Saturday, September 24, 2011

Improving? Cushings? I think so.

Reference August 14's post, Psst! Check this out! to see the improvement. The difference in her coat and topline is really starting to show. Her hips are still pretty bony, but it takes a while to fill in the spot behind the belly.

I think she needs another round of antibiotics, so I will have to save up the $100 to get another bottle from the vet in the next week or so.







3 comments:

  1. Boy, her coat is gorgeous. I'm not familiar with cushings- does it cause some of those sores at the Fetlock and pasturns?

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  2. Cushing's is a small benign tumor in the pituitary gland. The symptoms I've noticed in Promise are:

    - Excess drinking (she's ALWAYS been a heavy drinker)
    - Abnormal shedding and/or hair growth (she has been shedding right through the summer the last 2 years)
    - Development of swayback and pot belly (she's always had a pot belly, even at her fittest - but the swayback effect is new)
    - Loss of muscle over the topline (this could be lack of work combined with injuries or a symptom or both)
    - Compromised immune system including slow healing

    Some others include:
    - Fatty deposits above the eyes
    - Dull eyes and drab coat
    - Increased appetite with no weight gain
    - Chronic laminitis

    Obviously not all of the potential symptoms appear in every horse. But the things I was noticing were enough to warrant trying her on the Pergolide. You can read more here: http://www.recoveryeq.com/cushings_syndrome_pro.htm

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  3. Also, the marks on her left hind are scars from barbed wire before I met her.

    The right hind is the one that's been giving us trouble. I will post more about what the vet said over the weekend. :)

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