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Research has also shown that Cushings disease can also cause neurologic disease. You should first consult with your veterinarian before beginning an exercise or riding program.
However it is wise to consider a few things before riding a horse with Cushings and to check with your veterinarian first as each case is different.
Should you ride a horse with cushings. 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. Is it safe to ride a horse with Cushings disease.
You can ride a horse with Cushings disease of sound health if they are not suffering from laminitis and are on the correct medication. However it is wise to consider a few things before riding a horse with Cushings and to check with your veterinarian first as each case is different. Many horses with Equine Cushings Disease will have a long thick coat that will make it harder for them to keep themselves cool.
This doesnt mean that you shouldnt ride your horse just that you should keep in mind that he wont be able to keep cool so easily. Clipping your horse will. In a normal horse cortisol levels will decrease following the dexamethasone.
If your horse has Cushings cortisol levels will remain the same. Because theres some risk of laminitis after dexamethasone administration this test should not be used on a horse that has laminitis issues. It also shouldnt be used in the fall.
Health Management for a Horse with Cushings. Avoiding stressing the horse. The hormonal profile of many horses with Cushings already indicates high stress levels so reducing stress is critical.
Providing a safe comfortable sanctuary for the horse. 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. Equine Cushings disease is more correctly known as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction PPID.
It involves the pituitary gland which is a gland located at the base of the brain that produces hormones in response brain signals. In PPID the normal mechanisms which control hormone production by the pituitary gland are. Cushings disease is an endocrine disorder in equines caused by a tumour that develops in the pituitary gland.
This tumour known as a pituitary adenoma causes the pituitary gland to secrete increased amounts of hormones into the body. The correct terminology for equine Cushings is Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction PPID. Deworming Cushings horses can be more susceptible to parasites because of their weakened immune system.
Work closely with your vet to develop a deworming schedule and program that is catered to your horse. Your vet should also be seen regularly for dental care and wellness exams. Horses with Cushings either dont have enough dopamine present in their body or the body is not able to properly recognize it.
This can directly affect the adrenal glands and the kidneys making the horse more susceptible to infections. Research has also shown that Cushings disease can also cause neurologic disease. As horses rely so heavily on their skin to control their body temperature you can imagine the effect Cushings has on affected horses and ponies.
Often these horses have abnormally thick and long hair coats and an abnormal amount of fat beneath their skin. The goal in feeding a horse with Cushings is to limit the intake of nonstructural carbohydrates NSC feeds such as the sugars and starches found in grains. In many cases feeds that are labeled as senior feeds are also high in NSC content and should be avoided when feeding a horse with Cushings disease.
Horses with Cushings suffer increased rates of infection. They also tend to heal slowly from wounds. If your horse is frequently diagnosed with parasites like pinworms which are quite rare in adult horses you should be suspicious as to why.
Horses with Cushings disease fail to suppress to this degree and exhibit a higher response to ACTH. Measurement of plasma ACTH concentration may be used to confirm the diagnosis but no assay is commercially available in the UK although it is performed in some laboratories in the USA. Since the pituitary is not functioning correctly in a Cushings horse there is a hormonal response excess endotoxic that results in laminitis.
So as the days shorten in the fall the risk of laminitis rises. We eliminated all alfalfa and other foods particularly rich in carbohydrates and sugars as a safeguard against the laminitis. A horse with sore hooves should never be ridden.
And the inability to regulate body temperature is a symptom of Cushings Disease. If you have any questions or comments regarding Cushings Disease please feel free to comment below.