what to do with a little old cushings pony?

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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My 22 year old pony has cushings, its been developing over a couple of years and she is now fairly chesty a lot of the time though not in any apparent discomfort. She has the puffed eyelids, fat pot belly and now the long permed coat to match. Two questions;

1. Tonight her coat was pretty damp (all over) and a bit stinky - do I clip her out and have to rug her for the winter? Would rather she went au naturale but am worried she might get a chill and/or skin problems.

2. I read somewhere that once symptoms show, they only have a couple of years then die of heart and lung failure. This is about her second year since it started...am very worried she isn't going to have long. I can control her laminitis but her lungs aren't exactly the best. Ive had her 20 years so don't even want to think about the worst but equally I don't want her to suffer. Anyone have any experiences with cushings?

(It's not the best year for my horses, tb has just been retired with narcolepsy and arthritis. AAgghh!!)
 
Could you clip her with a guard on the clippers so that she isnt taken short??? Like a grade four crew cut!

I did this for a friends horse with cushings with a pair of liveryman element trimmers... might take a few days to achive but better than a nudey pony...
 
I have looked after a few ponies with Cushings, but a little while ago.
It is usually best to clip them and rug them, as they do sweat up a bit more...which can then chill them...
You can get drugs from your vet which seem to do a very good job of controlling the Cushings syndrome for a while, but if memory serves, they are quite expensive.
I don't think the Cushings will worsen within a couple of a years - most of the ponies I knew lived a lot longer, but on medication.
Why don't you have a chat with your vet about your boy's prognosis?
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I'm sorry to hear your pony has Cushings. I agree with the other postings - you should clip her. I have clipped a Cushings pony for a vet and a BHSI I know has a TB with Cushings who she clips. If you rug her well, she will be fine whereas with a long coat she may get skin problems.
 
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Clip and rug. The coat will grow pretty fast. A shetland I know has just gone onto medication it is costing 20 pence a day.

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That's much cheaper than I remembered - sounds worthwhile
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Rather than getting the meds from the vet i seem to remember that you can get them from a human chemists.... If its Pergolide that is.......You just need a script.

Shoot me now if i am wrong
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From what I remember the long curly coat isn't all that efficient at keeping them warm anyway as the long hairs don't 'fluff' up like a normal coat. Better to clip IMO and get a good little rug for her.
 
My 35 year old cob gelding has had Cushings for the past 8 years and so far no sign of any heart or lung problems. He'll be 36 in March. I manage him by keeping him full clipped throughout the spring, summer and autumn but from November-March I half clip him to keep him comfortable. Cushings grow very thick coats that become greasy and keeps them unbearably hot and they sweat almost permanently which will lead to skin diseases. I tried to keep him with his coat throughout the entire winter but the excessive hair resulted in mud fever and cellulitis and he was always hot and itching and generally looked miserable so I will not do that again. It must be awful wearing a thick heavy coat and not being able to take it off.

I keep my boy rugged up and groom him daily with my other horse. His diet consists of high fibre feeds, speedi-beet, and low cal coarse mix, dampened so he can eat it.
 
My old mare has had it since 26/27. She's now 34 & will be 35 in Jan, has never had lami (touch wood!!) & still hacks out, so don't think that it's a life sentence.

She's not on medication atm as the vet says to leave her while she's okay ie not to rock the boat for the time being.

I clip or not dep on how she is from year to year. Last year I clipped as her coat was awful but this year it's not so bad. She is rugged well too.
 
My mare had cushings and I clipped her regularly throughout the year and she seemed to be so much happier when less hairy. Its true that neds are predisposed to laminitis when they have cushings so you should be careful with her pasture management.
In relation to drugs, speak to your vet about getting a private prescription for Pergolide, this way you can go to your own chemists and collect the drugs and it will save you a huge amount of money ie £9 for a private prescription as opposed to £80+ for the drug from your vet, I sorted this out for a friend of mine who's old girl is cushinoid. Pergolide is a drug used for Parkinsons disease in people but also works for Cushings in dogs and horses.
Cushings is caused by a tumour on the pituitary gland in the brain which is responsible for growth and hormones, hence cushings neds have all sorts of weird side effects, the pergolide helps the brain balance things out again, its treatable but sadly not yet curable.
 
Thanks for the advice everybody. Am definitely going to clip then, her coat is just horrible. Interesting about the Pergolide, am going to have a chat with the vet and see if I can get her on it.
Yes the lami is a problem but she has always been prone to it since breaking into a neighbours feed bin many years ago. So I am well used to the grazing muzzle/electric fencing/soaked hay routines!
 
there is a little boy up here who has a wee cushings pony its quite old too, he take it competeing everywhere its sooo cute!!! i think clipping and ruggin would be a good plan and i think you will have some more happy years left!!
 
My cob has had cushings for about 6 years, he's been on pergolide for that time as he was only 14 when he was diagnosed. I clip him all year round and still ride him. The Pergolide stops him getting laminitis as well. The price of Pergolide has gone down dramatically over the past year or so but it's really best to get a prescription form the vet then shop around for the best price.
 
My pony has had cushings for more than 2 years. It seems to be very well controlled by Pergolide (touch wood). The puffy eyelids have gone down and her coat though woolly isn't horrendous and fingers crossed she hasn't had lami for 2 years. She is on one 1mg Pergolide a day , which last winter I reduced to half a day, but keep to the higher dose during grass growing time.. I have just ordered a new box of 100 tablets today, cost £42.00. I would definitely speak to your vet about treating your pony. I get the Pergolide from the local chemist and don't have to pay my vet for the presription.
 
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