Which oils to feed and how much?
J Halstead
My 12.2hh native is 23 years old and has Cushing's disease. Recently her
coat has become a bit duller and her skin is very dry and flaky. I was
thinking of using oils in her feed to help this but I'm not sure what to use
or how much to give her. Going on advice I've had from this group, my feed
merchant and feed manufacturers, she currently has 2 feeds a day consisting
of 1/4 scoop of barley, 1/4 scoop of soaked sugar beet, a handful of Dodson
and Horrells's Sixteen Plus, 1/2 scoop of chaff, small scoop of Garlic
powder and carrots. She has ad lib hay at night (she's stabled) and grass
all day. She is almost totally retired. I hope I've given enough
information for someone to be able to help me. If oils aren't the answer,
what is please? Thanks in advance
Jaqy
--
(Living where horses come first, second and third !!)
J Halstead
She has had laminitis before I got her but not since she's been with me.
Her weight is just fine at the moment and it's quite easy to keep it that
way. However, what you said makes sense. Is there any other way to improve
her skin and coat that you know of?
Jaqy
--
(Living where horses come first, second and third !!)
Nick <maa...@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:12gj7ssgl1nmsbb12...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 9 Jan 2000 19:09:18 -0000, "J Halstead"
<jacquelin...@virgin.net>
> wrote:
>
> > If oils aren't the answer,
> >what is please? Thanks in advance
>
>
> With a native with Cushings I would be VERY careful about feeding oil as
it is
> quite high nutritionally and there is a risk of laminitis associated with
> Cushings.
>
> If her weight is OK then hopefully it won't be a problem but speak to your
vet
> first.
>
> Quantities and types of oils I'll leave to others, ours are not fed
buckets at
> all.
>
> Nick
> --
> www.icelandics.freeserve.co.uk
J Halstead
Jaqy
--
(Living where horses come first, second and third !!)
Nick <maa...@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:46bk7s0s4fkcd08lu...@4ax.com...
>
> I have had good results with Furlongs Challenge which is a vitamin and
mineral
> supplement produced by a vet who has specialised in equine nutrition.
>
J Halstead
no-one else had this problem?
Jaqy
--
(Living where horses come first, second and third !!)
J Halstead <jacquelin...@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:85c37g$6jr$1...@nclient13-gui.server.virgin.net...
> Hi all
>
> My 12.2hh native is 23 years old and has Cushing's disease. Recently her
> coat has become a bit duller and her skin is very dry and flaky. I was
> thinking of using oils in her feed to help this but I'm not sure what to
use
> or how much to give her. Going on advice I've had from this group, my
feed
> merchant and feed manufacturers, she currently has 2 feeds a day
consisting
> of 1/4 scoop of barley, 1/4 scoop of soaked sugar beet, a handful of
Dodson
> and Horrells's Sixteen Plus, 1/2 scoop of chaff, small scoop of Garlic
> powder and carrots. She has ad lib hay at night (she's stabled) and grass
> all day. She is almost totally retired. I hope I've given enough
> information for someone to be able to help me. If oils aren't the answer,
> what is please? Thanks in advance
>
Emma
jacquelin...@virgin.net says...
> Hmm, I'm not getting much in the way of replies to this query. :o( Has
> no-one else had this problem?
Sorry, I haven't had the problem so can't help. I read something about
feeding oil in a magazine in the last couple of months, but I can't even
remember which magazine it was! Hopefully someone else can help...
Emma
--
When the going gets tough the tough buy horses ;-)
Petra Ruttiger, 7 January 2000
J Halstead
Jaqy
--
(Living where horses come first, second and third !!)
Nick <maa...@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:rimm7skf3r15bg3ob...@4ax.com...
>
> PO Box 417
> Stafford
> ST18 9LB
> Tel 01785 780060
>
> Give them a ring, they are nice people
>
> Nick
> --
> www.icelandics.freeserve.co.uk
Petra Ruttiger
>no-one else had this problem?
Sorry Jaqy - never saw the question.
Depends what you want to spend. Super Sovitax is being used to great effect by
a girl at our yard, there's also bog-standard sun-flower oil (put loads of
whole garlic cloves in it ) by the gallon from Tesos.
I was just about to say "Ask your vet for advice re whether it's OK to feed oil
to horses with Cushings (I expect it should be) then I remembered that you
have some slightly odd vets up there - so I won't ;-)
Good luck - how long has she had Cushings ?
Petra
*********************************************************************
pe...@lancia.demon.co.uk
http://members2.clubphoto.com/petra196774/
http://members.tripod.com/centyfield
Susan Barlow
I heard that Soya oil is the best 'standard' oil you could use, I seem
to remember its something to do with the linoleic thingy levels. Soya
oil is included in those "Show mix" type feeds. However its expensive to
buy neat and apparently the next best thing is Corn oil which I have
been using for the last year to keep weight on my retired horse and it
has also give an nice shine to her coat. (Most of the supermarkets do
their own brand of corn oil)
HTH
Sue B
Esther Young
Susan Barlow <S.Ba...@mcc.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:387C62AE...@mcc.ac.uk...
> Hi Jaqy
> I heard that Soya oil is the best 'standard' oil you could use, I seem
> to remember its something to do with the linoleic thingy levels. Soya
> oil is included in those "Show mix" type feeds. However its expensive to
> buy neat
I find that buying soya *meal* is a lot cheaper than buying the oil. There
are two versions - a high protein one and a high oil one. For neds you want
the high oil one. Feed a cupful or two each feed - not much - and it will
last for ever (about Ł6 a bag). Don't feed any more than that or it becomes
rocket fuel. Soya meal is the staple ingredient in these 'high fat' granular
supplements and energy boosters. But its great - all the benefits of pure
soya oil.
Esther
Susan Swann
Ruttiger <rutt...@aol.com> writes
>>Hmm, I'm not getting much in the way of replies to this query. :o( Has
>>no-one else had this problem?
>>Jaqy
>
>Sorry Jaqy - never saw the question.
>Depends what you want to spend. Super Sovitax is being used to great effect by
>a girl at our yard, there's also bog-standard sun-flower oil (put loads of
>whole garlic cloves in it ) by the gallon from Tesos.
>
>I was just about to say "Ask your vet for advice re whether it's OK to feed oil
>to horses with Cushings (I expect it should be) then I remembered that you
>have some slightly odd vets up there - so I won't ;-)
>
>Good luck - how long has she had Cushings ?
>Petra
in using cheap cooking oil to feeds for many reasons. I read a book
years ago about nutrition and they recommended this for
condition, coat ( really helps with shine! can not say any difference on
greys though), animals that were not good doers, especially one pony
that went fizzy easily, and lost condition because of it. It is slow
release energy but absorbed into the system easily. Cheap as well.
I have shared a horse that was diagnosed as chronic arthritis, so bad he
would never be sound to ride. To only have turned out in level fields,
no schooling because of the corners.
Well you should have seen him 3 months after. Rolling hills for turn out
as was moved yards. Hacks up to the Downs, across Whipsnade, gallops
across the tops and back down the steep bridle paths. 12 months later
gaining 3rd place at dressage. Why? well he was put on Cortaflex and R A
Formula. We know if we ever ran out of the oil in couple of days he went
stiff again. We use R A Formula as it is in a concentrate form and this
is cheaper then Solveltex
I also use the RA on the German Shepherd as well.
>pe...@lancia.demon.co.uk
>http://members2.clubphoto.com/petra196774/
>http://members.tripod.com/centyfield
>
--
Susan Swann
J Halstead
Thanks for that, I'm going to look into it further.
J Halstead
news:20000111164519...@ng-fo1.aol.com...
>
> I was just about to say "Ask your vet for advice re whether it's OK to
feed oil
> to horses with Cushings (I expect it should be) then I remembered that
you
> have some slightly odd vets up there - so I won't ;-)
Huh, don't I know it !! They'd probably reccomend engine oil !!!
> Good luck - how long has she had Cushings ?
Well, I'm guessing she had it when she came to us which is just over 18
months ago. She also had thrush and laminitis. I've sorted those two
though but not much I can do about the Cushings at the moment. The vet says
she's only in the early stages. She has a HUGE coat all summer if I don't
clip her and she has real mood swings, sometimes she's quite depressed and
just stands staring at the floor. She can be like that for days. Most of
the time she's like a four year old though !! She's not got all the signs
as she doesn't drink or eat any more or less. The vet says not to do
anything right now, but then what do they know !!!! ;o)
Jaqy
Susan Swann
gywinkle.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>
>Susan Barlow <S.Ba...@mcc.ac.uk> wrote in message
>news:387C62AE...@mcc.ac.uk...
>> Hi Jaqy
>> I heard that Soya oil is the best 'standard' oil you could use, I seem
>> to remember its something to do with the linoleic thingy levels. Soya
>> oil is included in those "Show mix" type feeds. However its expensive to
>> buy neat
>
>I find that buying soya *meal* is a lot cheaper than buying the oil. There
>are two versions - a high protein one and a high oil one. For neds you want
>the high oil one. Feed a cupful or two each feed - not much - and it will
>rocket fuel. Soya meal is the staple ingredient in these 'high fat' granular
>supplements and energy boosters. But its great - all the benefits of pure
>soya oil.
>
>Esther
>
--
Susan Swann
Esther Young
Susan Swann <susanc...@dtn.ntl.com> wrote in message
news:YcoUcSA3...@dtn.ntl.com...
> Thanks for this tip but where do you buy it?
If your feed merchant sells other straights, they should sell soya
(theoretically)
Esther
Phil Dando
running on Cushing's at the moment) we did a lot of reading up about
laminitis.
I seem to remember that feed-wise the big problem is sugars in the feed
- particularly fructose which is the sugar found in high proportions in
the new spring grass, which is why spring/early summer is laminitis
danger time.
My point is that although oil has high energy content, I don't recall
reading anything that suggested it might be a laminitis risk.
In other words, give it a try.
--
Phil Dando
PS - This bit is going to be long, but gives a lot of info about
Cushings and please note the author credits - I have nothing to do with
it except passing it on to you:
KNOWLEDGE BANK HOME
Knowledge Bank: The Older Horse
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SCOOP
ESSENTIAL HORSE
THI HOME
February 1997
Cushing's Syndrome
------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 1997, Karen Briggs
Nan Rawlins
If Cushingoid symptoms are caught early, treatment can be extremely
successful.
To many horse owners, it's just "old horse disease," and it's an
affliction with a number of names--pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction
(PPID), hyperadrenocorticism, ECD (equine Cushing's disease), and, most
commonly, Cushing's syndrome. It can appear in horses as young as seven,
but is most frequently found in horses which are geriatric. Whatever the
name, it's becoming more common in equine populations, due in part to
advances in veterinary care and nutrition that help horses lead longer
lives.
Equine victims of Cushing's syndrome (named for turn-of-the-century
American surgeon Harvey Cushing, who researched the human brain and
pituitary gland) are easily recognized by a heavy, coarse, wavy hair
coat that fails to shed in the summer (occurring in more than 85% of
cases). Even before that characteristic hair coat appears, a horse with
Cushing's syndrome might demonstrate a host of other symptoms that are
sometimes overlooked or chalked up to old age.
The first symptom to appear generally is polydipsia (excessive thirst)
coupled with polyuria (excessive urination)--which might go unnoticed if
the animal is kept outside rather than stabled. Horses might go through
as much as 80 liters of water a day instead of the normal 20 to 30
liters. Other symptoms can include a swaybacked or potbellied
appearance, increased appetite (generally with no corresponding weight
gain), loss of muscle over the topline, and chronic laminitis. Horses
with Cushing's syndrome become more susceptible to diseases and
infections due to a compromised immune system. They frequently suffer
bouts of respiratory disease, skin infections, foot abscesses, buccal
(mouth) ulcers and periodontal disease, and even infections of the
tendon sheath or joints. Wound healing is also noticeably slowed.
Less commonly, a mare's estrous cycle might be suppressed or abnormal,
and she might even produce milk without being pregnant. Some horses
become lethargic or depressed, and they frequently acquire an unhealthy
gutload of internal parasites, including ascarids (pinworms), which are
comparatively rare in adult horses.
At the cellular level, there's even more going on. Blood tests often
will detect high blood sugar and high blood fats, anemia, reduced
lymphocyte counts, and electrolyte derangements.
When Hormones Run Wild
What's at the heart of a case of Cushing's syndrome? Well, in horses,
it's a benign tumor of the pituitary gland, called a pars intermedia
pituitary adenoma. The pituitary, a marble-sized gland at the base of
the brain, is responsible for the regulation of almost all of the body's
endocrine systems--in fact, it's sometimes referred to as the "master
gland."
Frank Andrews, DVM, an associate professor of equine medicine at the
University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine, notes, "This
particular disease is a little different in horses than Cushing's in
dogs or humans. In horses, Cushing's is associated exclusively with
tumors of the pars intermedia (or intermediate lobe) section of the
pituitary--an area that is well-developed in horses, but not in dogs and
cats. In dogs and humans, Cushing's is usually associated either with
tumors of the pars dystalis area of the pituitary, or with a tumor of
the adrenal glands. In horses, adrenal tumors aren't seen."
Though no one has established just why horses don't seem to get adrenal
tumors (or why they do get pituitary adenomas), it does at least
simplify the issues somewhat. Diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome in dogs,
for example, begins with a battery of tests to determine whether it's
the adrenal gland (sometimes operable) or the pituitary gland that's the
culprit--and the results are not always conclusive.
Pituitary adenomas are classified as benign tumors, though Andrews
points out that any tumor located in or near the brain is an "active"
tumor. The typical tumor that causes Cushing's is slow growing, and on
necropsy might be large and easily identified, or very small; the size
seems to have very little to do with its effect, as some small tumors
have been noted to have "profound effects," while larger masses might be
non-functional.
Over the course of months or years, the tumor can grow to the point
where it puts pressure on the adjacent hypothalamus, which controls
thermoregulation (among other things); some researchers feel this might
be the reason behind the growth of the characteristic heavy hair coat.
The tumor also, eventually, might press on the optic nerve, which lies
close by the pituitary, causing blindness. Other symptoms of very
advanced Cushing's include head-tilting and dementia.
Pituitary adenomas are "functional" tumors, a description indicating
that they secrete hormones. The secretion of these hormones is key to
all of the problems that arise in a Cushing's horse's system. It
interferes with normal pituitary function and sets the whole endocrine
system out of whack. Here's what happens.
A Wrench In The Works
The process begins when melantrope cells in the pars intermedia area of
the pituitary become overgrown and overactive. They produce excess
quantities of a peptide called pro-opiolipomelanocortin (POLMC,
mercifully, for short). Peptides are simple compounds that act on
specific target tissues. POLMC influences the adrenal glands, perched on
top of the kidneys, to produce an important hormone called cortisol,
which:
•maintains blood pressure and cardiac function;
•reduces the immune system's inflammatory response;
•regulates nerve tissue function, muscle tone, and connective tissue
repair;
•balances the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for energy;
•regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats;
•helps the body respond to stress.
Under normal circumstances, cortisol production is balanced by the
hormone CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone) from the hypothalamus,
which stimulates ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) from the pituitary.
ACTH in turn normally stimulates the release of cortisol. When there is
enough cortisol in the bloodstream, ACTH and CRH secretion "backs off."
Pituitary adenomas, however, essentially put a wrench in the works and
allow rampant secretion of POLMC. As a result, the levels of cortisol in
the horse's system can rise dramatically, causing the symptoms of
Cushing's.
In humans, Cushing's syndrome is sometimes correctable by surgery or
radiation treatments. In dogs, it might be operable if the symptoms
arise from a tumor in the adrenal glands rather than the pituitary. But
in horses, surgery, unfortunately, is not an option. Not only is the
pituitary gland just about as inaccessible as it could get, but the
typical horse with a pituitary adenoma is more than 20 years old,
already has a compromised immune system, and is a very poor bet for
surviving a general anaesthetic. Therefore, drug therapies are the
treatment of choice for equine Cushing's.
Diagnosing Cushing's
"The clinical signs of (pituitary adenomas) are pretty obvious in
horses," says Andrews. "Some practitioners may just start horses on drug
treatment (without any diagnostic tests) if the signs are definitive."
Diagnostic tests do, however, exist for Cushing's syndrome; in fact, an
entire battery of tests has been used over the past three decades. Jill
Beech, VMD, of the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, has
described these tests in a series of papers on pituitary adenomas in
horses, and suggests that practitioners begin with a CBC (complete blood
count) and a blood test to identify hyperglycemia--affected horses show
blood sugar levels over 120 mg per dl, and sometimes even greater than
300 mg per dl. Urinalysis also can be performed to detect glucosuria and
ketonuria (abnormally high levels of glucose and ketones in the urine).
A repeat blood test to establish the consistency of high blood sugar
might prompt a veterinarian to perform more specific, hormone-related
tests to confirm the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome.
One of the two most commonly used diagnostics is the dexamethasone
suppression test (DST). Dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid
anti-inflammatory similar to natural cortisol, is injected
intramuscularly into the horse after a baseline blood sample has been
drawn. Nineteen to 24 hours later, another blood sample is drawn and
tested for cortisol levels. A drop in cortisol level is the normal
response (indicating that ACTH-producing cells in the pituitary have
responded to normal feedback mechanisms). In a Cushing's horse, however,
the ACTH production will throttle back, but the diseased melantrope
cells will continue to produce peptides, creating a response of elevated
cortisol.
The other test, ACTH stimulation, involves administering 1 unit per kg
of ACTH gel, intramuscularly or intravenously, and measuring cortisol
levels in the blood four to eight hours later. A normal response is a
two- to three-fold increase in cortisol, but a Cushingoid horse might
show a four-fold rise.
Insulin tolerance tests (where crystalline insulin is injected
intravenously and the glucose level response in the blood is measured at
intervals after administration) can also help in diagnosing Cushing's
syndrome; however, most practitioners are cautious about using this
diagnostic because pony breeds are known to be less sensitive to
insulin, and even less so if they are obese or have chronic laminitis.
The problem with all of these tests, says Andrews, is that "the values
of normal horses may overlap considerably with the values of horses with
pituitary tumors. There's a wide range of variation--in my experience,
up to a 30% overlap."
To address this problem, Andrews and a team of researchers at the
University of Tennessee recently developed a new, combined diagnostic
test to identify more definitively Cushing's syndrome in horses.
Presented at the 1996 International Society of Endocrinology Congress in
San Francisco, the test combines a dexamethasone suppression test with a
TRH (thyroid stimulating hormone release) test.
Andrews explains: "The veterinarian administers the dexamethasone first
and measures blood cortisol levels three hours later. Just after drawing
blood, he administers the TRH, which stimulates the tumor, if present,
to produce cortisol.
"Then blood is drawn at 30-minute intervals, up to two hours later, and
the cortisol levels are graphed. If there's a tumor present, you'll see
a 'spike' in the cortisol levels 30 to 45 minutes after the TRH.
"The advantage of this test is there's no overlap in the numbers. The
peak value shows in all horses with pituitary adenomas, and we've found
it's pretty definitive."
Even the cost of this test is reasonable--Andrews estimates the average
owner would pay between $60 and $80.
Turning Back The Clock
Once a definitive diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome has been made, it's
time to consider treatment. The good news is that if the symptoms are
caught early, treatment can be extremely successful, essentially
returning the horse to normal health for several years.
"As diseases go," says Andrews, "Cushing's is fairly easy to manage.
Horses with advanced symptoms like immunosuppression or recurrent
founder may be more difficult to bring back, but that's more because of
those secondary symptoms."
There are three drugs that have been used with success to reverse some
or all of the symptoms of Cushing's. All three operate on similar
principles--they are either dopamine agonists, or serotonin antagonists.
Dopamine and serotonin are two naturally occurring neurotransmitters in
the brain, which help regulate the secretion of peptides like POLMC. One
of dopamine's functions is to inhibit melantrope cells in the pituitary;
when dopamine levels are low, the melantrope cells become overactive.
Serotonin performs the opposing function, stimulating the melantrope
cells. Drugs that mimic the action of these neurotransmitters can, in
essence, achieve the same aim from two different angles.
Bromocriptine mesylate (trade name Parlodel), a dopamine agonist, is the
"original" drug used to treat Cushing's syndrome. It mimics dopamine to
inhibit overproduction of activating peptides, and it has been shown to
mildly decrease plasma ACTH and cortisol levels. There is a problem with
the drug, however, which limits its use--in an oral form, its absorption
is poor, and the IM injectible form, which has to be administered twice
a day, is impractical for long-term use. It is also reported to have a
number of side effects.
A more successful choice is the serotonin blocker cyproheptadine.
Available in an easily absorbed tablet form, cyproheptadine has been
used to treat Cushingoid horses for a number of years. Andrews says, "In
my practice, it's the drug of choice. It's fairly inexpensive, at $30 to
$40 for 1,000 tablets, and I find 60-70% of Cushing's horses respond
favorably to it.
"It's an interesting drug," he continues, "because you start on a dose
level (usually about 0.13 mg/kg, or about 58 mg for an average 440 kg
horse) and increase it until you see the clinical signs of Cushing's
begin to improve."
The simplest way to do this is by monitoring the horse's water intake
over a 24-hour period, easily done as long as the horse is kept stabled
and is watered by bucket, rather than an automatic waterer. The drug
dosage is slowly increased until the horse's drinking returns to normal
levels (about six to eight weeks). During this time, owners commonly
report that other symptoms, such as the heavy hair coat and pot belly,
disappear as well, and their horses regain their vigor and muscle tone.
"Once the horse has maintained a level of improvement for a month, we
slowly decrease the dosage of cyproheptadine until we've got it down to
a maintenance level," says Andrews. "Sometimes, we can get the horse
down to a dose every other day, or even only once or twice a week.
Frequently the horse is on medication for life, but he can function
normally for a number of years."
Andrews does report that a few horses respond unfavorably to
cyproheptadine. Its action as a serotonin antagonist can have an effect
on other systems in the brain, and the development of an aggressive
temperament is a rare, but documented, side effect.
"Fortunately," he notes, "if one drug doesn't work, there are other
drugs that are sufficiently different that you can try
another."
The "another" he refers to is pergolide mesylate (trade name Permax), a
dopamine agonist that recently has become a very viable treatment
alternative. Originally a drug used to treat human Parkinson's disease,
pergolide had been considered as a treatment for equine Cushing's in the
past, but at dosages comparable to those used for cyproheptadine, it had
an intense vasoconstricting effect that practitioners felt could worsen
the chronic laminitis some of their patients already were suffering.
In 1993, Montana equine veterinarian Duncan Peters, DVM, tried pergolide
on a 28-year-old Cushingoid horse at a "somewhat arbitrary dosage" that
was a fraction of the usual human dose (about 0.75 mg a day for a 440 kg
horse, about one-sixth of what a human would receive) and found he could
get a good response without the risk of exacerbating founder. He
followed this result with a study of nine horses and ponies and saw
significant improvement with the drug in eight of the nine cases, with
no remarkable side effects. The average response time was about 22 days,
and improvement continued until the horses stabilized at an average time
period of 21 weeks. Since then, pergolide has become well accepted by
veterinarians as a treatment option.
Like cyproheptadine, pergolide can be administered orally, as a
tasteless tablet that can be crushed and mixed with a little molasses.
The cost is a little higher than cyproheptadine (an estimated $75-90 a
month), but Andrews notes that once you establish a maintenance dose,
you might be able to use less of the drug, and reduce your costs to
about $1 a day.
When deciding whether to medicate a Cushing's horse, owners must take
into account the cost and the condition of the horse in question. Horses
whose symptoms are fairly mild definitely respond best to the
medication, and might have their useful lives extended by a number of
years; but a horse which is already suffering from chronic founder and
recurrent infections might derive limited benefit. It is worth
remembering that none of these drug therapies addresses the root of the
problem, the pituitary tumor itself. They merely treat the symptoms, and
the tumor will continue to grow until at last it compromises the horse's
quality of life enough that euthanasia is the kindest answer. Methods of
removing or stopping the growth of pituitary adenomas are still,
unfortunately, in the future of veterinary medicine.
Maintaining a horse with Cushing's syndrome also requires an owner to
focus on careful health management and preventative care. Particular
care should be paid to diet, vaccinations, deworming, and teeth
maintenance, as well as prompt response to infections. Some Cushingoid
horses might require body-clipping in the summer months, and because
they have trouble with thermoregulation, they should be provided with
shelter and/or blankets in winter. Horses with laminitis will require
ongoing and expert farrier care, as well. All of these considerations,
however, might be worth it to owners who feel strongly about maintaining
the health of a treasured old friend.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RED HERRINGS
Reliable diagnostics can be particularly valuable when there is some
doubt as to a Cushing's diagnosis (for example, when the symptoms are
somehow atypical). There are two conditions that produce some similar
symptoms, and which can lead to misdiagnoses--hypothyroidism, and
diabetes mellitus.
A hypothyroid horse often exhibits some of the same signs as a Cushing's
victim--delayed shedding of the winter coat, lethargy, retarded growth,
and healing. Unlike a Cushingoid horse, however, he will usually suffer
a decrease in appetite, but gain weight nonetheless, and he often
develops a characteristically thick, cresty neck. (Cushing's horses will
often look potbellied, but rarely gain much weight.) And while Cushing's
horses usually remain quite bright in attitude, a hypothyroid horse will
strike one as "depressed."
Most practitioners feel that, in general, hypothryoidism is
overdiagnosed, and that it is actually quite rare. Differentiating the
two conditions must be done carefully, however, as a horse which has
abnormally high cortisol levels as a result of a pituitary tumor will
also show low thyroid hormone levels in his bloodstream--without
anything being wrong with his thyroid gland.
Based on symptoms that include losing weight, polydipsia (excessive
thirst), and high glucose levels in the blood, Cushing's syndrome also
occasionally has been mistaken for diabetes mellitus. Diabetes, though
it does occur in the horse, is exceptionally rare. Andrews says: "Let me
put it this way. I've been in practice 13 years, and I have yet to see a
case." He notes that the curly hair coat typical of Cushing's should be
an important differentiating symptom, as it is not typical of a diabetic
horse.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
About The Author
Karen Briggs writes for more than 20 equine magazines in Canada, the
United States, and Great Britain. Based in Ontario, she also is a
Canadian certified riding coach, an equine nutritionist, and an active
competitor at the preliminary level of three-day eventing with her
Thoroughbred gelding Sweeney Todd.
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This whole post was in reply to:
====================
In article <85c37g$6jr$1...@nclient13-gui.server.virgin.net>, J Halstead
<jacquelin...@virgin.net> writes
>Hi all
>
>My 12.2hh native is 23 years old and has Cushing's disease. Recently her
>coat has become a bit duller and her skin is very dry and flaky. I was
>thinking of using oils in her feed to help this but I'm not sure what to use
>or how much to give her. Going on advice I've had from this group, my feed
>merchant and feed manufacturers, she currently has 2 feeds a day consisting
>of 1/4 scoop of barley, 1/4 scoop of soaked sugar beet, a handful of Dodson
>and Horrells's Sixteen Plus, 1/2 scoop of chaff, small scoop of Garlic
>powder and carrots. She has ad lib hay at night (she's stabled) and grass
>all day. She is almost totally retired. I hope I've given enough
>information for someone to be able to help me. If oils aren't the answer,
>what is please? Thanks in advance
>
J Halstead
Thank you so much for this. It's answered a lot of questions and widened my
knowledge on the subject. Thank you for taking the time to send it. Take
care.
Jaqy
--
(Living where horses come first, second and third !!)
http://freespace.virgin.net/jacqueline.halstead/index.htm
Phil Dando <ph...@phildando.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:zEBzREAA...@phildando.demon.co.uk...
<snip>
> PS - This bit is going to be long, but gives a lot of info about
> Cushings and please note the author credits - I have nothing to do with
> it except passing it on to you:
>
< huge snip>