FAQ

What is cushings disease in horses

Equine Cushing’s disease (ECD) is a chronic progressive disease of the intermediate pituitary gland of older horses. Horses with Cushing’s disease often have other health problems, such as laminitis, chronic infections, pseudolactation, and other issues.

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What does Cushing’s disease do to horses?

what-does-cushings-disease-do-to-horses

Clinical signs include increased coat length and delayed shedding of the winter coat, laminitis, lethargy, increased sweating, weight loss and excessive drinking and urinating. The disease primarily affects those over the age of 10, with 19 being the average age at diagnosis.

Do horses with Cushings suffer?

In a horse suffering from Cushing’s disease, there either is not enough dopamine present or the body is not adequately recognizing it. This has an effect on the adrenal glands and the kidneys, and the horse becomes prone to having infections. In severe cases, Cushing’s disease can cause neurologic disease.

How do you tell if your horse has Cushing’s?

Signs of Cushing’s syndrome include:

  1. Failure or later shedding of the winter coat that may become really long, matted and curly especially around the legs.
  2. Excessive sweating.
  3. Increased drinking and urination.
  4. Lethargy and poor performance.
  5. A pot-bellied appearance.
  6. Loss of muscle and topline.

Can Cushings be cured?

Most cases of Cushing’s syndrome can be cured, though it may take some time for your symptoms to ease up. The condition is more common in women than in men. It’s most often seen in people ages 25-40.

Can horses with Cushings eat grass?

Pasture grasses can have a high NSC content, especially during the spring and fall seasons, and the risk of colic and laminitis is greater when horses are on pasture. Since laminitis and founder are more common in horses with Cushing’s disease, pasture grazing should be severely limited or totally avoided.

How can you prevent Cushing’s disease?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to prevent a tumor that causes Cushing’s syndrome.

What is the life expectancy of a horse with Cushing’s?

Vets encourage owners of Cushing’s horses to decrease the amount of carbohydrates they feed (e.g., grains or other concentrates), maintain the horse at a healthy body condition score, and ensure his diet is properly balanced. Well-managed horses should live about five to seven years or more past diagnosis.

What happens if you don’t treat Cushings in horses?

If a horse has untreated Cushing’s Disease, it is more likely to develop laminitis and the laminitis will be more difficult to control. If an equine has any of the clinical signs suggestive of Cushing’s, a blood sample can be taken to check ACTH levels in the blood.

Is Cushing’s in horses fatal?

Cushing’s disease is not a death sentence. Despite the fact that there is no cure, there are several management practices that can keep an affected horse in use and in good health for many years following diagnosis.

Can you reverse Cushings in horses?

Although Cushing’s can’t be cured, administration of this medication can help control symptoms, and possibly slow the progression of the disease. If your horse is showing a lot of clinical signs of Cushing’s disease, your vet may even recommend initiating treatment before the ACTH or LDD tests come back positive.

How much does Cushings medication cost for horses?

Pergolide and cyproheptadine are the most commonly used medications. Pergolide is typically most effective. Treatment for a full-sized horse usually costs between $80-$100 per month. Cyproheptadine is less effective, but is also less expensive, at about $35 per month.

Why is my horse’s belly so big?

why-is-my-horses-belly-so-big

Hay belly is the term for a distended gut in a horse resulting from being fed a poor quality or low protein feed without a grain supplement. This leads to the abdomen of the horse being distended due to an increase in the volume of feed and a decrease in muscle as a result of low protein intake.

Why does my horse drink so much water?

Some horses will drink excessive amounts of water which is often a psychological problem or bad habit, but excessive water drinking could signal the onset of various diseases like Cushing’s Disease or rarely problems with the kidneys.

Why do Cushings horses get laminitis?

why-do-cushings-horses-get-laminitis

It is thought that increased bodily fat causes the insulin resistance, which in turn stops the animals from metabolising sugar and starch properly. This then causes an excess of insulin in the blood stream, leading to an increased risk of laminitis.

What is the main cause of Cushing disease?

what-is-the-main-cause-of-cushing-disease

The most common cause of Cushing’s syndrome is the long-term, high-dose use of the cortisol-like glucocorticoids. These medicines are used to treat other medical conditions, such as asthma link, rheumatoid arthritis link, and lupus link.

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