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  Discussion on Peripheral Cushings
Author Message
Member:
Smcfarm

Posted on Sunday, Dec 7, 2003 - 3:43 pm:

I have a 16 year old Morgan mare recently diagnosed with Cushings. She had an episode of founder this spring thought to be caused by spring grass. She recovered quickly after Banamine and cold hosing. She had minimal rotation in the right hoof. We put plates on her front feet and she was off pasture all summer. This fall we removed the shoes in preparation for winter. She seemed slightly sore so shoes and snow pads were put on again with no change in her apparent soreness. She worsened with increased digital pulse. She was placed on Banamine again and a serum profile was drawn along with am and pm cortisols. The variation in cortisol was 25% and she had an elevated glucose. Her soreness continued to worsen. Shoes were removed and Lily pads were tried. She continues to exibit extreme soreness in both front feet. Subsequent xrays showed slightly more rotation in the right front and some rotation in the left front. We started Pergolide over two weeks ago. She is also on 2 gm of bute and 5cc banamine am and pm. I have not noticed much change in her condition other than some loss of weight. She is overweight (very easy keeper), is hypothroid (on Thyroid supp) does not have the cushings hair coat (she is very sleek and it it winter here) and does not seem to respond to the pergolide. Is there more information or research done on Peripheral Cushings? She is on 1mg of Pergolide. Should I be seeing improvement yet? Does her dosage need to be increased? Is this really Cushings? She is on grass hay and I had been giving her 1 cup of grain am and pm with her supplements. I am now changing her to a grass ration balancer based on KER formulation. Any ideas would be helpful. It is hard to see her in pain.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Dec 8, 2003 - 6:42 am:

There is so much here I do not know where to start. Let's start with the unlikely current dianosis. Your horse is not likely to be hypothyroid. See » Equine Diseases » Endocrine Disorders » Hypothyroidism in Adult Equines for more. Second I really wonder if the horse is Cushinoid? The test you describe is not of any use that I know of and usually Cushinoid horses are not easy keepers.

I agree with you that from your description you are likely to have what is becoming to be known as Equine Metabolic SynDrOme which is chiefly characterised by obesity and what in humans would be called a type 2 diabetes (insulin resistance).

Your horse will never get better until you get your horses condition on the thin side of good. We have instructions on how to accomplish this at » Care for Horses » Nutrition » Fat or Obese Horse Nutrition. Unfortunately while foundering you cannot exercise this horse so this will take patience and time and your horse will be sore, off and on, until the weight is off and the sole and laminae recovers.

For the treatment of the current founder see our overview article and the article on chronic founder, both are at » Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Founder & Laminitis.

I know you have a question on what to do with the current endocrine treatments and I cannot tell you to stop. You must learn about these diseases so that you can discuss them with your veterinarian. Remember that the body adapts to hormonal supplementation so any change must be make slowly particularly while the horse is foundering.
DrO
Member:
Kel4s

Posted on Monday, Dec 8, 2003 - 11:53 am:

Try the Cushings Group at

https://www.onelist.com/community/EquineCushings

They have very good discussions on Cushings and on Insulin Resistance.

Kellie
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