Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Josette
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Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Josette » Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:14 pm

(I corrected the post title from EMS to Cushings based on lab results. I do not think my guy has IR with normal Glucose and Insulin levels. Please correct me if I'm interpreting that data incorrectly.)

My Connemara gelding age 22 has been on Prascend since 2017 when dx with Cushings. He was started with half pill and now on 1 pill daily for past 4 years. He is large bone 14.2 hands and weight tape 965# ish. We had a few layups in the past few years from pasture injuries so riding has not been regular. He has been sound recently and in regular light riding work weather permitting - now it is brutal humid hot so not this week. He gets timothy hay - but will not eat soaked hay.

He has minimal grass pasture as I do not seed it and poor soil for grass. He gets a (human size drinking-coffee cup AM/PM of alfalfa pellets and same cup size of Special Care pellets. This is added to his Microphase vitamin pellet supplement, Equithrive Joint pellets, Equithrive Metabolic pellets and lastly a psyllium pellets with probiotics. Not fed all at the same time but split between AM/PM and he will not eat any powder type supplements. He was previously on Thyro powder for a few years to loose weight which helped. However, this past winter he was loosing weight. I felt too much and not eating well his leaving alfalfa pellets. So I SLOWLY weaned him off that medication. He mentally improved very much off this medication and appetite was back.

Recent fasting labs done last week.
Glucose 88 - (normal 71-122)
Insulin 28.22 (normal 10-40)
T4 1.13 (normal 1-3) barely in normal range
Leptin 15.28 HIGH (normal 1-10)
ACTH 57.4 HIGH (normal 2-30)

So I'm very concerned to get him better managed and will work on weight loss - exercise when possible even if hand walking> Deer flies are horrible here and surrounded by woods. He will not leave his open stall with fans as he hates bugs. So unless I get him outside he is a couch potatoe type.

Any feedback appreciated from your experience managing these metabolic types.
Last edited by Josette on Tue Jul 19, 2022 12:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

Srhorselady
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Re: Controlling EMS meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Srhorselady » Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:23 pm

I have a similar pony with similar problems! Peanut is a 13.2 hand half Arab half Welsh 700 lb alpha chestnut mare. She is 24 years old and diagnosed with both Cushings and Metabolic issues for several years. One difference: she loves to work and is definitely a more “go” than “whoa” pony. So although she’s very well trained and has excellent manners she needs more than a beginning rider…which given her size can sometimes be an issue. I don’t have her exact numbers (I can get from my Vet) but when we last tested last Spring her Cushings number was in the high normal range and her Insulin number had come down a lot but was still above normal. Her diet consists of 12 lbs of Bermuda hay ( with a handful of alfalfa or orchard), 1 lb of Enrich Plus ration balancer, 1/2 lb Safe Choice Senior dry, plus MSM, biotin, flax, Vitamin E plus Selenium and Persevere electrolytes. Her medications are 1/2 Prascend, thyroxine 1 and 1/2 scoops (we increased this from 1 scoop 2 years ago to bring numbers down), and 1/2 scoop InsulinWise daily. We changed from the Platinum product to the InsulinWise last year and saw a drop in her insulin numbers. When we next test she will have been on the InsulinWise for over a year and I hope her insulin numbers will be in the normal range. My Vet suggested this change. She likes the Platinum products but has had good luck with InsulinWise on ponys. Unfortunately it is a powder. For exercise….right now it is HOT here in Arizona: 105-110 degrees F and humidity 10-20%. It’s very nasty. All riding is done before 8am. Peanut is ridden twice a week for a lesson (lounged, walk, trot, and canter) and cooled down with a trail ride (about 45 minutes total) by one of my neighbors 13 year old students. My neighbor is a dressage trainer. Then she is taken out for a longer trail ride about once weekly by an adult (120 lb) eventer. She lives with access to turnout as well as a shaded stall 24/7 and has a younger pony to boss around all day. She DOES boss the other pony around…she’s a red mare! So far I’m very pleased with results of the InsulinWise change and I’m hoping for more improvements.

I also currently have two other horses with Cushings and Metabolic Issues (I’ve had others in the past also), but they are not ponys and both are currently (as of their last test) in the normal range.

Good luck and if you have any other questions please ask.

Debi aka Sr Horse Lady

Josette
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Re: Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Josette » Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:47 pm

Thank you for replying SrHL. I'm trying to figure out how the ThyroL medication is affecting the Cushings labs - if I should put my guy back on it. It helped before with weight loss in the past - but I never had a T4 blood level to reference as baseline. So his current T4 is now barely in low normal range. I did lookup Insulin Wise before but saw it was powder formula but - I could try it and see if he eats it. It has different ingredients then the Equithrive Metabolic supplement. So far, his Glucose and Insulin levels are normal. Leptin level says he needs to loose more weight.

I realize summer months are when ACTH levels climb - spike in Cushings and do not want it to get worse. We are getting more storms tonight so this week extreme heat/humidity here. We were riding 4-5 days per week both ring and trails so he was getting moderate work - not just casual walks. Our trail rides are forward working walks with lots to supple work. (Trails are all woods and twisty turns with roots so not good for trotting there.) He has a good go button for forward working trot in the ring.

Tanga
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Re: Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Tanga » Tue Jul 19, 2022 12:38 am

I don't know if this will help at all. I have a 24 year old we assume has so version of Cushings because she didn't shed last year. Vet said might as well try meds which is cheaper than blood tests. I actually researched and got her on chaste berry--just bought it from a bulk supplement supplier. She shed out completely this year and is looking a lot better overall.

She was thin because of hay issues with the barn and has never been obese, but she has always been very energetic, lives in pasture (which is no grass here) and gets out all of the time.

Josette
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Re: Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Josette » Tue Jul 19, 2022 1:00 pm

Tanga - Thank you - now I recall this supplement from my memory about Chaste Berry. I'm reading up more information plus found SmartPak has a pellet formula. I'm trying to reach my vet to discuss these labs results and what I might need to change or do. Certainly agree that more exercise and weight loss needed for both of us. This is so complex to understand and manage. :(

edited to add - just found this article so CB may not be an option for us.

https://holistichorse.com/health-care/u ... pergolide/

Tanga
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Re: Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Tanga » Tue Jul 19, 2022 7:33 pm

Josette Oh yeah, I wasn't even thinking about mixing it. Peroglide is pretty expensive, so this is an alternative. I have zero clue as to whether it would be a better option for you to switch, but I thought I'd put it out there. I have been slowly trying lot of different things for her for weight gain, help with stiffness, etc., so you never know.

Ryeissa
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Re: Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Ryeissa » Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:13 pm

I can help! Sent you a PM. I'm an equine nutrition advisor. I have several EMS clients who have lost weight incl those with the Prescent Veil/not eating issues.

Ryeissa
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Re: Controlling Cushings meds, diet exercise - experiences?

Postby Ryeissa » Thu Sep 08, 2022 7:09 pm



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