Prescend

[Hutch02]

Hi all

My boy has been on Prescend for 4 months now. He is on 1mg a day and is back within normal range, he is 16.3, and was only 24 over when originally tested and diagnosed. He did not go through the "pergolide veil", but 4 months in he seems a bit depressed and not as hungry as he was. He is only just eating the apple that hides his tablet! He has been on a diet (vets orders as he had laminitis) and has lost 56 kilos since beginning of August. He still gets his hay and hifi weighed and is out in a small paddock for 5 to 6 hours a day. It could be the weather and the fact that he does'nt really have much grass left as he has churned it up with all the rain that we have had, but I did wonder if it could be the Prescend, although I would have thought that he would have adjusted by now. Anyone had any similar experiences?

 

[unbalanced]

Depression and lack of appetite are normal side effects of pergolide. If you are worried you can speak to your vet about temporarily reducing the dose. My pony has been very quiet and not that bothered about eating since starting it two months ago but she is gradually improving on the eating front. I don't have to diet her so I can put 'sprinkles' of more appetising food in her bowl to tempt her.
There is some useful information on this website: http://ecirhorse.com/index.php/cushings-diseaseppid/pergolide

 

[The_snoopster]

In my experience the veil kicks in around a week later and can last a few months before they adjust, however every horse can react differently to it. My mare did not have any trouble at all and still munches everything put in front of her, but my gelding was picky within a week and still continues to be suspicious of his bucket and refuses to eat everything except nuts or a mix. Even carrots and apples are totally ignored by him, personally I would bear with it , and maybe buy some dried mint and sprinkle it over his feed which helps my lad when he has off weeks with feed. Also there is a great facebook group full of owners of cushings/metabolic problem horses, I am not an admin just a member and its nice to have somewhere to go to just chat through some of the problems and successes cushings can cause. Good luck