Litalocket
Member
Hello, my horse has suspected chushings disease. Has anybody had treatment for chushings? How sucessful is the treatment? Does it stop a horse with cushings from getting laminitis??? What symptoms have they had? Thanks
Treatment for cushings
- Thread starter Litalocket
- Start date
Eaglestone
Well-Known Member
I have so much to say but I will quickly confirm, yes there is treatment for Cushings and that is a Vet prescribing Pergolide for the horse.
This 'wonder' drug helps to 'ward off' Laminitis, in a simplistic way, however you will need to be very careful with the management of the horse ... especially with their access to grass, although saying that, some still get away without going down with the awful condition
This 'wonder' drug helps to 'ward off' Laminitis, in a simplistic way, however you will need to be very careful with the management of the horse ... especially with their access to grass, although saying that, some still get away without going down with the awful condition
foxhunter2000
Well-Known Member
Hi my pony had cushings disease she had rotated peedle bones at around 17 years old and then had recurrent lamminitis from then on. At around 21 she was diagnosed with cushings and had a really thick coat all year round so i clipped her as she would sweat and atleast she could have a rug on in in the winter then.
She had really awfull hooves which were really deformed and bulbous at the toe, we had great problems shoeing her, but she had to have front shoes bcos of the peedle bones. She could vary from week to week sometimes very stiff awkward to move to galloping around!
Anyway when she was diagnosed she was put on a drug called pergolide which is a drug they give humans for dementia but it was fantastic as i saw big difference and minimal signs of laminitis. ( she was electric fenced with minimal grass)
She also had half a sachet of bute a day aswell, the only weird thing was that it seemed to change her hormonally and my gelding kept trying to attack her which was awfull so she had to in her electric fence all of the time which she was fine about.
I feel this greatly improved her life along with the bute.
Unfortuanantly she was pts a couple of years ago now aged about 24.
I know the vet said there were other treatments aswell, dont worry its fine as long as u can work out a good way of controlling it.
She had really awfull hooves which were really deformed and bulbous at the toe, we had great problems shoeing her, but she had to have front shoes bcos of the peedle bones. She could vary from week to week sometimes very stiff awkward to move to galloping around!
Anyway when she was diagnosed she was put on a drug called pergolide which is a drug they give humans for dementia but it was fantastic as i saw big difference and minimal signs of laminitis. ( she was electric fenced with minimal grass)
She also had half a sachet of bute a day aswell, the only weird thing was that it seemed to change her hormonally and my gelding kept trying to attack her which was awfull so she had to in her electric fence all of the time which she was fine about.
I feel this greatly improved her life along with the bute.
Unfortuanantly she was pts a couple of years ago now aged about 24.
I know the vet said there were other treatments aswell, dont worry its fine as long as u can work out a good way of controlling it.
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
It's 'sleeves rolled up and prepare for the long haul', I'm afraid. If you aren't yet fighting laminitis, then prepare as if you are expecting it. As Eaglestone says, Pergolide is the drug of choice, seemingly, and if prescribed soon enough and at the correct dosage (which may periodically have to be reviewed) it can alleviate many of the troublesome symptoms of Cushing's. Some get everything but the laminitis and they are the fortunate ones!
Good luck with the horse; it's hard at times and I have felt like giving up before now, but when they get over the rough patches, it's well worth the effort of fighting for them.
Good luck with the horse; it's hard at times and I have felt like giving up before now, but when they get over the rough patches, it's well worth the effort of fighting for them.
Michelle22
Well-Known Member
Hi
I had a horse with Cushings, and we did not go down the pergolide route but used Hormonise, which is available at good feedstores, and well managed feeds low in stratch and sugar (Such as Allen & Page Sugar and Cereal Intollerance Diet and Hi Fi Lite). The Hormonise is was reccommended by our vet as just as good as the pergolide but with natural ingredients - I found it worked well.
But, my boy suffered from Laminitis since he was about 8 year old and due to this Laminitis was his only symptom of cushings. Ande he had Rotation in all four as a result, but after some surgical shoeing he did recover from this.
Please bear in mind that cushings will attack the weaker elements of the body first, i.e. Breathing, Colic, Infections, Coat, Hooves etc - so if your horse has a weak immune system I would initially be looking to boost that with a supplement such as Pink Powder.
Hope this was useful, if you have any more queries let me know.
Thinking of you both. x
I had a horse with Cushings, and we did not go down the pergolide route but used Hormonise, which is available at good feedstores, and well managed feeds low in stratch and sugar (Such as Allen & Page Sugar and Cereal Intollerance Diet and Hi Fi Lite). The Hormonise is was reccommended by our vet as just as good as the pergolide but with natural ingredients - I found it worked well.
But, my boy suffered from Laminitis since he was about 8 year old and due to this Laminitis was his only symptom of cushings. Ande he had Rotation in all four as a result, but after some surgical shoeing he did recover from this.
Please bear in mind that cushings will attack the weaker elements of the body first, i.e. Breathing, Colic, Infections, Coat, Hooves etc - so if your horse has a weak immune system I would initially be looking to boost that with a supplement such as Pink Powder.
Hope this was useful, if you have any more queries let me know.
Thinking of you both. x
MurphysMinder
Well-Known Member
Our pony has had Cushings for 4 years, and has been on Pergolide for most of that time. It certainly seems to have helped her. She still has to be very carefully managed for laminitis but has not had a severe attack since being on the Pergolide (touching wood frantically here). If your vet does recommend Pergolide I would suggest you get a prescription from the vet and get the Pergolide from a chemists, it is a lot cheaper that way. My vet actually recommended I do this
Her symptoms, apart from the laminitis, were excessive drinking and weeing, a thick crest and pads of fat over her eyes although she was not overweight elsewhere, and never really losing her winter coat.
Her symptoms, apart from the laminitis, were excessive drinking and weeing, a thick crest and pads of fat over her eyes although she was not overweight elsewhere, and never really losing her winter coat.
bluehorse
Well-Known Member
check out this group:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheMetabolicHorse/
very informative and will be able to offer lots of help
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheMetabolicHorse/
very informative and will be able to offer lots of help