Although the treatment we can give is effective many horses will still suffer from recurrent laminitis. An estimated 10 percent of horses over 15 have Cushings and with all the improvements in horse health care horses are living longer and longer.
Distinctive increased coat length feature of PPID Cushings disease Photo courtesy of Dr Nicola Menzies Gow.
Can you still ride a horse with cushings disease. You should first consult with your veterinarian before beginning an exercise or riding program. However generally speaking horses with Cushings can be ridden like any other horse particularly if the Cushings syndrome is well controlled with medication. Still it is wise to consider just a few precautions.
Can you still ride a horse Equine Cushings Disease. In most cases theres no reason at all why you cant ride your horse if he has Equine Cushings Disease and in fact many horses will benefit from the exercise. The things you need to take into account when you are riding though are.
An estimated 10 percent of horses over 15 have Cushings and with all the improvements in horse health care horses are living longer and longer. That means theres a good chance youll experience this disease sometime in your horse life. Just 20 years ago your Cushings horse wouldve been retired in the pasture but no longer.
Be sure to use a quality reputable pharmacy for any medications prescribed to treat your horses condition. A horse with Cushings Disease can still live a quality life. While the likelihood of remission is low proper management of symptoms can help.
It can increase the chances that your horse will be. A horse with Cushings disease will be prone to laminitis. This means you need to ensure that the horses forage and food does not contain a large amount of sugars and starches.
The best diet for this type of horse will be a low sugar and high fibre. You should test grass and hay to ensure you know what your horse is consuming. It can be quite prevalent in aged equine populations.
One retirement centre were found to have 14 of residents with PPID. Ponies are more likely to be affected than horses but mares and geldings are equally likely to be affected. Distinctive increased coat length feature of PPID Cushings disease Photo courtesy of Dr Nicola Menzies Gow.
Cushings Disease is often found amongst older horses and ponies particularly those over 10 years of age. The average age at diagnosis is 19 although the disease can also affect younger horses. Mares and geldings are both equally likely to be diagnosed with Cushings Disease.
Cushings Disease in Horses image source httpspinit6mXTTs0. Cushings Disease in Horses is a metabolic disease result from the hormonal imbalance of the Pituitary gland of older horses more than 18 years of age. The disease identified by long wavy haircoat that do not falls lethargy poor athletic performance excessive seating infertility weight loss chronic laminitis muscle wasting especially along.
Horses with Cushings disease will have a noticeably thick coat all year long. They will also develop excessive thirst and can drink three or four times as much water than they normally would. Some horses can also suffer from tooth and hoof rot as well as developing lameness issues.
Effects of Cushings Disease on Horses. It is certainly possible that many horses with Cushings are out there undiagnosed. There are so many different indicators of the disease.
One article suggested that all horses with Cushings will eventually present laminitis if they live long enough. It is probably time to stop surfing the Internet for articles on Cushings. Treating Cushings Disease with Chaste Tree Berry.
A few years back my beloved twenty-year-old mare was diagnosed with Cushings Disease. Up until this point my experience with the disease was very minimal. My mare was showing signs familiar to the disease.
These horses can be difficult to diagnose because they perform long slow mileage and might only be used sporadically he says. Therefore the rider doesnt notice any change until out on the trail. Research has yielded improved management techniques that are making it easier to care for senior horses with Cushings Disease more correctly referred to as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction PPID.
More horses than ever are developing conditions that used to be considered rare complications of old age. A horse with Cushings Disease will require treatment for its entire life. Although the treatment we can give is effective many horses will still suffer from recurrent laminitis.
However early and effective treatment can give your horse a new lease of life which can remain for many years. Cushings disease is also referred to as hyperadrenocorticism. A horse with Cushings usually develops the condition in the mid to late years of life average age 20 years although it is sometimes diagnosed in horses as young as seven.
The Healing Barn DOES NOT recommend the use of Peroglide in any treatment of horses.