do a free voucher around this time of year to test for it .
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Its not free. Its paid for by the drug company who have the sole licence for Prascend. They advertise it the moment as 'free' - the time of year when the levels are highest, Cushings is most likely to be diagnosed and they are likely to get the most business
 
It must take a lot of energy to grow an entire winter coat, 3 of my 4 are a bit "flat", especially the old lady but they seem over the worst of it now.
 
pepsimaxrock said:
Its not free. Its paid for by the drug company who have the sole licence for Prascend. They advertise it the moment as 'free' - the time of year when the levels are highest, Cushings is most likely to be diagnosed and they are likely to get the most business
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It is free to user.
and from June... way before the seasonal rise and you know what, I'd rather find out that mine had an issue and treat it as I think there are probably a whole heap of symptoms we don't see.
My 24yo has had two tests on different years and I have been very happy not to pay for them.

OP it could be a few things, but never a bad thing to run some bloods.
 
ester said:
It is free to user.
and from June... way before the seasonal rise and you know what, I'd rather find out that mine had an issue and treat it as I think there are probably a whole heap of symptoms we don't see.
My 24yo has had two tests on different years and I have been very happy not to pay for them.

OP it could be a few things, but never a bad thing to run some bloods.
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I thought it was seasonally adjusted anyway?

I've just had mine done, 3rd time, last time 2 years ago. He's got no real outward symptoms except not very forward but I'd rather avoid cushings induced laminitis as my hacking partners horse had just done. He was borderline last Autumn and now has a reading of over 900!

I do think though as other users have said they can be a bit off this time of year, in past years I've often given a supplement like Restore in the Autumn.
 
Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.

Vet is coming out Thursday to see my horse. She's had a cushings test before which came out as slightly raised ACTH but not at a point treatment was needed - so it does seem likely that it could be the reason.

I'm hoping she's just off for autumn as already manage sweet itch, navicular and arthritis :(.
 
Just for info, Peregrine F and Leam Carrie - do you mind me asking what your horses' levels were when diagnosed as ' slightly' Cushing? Just had a reading of 52 (late August) for my boy, and advised to start with half a tab of Prascend daily. No other symptoms apparent.
 
jojo5 said:
Just for info, Peregrine F and Leam Carrie - do you mind me asking what your horses' levels were when diagnosed as ' slightly' Cushing? Just had a reading of 52 (late August) for my boy, and advised to start with half a tab of Prascend daily. No other symptoms apparent.
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My old boy (now no longer with us) used have a very low ACTH count of between 22 and 29 and he was on one tablet per day. He had low grade symptoms - coat change took longer, had a single bout of mud fever, fairly itchy, but never had laminitis in his life. They all present differently.
 
You mention that your mare was changed from restricted to full grazing. I would try to rule out low grade laminitis. Often the only symptom is reluctance to go forward.
 
mytwofriends said:
My old boy (now no longer with us) used have a very low ACTH count of between 22 and 29 and he was on one tablet per day. He had low grade symptoms - coat change took longer, had a single bout of mud fever, fairly itchy, but never had laminitis in his life. They all present differently.
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Thanks for this info, and thanks to PF as well. Could I ask what time of year your reading was, MTF, as I know that the standard expectations vary from season to season with Autumn being the highest. Thanks again :)
 
pepsimaxrock said:
Its not free. Its paid for by the drug company who have the sole licence for Prascend. They advertise it the moment as 'free' - the time of year when the levels are highest, Cushings is most likely to be diagnosed and they are likely to get the most business
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That doesn't bother me in the slightest! It's free to the horse owner, and if the horse does test positive, it can be treated, rather than carrying on silently struggling with a metabolic disorder!
 
Leam_Carrie said:
Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.

Vet is coming out Thursday to see my horse. She's had a cushings test before which came out as slightly raised ACTH but not at a point treatment was needed - so it does seem likely that it could be the reason.

I'm hoping she's just off for autumn as already manage sweet itch, navicular and arthritis :(.
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If it was slightly raised I would definitely be testing again now.
 
Regandal said:
You mention that your mare was changed from restricted to full grazing. I would try to rule out low grade laminitis. Often the only symptom is reluctance to go forward.
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Thanks for the suggestion. Will ask the vet about this tomorrow. We've been checking for pulses, but all has seemed fine. It would make sense with the change in grazing.


jojo5 said:
Just for info, Peregrine F and Leam Carrie - do you mind me asking what your horses' levels were when diagnosed as ' slightly' Cushing? Just had a reading of 52 (late August) for my boy, and advised to start with half a tab of Prascend daily. No other symptoms apparent.
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I've tried to find the number for you and can't locate it - sorry.
 
My old grandfather used to say "No horse looks well at Blackberry time". It's an old saying and I certainly notice a difference in some of my horses when their coats are changing, it takes a lot out of them and can make them flat.
 
Crazy_cat_lady said:
Also agree to have a cushings test. I may be wrong but I *think * they do a free voucher around this time of year to test for it but you'll need to check as mine has had it confirmed a couple of years ago and the voucher is only for new tests but I used a voucher when I had him done when he was first diagnosed.
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Does anyone know where you look to find out if there's any vouchers available? I think my vet mentioned them once before but cant remember what website it was I think you have to apply to?

Like yours OP, my 20yo has also been noticeably quiet recently which is unlike him, so Im thinking its vet time but I wanted to have a rough idea what I would like him tested for.
 
MagicMelon said:
Does anyone know where you look to find out if there's any vouchers available? I think my vet mentioned them once before but cant remember what website it was I think you have to apply to?

Like yours OP, my 20yo has also been noticeably quiet recently which is unlike him, so Im thinking its vet time but I wanted to have a rough idea what I would like him tested for.
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My vets sort the voucher for the test. I got an email saying they'd sent off a sample for a free test :).
 
jojo5 said:
Thanks for this info, and thanks to PF as well. Could I ask what time of year your reading was, MTF, as I know that the standard expectations vary from season to season with Autumn being the highest. Thanks again :)
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He used to have two tests per year, one in the autumn and one in the spring. The Prascend worked wonders almost from day one, and he didn't go through the depression that's common in quite a few horses.

In fact, when he was PTS in February, he looked fabulous. Shiny, a good weight coming out of winter and bright eyed. His arthritis got him in the end.
 
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