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[cassyopia]

My 24 yr old mare has been diagnosed with cushings, she is still sound and usable but will be put on perglide till that doesn't work any more. I have spent the last week reading about nutrition and cushings so that I may be able to better help my mare in her last years of service and time here. I have started changing her diet to a more suitable one for her but have a ways to go to get it balanced and correct. I also found out that there are different types of cushings one is syndrome the other is true, mine has true cushings the syndrome horses are usually younger around 8 to 10yrs the treatment is similar and the medications are the same. The younger ones will end up with true cushings as they age and will have more problems over time that the ones who show up with it at older ages.
Cushings is a tumor that grows slowly on the pituitary gland in the brain, problems can be chronic founder, loss of muscle tone, diarrhea ,bad teeth (gum disease), hay belly,excessive hunger, excessive water consumption and peeing etc. If you have a horse that has 2 or more get a blood test done. That is the best way to know and treat them effectively.

I will also be saving and planning for the day she has to be put down which is an inevitable part of what I will have to do for her in the coming years. She has been with me for 15 yrs and hope fully for another 5 or so with proper care.

[mary k.]

Gee, that's too bad re her Cushings, but I bet you'll take excellent care of her. My best to both of you!

[Joan Deutsch]

I heard that once horses get into their upper 20s a large percentage have Cushings. Also, that it's more prevalent with mares? Anyone know if that's true? We bought a 13-year-old TB mare that had Cushings, although we didn't know it because we decided we didn't need a pre-purchase exam! :lol We ended up putting her on Permax, which was expensive, but it sure helped her for several years. Then she became very lethargic, so I didn't ride her for the last year of her life. We ended up putting her down because one eye was tearing badly, and she held it closed and looked very uncomfortable. Also, she had gone way downhill so it seemed the time had come. The vet thought the way Annie's body was dealing with the eye problem was due to Cushings. I think it supresses the immune system, if I'm remembering right.

[hellojet]

SAFE has two horse w/Cushings and we are very fortunate to have a foster home who offered to take them both because they have dealt with it in the past with their personal horses. It started with one horse because the lost one of their two elderly horses and when their personal horse passed last fall, they asked specifically if they could please foster our other Cushings horse.

I am not up on what care they specifically provide but they obviously have love in their hearts and pay tribute to their own horses.

If you'd like to read up on our two....they're Summer & Bucky (Buckwheat) on www.safehorses.org

Best wishes to you and your mare, Cassy!

[cassyopia]

thanks and yes it does have an effect on the immune system but as long as you provide them with supplements to help they can lead full lives. for the most part it is perglide meds and no fresh spring grass as well as senior feed that is low in sugars but not proteins I already feed a high quality hay and have added senior feed and a multi vitamin to her diet and she has been on a dry lot/paddock for years now with reg care to teeth and other things. I have been lucky as she has never foundered which is usually a problem w/cushings horses. I just noticed this last fall/winter that she was starting to look a bit rough from what I was used too. so when dr vetter came out to do teeth I had a blood draw done for a base line on her and to see why she looked a bit rough. It came back positive for cushings so now we do some changes in diet and put her on meds till when ever the time comes to put her down.
It usually shows up in early to late 20s but can show up as early as 8yrs old.

[turnershaven]

I am sorry to hear about your mare, you have obviously taken excellent care of her and noticed her problem pretty quickly. Do you still ride her and if so do you have to take special considerations for her? I am so glad we now have meds for this condition.

[cassyopia]

I am sorry to hear about your mare, you have obviously taken excellent care of her and noticed her problem pretty quickly. Do you still ride her and if so do you have to take special considerations for her? I am so glad we now have meds for this condition.

yes she still gets ridden and no not really when it comes to exercise just her diet has to be watched carefully. she does have a cataract in her left eye but the vet said she will be fine to still ride like normal and also said it will probably prolong her life to be worked. She is sound as far as riding goes no lameness issues at all. she is still quick in her turns and stops and feeds off her riders emotional state if you are nervous she prances if you are calm she is.

[lune du cheval]

I also have a cushings oldster. he is only 24 but looks like 34. I only got him last year, I just couldn't leave him where he was. I have him on chasteberry powder, and it seems to be helping him. He also gets msm and probiotics, and digest 911 by LMF, mixed with beet pulp and a bit of senior. He seems to be doing ok with that.

Best wishes for you and your mare.

[cassyopia]

I ordered my mares medications and will get them Monday or Tuesday a 90 day supply that is molasses flavored pills. This should help her shed her winter coat which is still tight on her and my others have started to blow their coats, hers being the longest and thickest. She has started to pick up a bit of weight she lost over winter she lost about 75 lbs but is still ok and gaining she also got put on senior feed over winter because of her starting to loose. This is the first time I have had to add grain to her diet but now she gets all the tasty good stuff.

[lune du cheval]

Where did you order the pills from?