positive cushings test

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zangels

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My horse has lost quite alot of weight so had vet out and they did a test for cushings, after checking teeth and also doing worm egg count (very low). The test gas come back with a result if 50.
The vet has recommended to start her on tratment, which I am going to do.
I have no previous experience of this disease can any one offer any advice for keeping a cushings horse well?
She is around 24 years old 16.2 and also has arthritis and a very slight heart murmur if this helps or makes a difference? Any feeding tips or what to avoid and expect much appreciated. Thank you.
 
Hi there,

Sorry you got the diagnosis...at least those levels aren't too eye watering! My pony was diagnosed about a year ago and has been on 1/2 tablet of Prascend... You will see from my other post that he's up and down with how well he is and at some point I am going to need to make a hard decision. But that might not all be down to the Cushing's.

I have seen and heard that some horses pick up brilliantly and live happily for years once medicated. I treat my pony exactly the same really, just as a laminitic, although saying that I have stepped up with his supplements etc... as Cushing's horses have a weaker immune system and will find it hard to fight things, and will heal more slowly. He gets a high spec balancer, garlic and oil with his feed. Over the spring he has cider vinegar in his food.

Good luck, I am sure you will find a way to manage your mare that works for you both and hopefully she'll be feeling a lot better once the medicine kicks in.
 
Thank ypu, it's difficult to decide what's best and sometimes I wish they could talk and tell us what they want.
Luckily I have always fed low sugar high fibre so hopefully this a good thing. Fingers crossed the medication helps her.
 
Hi Zangels, my horse is also now 24 - he is TB x WB. It was a real shock when he was diagnosed when 22 as he'd been tested at 21 and was fine.

Anyway, we put him on Prascend (1 tablet) and it has made such an incredible difference to him. However, we did go through a down period when he first had the Prascend, when he went off his food and then became very "depressed" - you'll see this referred to as the "Prascend Veil".

With my horse it lasted about six weeks. I tried him on all sort of different feeds, but in the end found he would happily eat Topspec Comprehensive Balancer and the Topspec Conditioning Cubes - he was on a molasses coated mix previously so we had to move him onto something without the molasses.

I'm pleased to say he turned the corner and didn't look back, so I'm so glad we persevered through the down period - he was losing lots of weight and I was so tempted to stop giving him the Prascend.

If I was starting again, I've read on hear that some owners are recommended to gently introduce the tablets and leave to stabilise - ie a quarter of a tablet for a week, then half a tablet etc. I don't know the exact recommendations, so have a chat with your vet to see if it's recommended for your horse. I believe it can help to reduce the "Prascend Veil".

Ref purchasing the Prascend tablets, you can get it much much cheaper online than the list price you get from the Vets. However, I approached my vets and asked if I bought 160 tablets whether they could match the online price plus the prescription charge that I'd have to pay if I bought it online. They were happy enough with that deal - and so am I, so after your first lot of tablets, it would be worth you checking with your vets.

Ps. I'd recommend a grazing muzzle - after trial and error, I found the Greenguard muzzle worked best for my horse.
 
Thank you, it's good to hear a positive outcome.
She has never had any laminitis type symptoms and is currently quite alot under weight so I would have to chat with the vet about a grazing muzzle, it's not somthing iv thought about bit makes sense.
It would be heat to find them cheaper, I will have a chat with the vet once we see how the treatment goes for her. She has minerals and unmolassed beet and micronized linseed woth a handful of senior chop to slow her eating down currently so hoping this is a suitable diet. I might call up some feed companies and see what they recommend feed wise.
 
mine was diagnosed in 2011 and seems very well. she is 24 as well and I keep her almost the same as before, I give her formula4feet as her feet were quite brittle together with baileys low chaff in the summer and just add fast fibre if her weight drops down too far. she is out 24/7 in the summer on poor grazing and in at night in the winter. I would only use a muzzle as a last resort if she was very overweight and the only turnout was rich grazing, and as yours isn't overweight there is no point using one IMO. I would check with your vet who should be able to suggest a good regime for your horse. mine didn't have a problem eating but after being on the tablets for about a year she suddenly decided she didn't like speedibeet or happy hoof so I got lots of samples and found what she liked and she has been ok since. I wonder if the tablets changes their taste buds? good luck mine is still ok after 4 years so its not the end of the world...
 
Thank you, it's great hear your horse is doing well.
I will carry on managing her as I do then, I've always fed her low sugar high fibre and added oil when her weight has been low. She also lives out in summer and is stabled at night for winter so hopefully once she has treatment this routine will be good for her. I'm feeling much more positive now and it is a relief to have a diagnosis that can be managed by the sounds of things.
 
Hi Have a look at thelaminitissite and it will give you all the info you require regarding cushings and a link to feeds for your horse, for weight gain and loss.
Its not the end of the world, just a case of slightly different management, i know a lady with a horse the same age, who has ems and cushings and she is back out endurance ( short ) riding and her horse is fit as a fiddle
 
The tablets have arrived for my mare, I was expecting massive tablets but there tiny! Any advice in the best way to cut them into quarters?
 
I have 2 on it, one is mid 30's (pony) other is mid 20's (16.2 mare), I didn't stage the dosage just put them on it, saw a difference in both within a couple of months, just had re-tested, they've both been on 1 tablet for a couple of years now and are slightly above the 'norm' so we have retained the dosage level and will re-test in the winter. Biggest difference is the pony now goes out with the others in the summer, whereas we wouldn't have risked it before!

The only issue we do have is how to get the mare to take it, she sometimes will do in a bit of apple, sometimes in her feed, it really depends, she has got extremely picky about it!
Hope it works for your mare - btw mine do break into 2 quite easily and I don't get them from the vet, i get them via prescription (much cheaper!)
 
She needs to be on 1/2 a day but as just starting from the advice iv received to start gradually I'm going to give her quarter to start with. I will have a look at tablet cutters
 
I didn't start mine on a low dose..i started on 1 tablet a day as her level was 172 and she was fine, not all horses have a problem......why not start on 1/2 daily and if she is ok. they are very easy to break into halves and you wont need a special cutter. if she is not happy you could then drop down to 1/4.. I get mine from animed and they have been quick with sending and I think they are about the best price at the moment
 
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