Environmental Factor in Cushing’s?
- Topics: Article, Cushing's Disease, Morgan, Older Horse Care Concerns, Ponies
I have been treating an aging pony mare for Cushing’s syndrome. She had been chronically foundering for three years when she abruptly started exhibiting diabetic symptoms. After reading your article on Cushing’s and conferring with my veterinarian, we put her on pergolide. Her diabetic symptoms disappeared, and she is now back to normal.
My other mare, a 19- or 20-year-old Thoroughbred, now is getting the wavy hair coat associated with Cushing’s. My first horse, a gelding, lived to the ripe old age of 34 in the same environment. He did have the fatty tumors often associated with older horses, but not Cushing’s.
My question is–could something in the environment be predisposing them to the syndrome?
AFirst of all, I congratulate you on caring for your first horse until age 34! Over the past couple of decades we have seen more and more clients like yourself who want to keep their aging equine friends as companions rather than having them put to sleep simply because they have passed the age of 25. Further, it is clients like you that have pushed veterinarians like me to increase our understanding of equine geriatric medicine
Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.
Start your free account today!
Already have an account?
and continue reading.
