Laminitic, cushings and EMS my boy is struggling

That’s heartbreaking sorry for your loss and it sounds like you did the kindest thing, even though it’s hard.

I have heard it will be hard to manage but I can only do my best for him. I wouldn’t want him to suffer unnecessarily if that time came though

I’m lucky he is improving day by day at the moment so I hope it keeps that way. He was quite bright looking. I’m just dreading spring and summer now. Although he was great last year. It seems to be winter he suffers.
 
The more I hear about EMS, the more I tend to compare it to diabetes. Every study seems to measure the insulin levels, and no-one seems to monitor blood sugar. As you are aware, when blood sugar rises and is not controlled, all sorts of circulatory problems will eventually develop. Diabetes is implicated in human Parkinson's Disease.....which is where Prascend comes in. I am not a medical person, but the comparisons are compelling. Winter laminitis appears to develop because of winter feed. In the wild, the horse's natural requirements for protein etc. diminishes, and the digestion shuts down accordingly. We have to feed a good quality forage or else they would starve! It would be very interesting to see a study based on whether the incidence of EMS is the same amongst wintered out horses as it is in stabled, and whether horses stabled over winter with reduced access to natural light are more at risk than wintered out or head over the door arrangements - I am thinking here that the pituitary area is primarily to do with light absorption. Are we setting horses up for a Cushings future with barn type stabling and limited winter turn out? Sometimes I am too curious for my own good.....!
 
Highmileagecob said:
The more I hear about EMS, the more I tend to compare it to diabetes. Every study seems to measure the insulin levels, and no-one seems to monitor blood sugar. As you are aware, when blood sugar rises and is not controlled, all sorts of circulatory problems will eventually develop. Diabetes is implicated in human Parkinson's Disease.....which is where Prascend comes in. I am not a medical person, but the comparisons are compelling. Winter laminitis appears to develop because of winter feed. In the wild, the horse's natural requirements for protein etc. diminishes, and the digestion shuts down accordingly. We have to feed a good quality forage or else they would starve! It would be very interesting to see a study based on whether the incidence of EMS is the same amongst wintered out horses as it is in stabled, and whether horses stabled over winter with reduced access to natural light are more at risk than wintered out or head over the door arrangements - I am thinking here that the pituitary area is primarily to do with light absorption. Are we setting horses up for a Cushings future with barn type stabling and limited winter turn out? Sometimes I am too curious for my own good.....!
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Most of the diseases the horses get are from humans changing their natural environments to ones that they aren’t built for. It’s a shame really as we love them so much and feel we are going out best for them but it doesn’t always work that way. I do love the idea of a track and maybe in the future I’ll build one. It’s just the planning and cost that puts me off. I did say recently I’m lucky I have my own place as the needs of my pony now are so complicated I don’t know how I would manage him on a yard as I can’t lock him in a stable to help recover his lami as he has total panic attacks and then causing more damage to his feet so he had the foot open and now a sectional area of the yard away from my other two so he can have soaked hay whilst they have normal. They have a field but it’s just for exercise in winter no grass.

he is improving every day for now I think the prascend and soaked hay is working. I’m grateful for now and I’ll just have to keep going and do what I can.
 
Little Mo said:
I’m lucky he is improving day by day at the moment so I hope it keeps that way. He was quite bright looking. I’m just dreading spring and summer now. Although he was great last year. It seems to be winter he suffers.
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If his levels are controlled by Prascend he shouldn’t get winter laminitis anymore.
 
My older one also has cushings and Ems and had a server pedal bone rotation . He is back fine now but he has metformin too . Also at his worse he was having ACP or something stops stress I believe . Does he have frog supports on and also try getting some ground cushioning . Best of luck
 
Highmileagecob said:
The more I hear about EMS, the more I tend to compare it to diabetes. Every study seems to measure the insulin levels, and no-one seems to monitor blood sugar. As you are aware, when blood sugar rises and is not controlled, all sorts of circulatory problems will eventually develop. Diabetes is implicated in human Parkinson's Disease.....which is where Prascend comes in. I am not a medical person, but the comparisons are compelling. Winter laminitis appears to develop because of winter feed. In the wild, the horse's natural requirements for protein etc. diminishes, and the digestion shuts down accordingly. We have to feed a good quality forage or else they would starve! It would be very interesting to see a study based on whether the incidence of EMS is the same amongst wintered out horses as it is in stabled, and whether horses stabled over winter with reduced access to natural light are more at risk than wintered out or head over the door arrangements - I am thinking here that the pituitary area is primarily to do with light absorption. Are we setting horses up for a Cushings future with barn type stabling and limited winter turn out? Sometimes I am too curious for my own good.....!
Click to expand...
very interesting and possibly very relevant too
 
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