Waiting for Cushings results

[Jackster14]

I have a Connemara cross gelding, 14 this year, who about six weeks ago started to get really grumpy when being asked to do any work..Noticed since he started to live out 24hrs he was drinking a LOT more, brought him in one day and he did 4 wees in space of hour and a half. Wee is very clear, like water. Also being very slow to lose winter coat, most of coat on neck and chest gone but from there backwards its very very slow to shed. coat gets curly when wet but not curly otherwise.

So vet called, tested for cushings, should have had results Monday latest. Rang today, my vet called away for three days, assume personal issue, so will be back Thursday. I was told results were borderline by receptionist but she couldn't say anymore. So frustrating that now have to wait till Thursday to speak to vet..I know it makes sense to speak to same vet but I hate waiting..

Anyone else have a borderline cushings case and if so how do u manage condition? I don't know what to expect. He's my first horse.

I have only had him since last September and all has been fine up till now.

Teeth, saddle, worming all upto date.

Thanks for looking

 

[unbalanced]

Keep horse on prascend, treat as laminitic in terms of sugar free feed, light condition and grazing and so on. It's no big deal really. I was relieved when mine was diagnosed because it explained why she kept getting lami and gave me something to do about it.
Oh and their immune system is weaker so you have to be really on top of worming and vaccinations but you would do that anyway so again no problem.

 

[Jackster14]

great thanks

 

[welshied]

Vet will most probs give you medication to control it and treat like laminitic feed wise my horse got laminitis last winter and he was tested for cushings straight away and came back negative 6 months laster vet was back out as he lost so much condition in a matter of weeks he was looking like a rescue case and hes a cob so not easy to get and he was tested for cushings again and came back positive was put on medication and condition came back on and he shedding most of his coat now just looks a little duller than usual!

 

[LovesCobs]

I had a borderline result for daughters pony, was told just to retest in a year. I have them on lami food and restrictions anyway as they're that type even without having had an attack.

 

[paddy555]

I suspect that if the results are borderline your vet will give you a choice of waiting and retesting or treating with prascend. When making your decision I would take into account the physical symptoms your horse is showing which could suggest cushings and therefore it may be worth starting treatment now.

The medication ie prascend is expensive from vets. Most of us buy online at around £136 for 160 tablets. (plus prescription charge) which is a lot cheaper than vets some of whom charge around £1.40 a tablet.

The dose for many is around 1 tablet per day and I found I avoided any side effects by gradually working up to that dose over 10 - 14 days, Some people have got away with just going onto a full dose immediately and some have had side effects and had to stop and start again.

To manage mine I give him a good quality supplement, keep the sugar down in the feed, give well soaked hay and possibly/probably restrict grass and I worm count so that I have an idea of the worm burden. I also feed extra protein as he has needed extra protein to deal with the muscle wastage from cushings.

.

 

[Jackster14]

Thank you all, very useful information which is good to have before I have a chat with the vet.

 

[Maisy]

My little pony was diagnosed as borderline in December. She is only 10. I was given the option of waiting and re-testing, but I chose to put her on half a prascend tablet daily, as she was so depressed, sudden lack of muscle, puffy eyes etc etc, although she has never had laminitis. The improvement is very noticeable, though I have had another blood test done today to check her levels as I was taking another horse to the vets anyway.

I always treated her as a potential laminitic...she wears a muzzle, has a low fat diet etc.

My vets do a price match for the prascend tablets, so I buy them from there, and on half a tablet, it is very cheap to treat.

I have had to clip her coat this year, because it just wasn't coming out, and was going a bit curly. The vet suggested today she may need her medication dosage increased.