Prascend issues? Coincidence?

[poiuytrewq]

I have a little Welsh A and a Shetland/Welsh type.

Both have cushings. The older was diagnosed a long long time ago, before I had him. He wasn’t medicated and showed no symptoms at all.
I did start medicating, maybe 5 years ago at a guess. He has blood test regularly and we once needed to up his dosage but he’s generally fine.
The other, younger pony was tested and diagnosed last year. He has quarter of a pill and has been ok.

They are both sound but do get a little footy looking from time to time and the older one is very sensitive to hard ground and stones etc.
They have both slowed down a bit over the years which I figure happens, they are 30 and 20 and won’t act like babies forever.

However, over new year I stupidly ran out of tablets. They are fine to miss a day, but I couldn’t get any for a few days, turned into a week.
Over the course of the week both went from strength to strength. Jogging in and out of the field and cantering around bucking when set free. It was so lovely to see.
Obviously in the long term they needed to be back on the pracsend so I picked up more when I felt it ok to disturb my poor vet!
They have both been back on it a week and both gone down hill again, not badly but definitely not like they were off it.
They are just walking in and out of the field and the older looked footy again this morning.

Pure coincidence?
I’m half tempted to try without again just to confirm either way
I know a friend stopped with it because it gave her horse abscesses which I have heard of but mine don’t get anything like that.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

This happened with my small elderly Welsh pony. I'd assumed he was just slowing down and getting more sensible with age. Then I ran out of prascend and the difference was amazing he went from wandering around like a little old man to running and playing and being his usual excitable Welsh self like he had always been. I did try medicating again building up very slowly to a quarter of a pill but he just went back to looking bored of life, I took him back off it again and he was back to bouncing round the place. I figured he may as well stay off it and enjoy his maybe slightly shorter life than keep medicating and be miserable.

All of mine are natives so are managed as if they're going to get laminitis anyway, his only other symptom is a thicker coat so I just give him a small chaser clip and he's happy running and playing with my 4yo pony.

 

[poiuytrewq]

This happened with my small elderly Welsh pony. I'd assumed he was just slowing down and getting more sensible with age. Then I ran out of prascend and the difference was amazing he went from wandering around like a little old man to running and playing and being his usual excitable Welsh self like he had always been. I did try medicating again building up very slowly to a quarter of a pill but he just went back to looking bored of life, I took him back off it again and he was back to bouncing round the place. I figured he may as well stay off it and enjoy his maybe slightly shorter life than keep medicating and be miserable.

All of mine are natives so are managed as if they're going to get laminitis anyway, his only other symptom is a thicker coat so I just give him a small chaser clip and he's happy running and playing with my 4yo pony.

That’s really interesting.
I totally agree, I’d rather the older pony in particular have a shorter time like he was last week than a long time as he is, which is fine it’s just having seen a glimpse of the younger him I want that.
Did you discuss with your vet at the time?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Prascend doesn’t agree with all horses, and some do go lethargic and dull on it. I’ve never heard of it making a horse go footy though? The reverse, in fact.

I’d talk all this through with your vet.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Have you tested for EMS also?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Prascend doesn’t agree with all horses, and some do go lethargic and dull on it. I’ve never heard of it making a horse go footy though? The reverse, in fact.

I’d talk all this through with your vet.

I’m half wondering if that is an after effect of him not having it rather than going back on it, wasn’t sure how long on or out of the system
It may take. I’d have tried them back off just to see what happened but because he came in a bit like that this morning I’m not going to just yet.
Although he did have some tiny stones when I picked his feet out as as above he is super sensitive.
If it’s stones he will be fine when I get him out later I suppose.
They are staying in for a bit anyway just incase

 

[poiuytrewq]

Have you tested for EMS also?

Is there a test?
No I haven’t I didn’t think there was one. The older isn’t fat, the younger is and the vet said to treat him as if he had EMS

 

[SEL]

My friend took her Dales x mare off it deciding quality of life was better than quantity - that was 10 years ago and she's going strong at nearly 30.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

That’s really interesting.
I totally agree, I’d rather the older pony in particular have a shorter time like he was last week than a long time as he is, which is fine it’s just having seen a glimpse of the younger him I want that.
Did you discuss with your vet at the time?

I discussed it with the vet after I took him off it for the second time, I wanted to make sure it wasn't a coincidence before I said anything. He did say some horses don't get on with it, but was ok about him not being medicated and basically just said see how we get on. Pony has been absolutely fine since so I haven't asked him about it again.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mm, ok I think I’m going to leave him for now because he did look slightly sore this morning but when all settled I think I would like to try certainly him off to see if it was coincidence.
At which point I’ll speak to my vet about it properly.

 

[splashgirl45]

My mare was the opposite, very lethargic and depressed and very easy to ride , I also thought it was the natural aging process but when she didn’t lose her winter coat I got her tested and her levels were quite high.. after about 6 weeks on the tablets she was back to being her very lively self and very challenging to ride

 

[poiuytrewq]

My mare was the opposite, very lethargic and depressed and very easy to ride , I also thought it was the natural aging process but when she didn’t lose her winter coat I got her tested and her levels were quite high.. after about 6 weeks on the tablets she was back to being her very lively self and very challenging to ride

At first they made a obvious improvement to the older ones life He had been going slightly down hill so we decided to try him back on it- I was told previous owner used it but decided to stop as he stopped eating.
The first few years there were no issues at all. I was very happy with him on it and he was much better.
Funny how things can effect different horses in such opposite ways.

 

[Hackback]

I'd be interested in any updates if you do decide to try him off it again. My horse had his dosage increased from 1 1/2 to 2 tablets following his autumn test but he got really loose poo. After a bit of trial and error I put him back down to 1 1/2 on 2nd January and he's back to normal now. I did discuss it with the vet but she hadn't heard of Prascend having that effect and said she'd look into it. She also said she was leaving (in common with most of the other vets in the practice) so I don't expect to hear from her

 

[ycbm]

Gastrointestinal upset is a listed side effect from the use of pergolide for humans and is on this vet site for horses i just found.

Prascend® (pergolide)

Prascend® (peroglide) is prescribed by veterinarians to treat endocrine disorders in horses.

www.petmd.com

.

 

[Hackback]

Thanks @ybcm. I have spoken to someone else whose horse suffered the same side effect too.

This bit in the article you quoted is quite interesting though ...

Prascend® Overdose Information
In horses, an overdose of Prascend® may present as decreased appetite, stomach upset, vomiting, high heart rate, low blood pressure, incoordination, or seizures.

I think they forgot to take 'vomiting' out!

 

[Widgeon]

Prascend® Overdose Information
In horses, an overdose of Prascend® may present as decreased appetite, stomach upset, vomiting, high heart rate, low blood pressure, incoordination, or seizures.

I think they forgot to take 'vomiting' out!

That's very funny! That would be a truly remarkable side effect

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

This is really interesting OP. My horse is 20 , he was on 1 prascend a day for many years and then it was reduced to 1/2 . The vet is now saying his levels are so good that I could stop it all together. I thought it was a degenerative disease? I'm going to take him off in the summer and see how he does. Reading your account of your two horses has really got me thinking too. Perhaps vets are too eager to prescribe but reducing from 1 to 1/2 made no difference to my horse and the vet feels stopping all together is worth trying.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Sorry! I’ve had no notifications to more replies on this.
So far I have put the one back on his quarter and the other who had three quarters Is on half.
They are both sound and although not joggy both walking out (non ridden, just little ponies) to the field and back in with at a decent speed, I’m not hanging back for them.
I have also changed hay and wonder if this has had any impact.
The littler had FWS and that’s definitely improved.
If I stop again I think I’d want to do it now, or soon before spring grass starts peeling through. I would want, that sounds bad I don’t want them to go down hill but as currently they are both fine I’d be a bit cautious to change anything. If they start slowing again or just not being on form I think I will try both without.

 

[Britestar]

Now I'm in a quandry about this.

Horse been on half a tablet for 5 years plus. Nice and stable.
Over last year has gradually got looser and looser. I know he has gut pathology, so put it down to that.
Tuesday night he coliced, so hasn't had any since Monday. Last night, proper formed poops for the first time in for ever.
Going to keep him off it over weekend, but if it stays the same do I restart?

 

[meleeka]

Now I'm in a quandry about this.

Horse been on half a tablet for 5 years plus. Nice and stable.
Over last year has gradually got looser and looser. I know he has gut pathology, so put it down to that.
Tuesday night he coliced, so hasn't had any since Monday. Last night, proper formed poops for the first time in for ever.
Going to keep him off it over weekend, but if it stays the same do I restart?

I think it would depend on his other symptoms and if they would be worse. Mine has awful guts, fecal water or currently just slop. The alternative for her is laminitis, so on balance, we’ll take the gut issues!

 

[honetpot]

I have mine blood tested every year, and was told in October 22, that I needed to increase the dose to one tablet daily. This year I was unwell, and then in hospital, so to make sure I had enough I dropped it to 1/2, and he was tested two weeks ago, so he is back on 1/2, I asked to she the blood results and he is borderline, so I am wondering is half the reason he is a Victor Meldrew is the medication. Mmm.
My NF did badly on them, wouldn't eat and lost weight, but would jump out to eat the farmers spring barley. So I took her off them.

 

[Britestar]

I think it would depend on his other symptoms and if they would be worse. Mine has awful guts, fecal water or currently just slop. The alternative for her is laminitis, so on balance, we’ll take the gut issues!

I know. Lucky mine is the total opposite. Skinny and never had laminitis.
He has always been borderline. I'll chat to vet this weekend.

 

[Bellalily]

My mare was the opposite, very lethargic and depressed and very easy to ride , I also thought it was the natural aging process but when she didn’t lose her winter coat I got her tested and her levels were quite high.. after about 6 weeks on the tablets she was back to being her very lively self and very challenging to ride

Mine too. Sadly this year he hasn’t started to moult at all and he’s usually well onto it by now. Looks like another clip is due then. He’s also a complete eegit out on hacks and is on 1 tablet daily as he has been for 18 mths.