Public service announcement

ester

ester

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The lab costs for Cushings/PPID testing are now waived (June-Oct) Frank will be tested next week as although not particularly symptomatic just to check/for peace of mind as he is 23 and not been checked since he was 19 and anyone with equids of a certain age might want to consider it too. We are all familiar with the hairy, old, sunken look of a full on cushings but symptoms actually start a lot more subtlely so worth a check just in case and know how careful you need to be with grass intake etc.
http://www.talkaboutlaminitis.co.uk/node/add/voucher
 
Thanks for the info. My girl is 20 and although no "typical" signs I've been thinking about testing just to be on the safe side so this is just the reminder I need!
 
As a random question. what age would you look at testing? My girl has turned 15 this year, I've had her 6 years and she shows no symptoms, not lamanitic in the slightest but as she gets older I am aware I will need to keep an eye on things like this and be aware.
 
I tested F at 19, with no symptoms as that is when his shoes came off and the first year it was free, not been done since.
At age 15 they will test for free with no symptoms and younger they have to have symptoms/vet approved.
 
Am so cross that my vets didn't tell me this as I just had mine tested last week and have to pay for it - they must have known!!
 
Damnation said:
As a random question. what age would you look at testing? My girl has turned 15 this year, I've had her 6 years and she shows no symptoms, not lamanitic in the slightest but as she gets older I am aware I will need to keep an eye on things like this and be aware.
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Jack was 15 when he was diagnosed - his only symptom was a spot of lethergy which no one else would have noticed if they didn't know him :)
 
Jericho said:
Am so cross that my vets didn't tell me this as I just had mine tested last week and have to pay for it - they must have known!!
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It came in 1st of June, pretty sure it was up that it would be coming online/we knew 1st of June would be the date.

F is a lazy ****** in summer anyway, has taken a long time to loose his coat for years, has lost topline (but poss just age!) so he quite poss a no still but I would like to know if that the case.
 
ester said:
I tested F at 19, with no symptoms as that is when his shoes came off and the first year it was free, not been done since.
At age 15 they will test for free with no symptoms and younger they have to have symptoms/vet approved.
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Thank you!

I may discuss it with my Vet when they are next out for her jabs in 6 weeks.
 
My mare tested positive at 13. I had had my suspicions for a while, though, and had tested her 12 months previously, which came back negative. She was a little poor, a little thirsty, a little feeling of rough ground, slightly scabby skin, nothing dramatic. Her ACTH came back at 31, which is only just over the limit of 29 but as it had doubled in 12 months, my vet said starting her on prascend asap was the way to go.

It took a while for her to stabilise on the prascend, she was inappetent and ataxic for a few weeks after initially starting her on one tablet per day. I dropped this down to 1/4 and built up the dose gradually. Her levels have been stable in the low 20s/high teens for two years now even after dropping her back down to 1/2 tablet daily on the vets suggestion.

I have her tested every six months, once at annual jab time when the vet's out anyway. She's grand on the tablets now.

The free test has encouraged many owners to get the test done who wouldn't otherwise have considered it. The results are showing how common Cushing's is, even in younger equines who show very few symptoms.

In future, I think I will routinely start testing my horses at 15yo.
 
I think the test is only free once for each individual horse. I may get one of mine tested again but am expecting to pay full price for that.
 
It might be worth waiting for the seasonal rise (recommended by TLS as August for those showing symptoms but not yet tested, and September for monitoring progression on those already being treated). As someone remarked, you'd think Boeringher would do ALL the tests for free considering that often makes you a purchaser of their very expensive Prascend!!
 
JillA said:
It might be worth waiting for the seasonal rise (recommended by TLS as August for those showing symptoms but not yet tested, and September for monitoring progression on those already being treated). As someone remarked, you'd think Boeringher would do ALL the tests for free considering that often makes you a purchaser of their very expensive Prascend!!
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So the people that make Prascend have a vested interest in the testing?!
 
Damnation said:
As a random question. what age would you look at testing? My girl has turned 15 this year, I've had her 6 years and she shows no symptoms, not lamanitic in the slightest but as she gets older I am aware I will need to keep an eye on things like this and be aware.
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A friend of mine has just tested her ten year old because he went footie on stones. Her vet told her she was wasting her money. She was very embarrassed when she rang with the results - a sky high positive.
 
Pen said:
I think the test is only free once for each individual horse. I may get one of mine tested again but am expecting to pay full price for that.
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It is free until they are cushings positive. I checked the T+Cs as I used it 4 years ago.

I'm testing now because vet is already out for second mite jab next week and hopefully we won't need them again for a good while :D
 
Oh that's good then I didn't realise that. I'll be able to get my cob done again with the voucher.
 
catherine22 said:
Anyone who has a cushings horse on prascend - do they still hold onto their coat or should they lose it normally?
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Mine still sheds late but his coat is a normal coat for him, not curly or anything. I can tell if his levels are not right because the first sign he gives is he starts stopping for a pee out of rides.
 
So glad you made that point JillA. Yes most horses will show a rise quite often to the end of September. If you get a rise but no symptoms or signs wait and re test in Jan, if still high or higher then is likely to be Cushing's positive. Don't use prescend unless you have to. Its not a nice drug and can be very expensive. There is another blood test that can be performed that will give you a definitive positive or negative test.
 
And also remember, the problem with any form of testing is ACTH levels are pulsatile - if you happen to take the sample at the bottom of the pulse you will get a low reading. Makes it less likely to get a very low result if taken in the seasonal rise.
 
catherine22 said:
Anyone who has a cushings horse on prascend - do they still hold onto their coat or should they lose it normally?
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Mine loses hers normally. In fact, she looks absolutely gorgeous at the moment! However, my mare never got the typical cushings coat even before she was diagnosed with cushings, so she may be an exception to the rule.
 
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