Hello all.  Has anybody else had to watch one of thier trusted old mounts go through this?  I have a 24 yo Quarter that I have owned for over 14 years.  He has never been ill, perfect all around horse and my mounted patrol mount.  He was diagnosed with Cushings last year and it has been so sad to watch.  He is on Pergolide daily for the last year and we have tried every feed recommended by vets and trusted friends and nothing keeps him looking healthy but exercise.  Being in MN with almost 2 feet of snow on the ground and no indoor riding arena, exercise is VERY difficult and the poor guy looks like crap!!!  We have had the vet out on several occasions and he assures me that he is in no pain and only has the muscle wasting part of the disease, no signs of foot or leg problems.  My vet and I do not want to put him down. 

Has anyone else gone through this?  He will not eat particular feeds.   He is on my property so I am able to monitor how and when he eats.  I can even put it in a feedbag and he will eat around supplements and let it sit hanging in front of him.  We have tried beet pulp, rice bran (in three different forms) , senior feed (several varieties) and he has a great alfalfa hay blend.  There is hay in front of him all day, he is separated for about 8 lbs of athlete grain a day, and he is the head horse in the pasture.  Perhaps I am more venting than anything because it is just awful to watch, but any other ideas?  Has anyone else dealt with the muscle wasting part?  Teeth are good and worming/shots are always current. 

Thank you, it is just so hard to watch.  Monsterhorse, I am so sorry you had to deal with the bite on top of everything else, its just all so sad. 

TX, if you find out the supplement, please do let me know.  I am using the pergolide which isn't really helping alot on the surface, but it is keeping it (cross my fingers) from progressing. 

Its just hard to watch a good friend go through it.  I am sure most of us have been through traumatic experiences with our horses at some point in time, but I just hate the slow deterioration of cushings.  I guess I can be thankful that he is sound and not in pain at this point.....

I lost my battle with Cushings 3 years ago on a 22 year-old Arabian mare, my beloved Missy. Her diagnosis came about in a strange way. When she was 18 years-old she started having slight laminitis episodes after vaccinations. I and several vets thought it was due to the emergence of green grass in the spring. So she was dry lotted until late Decemeber when the grass died away. But the problem continued every spring and three vets couldn't tell me why. Then with the advent of the West Niles Vaccine being given twice a year as was recommended before further studies said once a year was adequate, she had another episode after the late August shot. Well, I knew her latest laminitis episode was not from grass, she was on a dry lot afterall. Went to vet #4 and he immediately tested for Cushings.

It came back positive. She had slight muscle wasting, but never a real long curly coat and she did shed in the spring. She had always drank lots of water and urinated a bunch... one of the signs too. Started her on Pergolide, but the damage from the vaccine had caused such an acute founder in both front feet that she started developing founder in the back feet. Went through the drimmling of the feet, farrier work every two weeks, diapers taped to the hips for bed sores, and lots of pain meds etc. Hubby was very supportive of the thousands of dollars being spent trying to save my girl.

To make a long story short, Missy lost her battle 5 months later on a rainy January day in 2004. I decided her quality of life was awful and she would never fully recover and would be stall bound the rest of her life. She was not happy and looked at me to relieve her pain. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do to make a descion to end the life of my best friend of 13 years.

For others with Cushings, make sure you watch the protein content of the grain and hay that is being fed. Too much starches and protein can trigger laminitis episodes. You'll also see more episodes in Spring and Fall, because the pituary is affected by the lengthening and shortening of daylight.

As for the wasting away, I would have your horse retested to make sure the dosage is correct. It may need to be increased to stop the wasting effects. Exercise, even if just hand walking is very benefical. I also had fairly good success using Lamina Saver to increase foot growth and rotation of the coffin bone if you experience laminitis episodes. Good luck and I wish you much success in managing this disease.

I'm sorry you're having to watch this... and yes, we had our 27 year old Morgan die in this way last July 4th.  She had wasted to skin and bones, despite the best efforts of our vet, my wife and I.  Towards the end she wouldn't even eat carrots or treats.  On the last day (the 4th) I looked out of our upstairs window out on my wife just standing there with Rythie trying to get her to eat something - anything... I went out to see them - as the tears were running down her face, we both realized that the end was very near.  Sadly we had to put her down that day -  we both realized she gave us all she had - every ounce of her heart was going into just standing up.  There really is no "upside", but if there was a silver lining it was that we were with her to the end - her head resting on my wifes lap as she passed away. 

She was a beautiful mare - my wife's best friend.  Ironic that Rythie was the "Alpha Mare" and she continued to be the boss up to the day she died. 

Please feel free to vent about how frustrating this is for you - I know many of us here understand.  The only advice I have is to love your guy, and cherish whatever time you have with him. 

Last night Stone lost his battle with Cushings.  We had the vet out and had one option of anabolic steroids left.  The treatments would have been three weeks apart and he would need at least three treatments to see if he was responding.  I didn't think he had it in him to last that long.  He had already wasted to almost nothing and he just had nothing more to give.

I saw it in his eyes in the last two weeks that he was tired.  He was no longer my alert, strong ex-racer with a wildness to his eyes.  I guess it was his time, he will be greatly missed.  Thanks for the ride, Red.

Very sorry for what you are going thru. We had a dog with cushings and gave him the horse supplement "Biovigor", it helped him more than the "vet" drugs. We eventually lost him to a rolled stomach but he seemed content the 3 years he was on Biovigor. We have had our horses on it for 5 years, quite a product. Squirts on hay or grain, 2 pumps daily. I have a very picky mare and even she doesn;t mind it.

Good luck, sorry for you loss.

You really need to go to the yahoo group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/messages/?expand=1

They have a wealth of information and are very helpful.

I have one Cushings horse, and one Insulin Resistant horse...which can be very similar in appearance. The Cushings horse, Desi, is a 25 year old Paso Fino. His mother lost her life to the same thing at age 20. Unfortunately, they didn't know as much about Cushings as they do now. We did everything wrong, and she died a horrible death.

I have been very successful using what the group calls the emergency diet. It is beet pulp, cinnamon, salt, and various other things depending on your horse. Desi is now on soaked beet pulp, cinnamon, B-L pellets (he also has arthritis), salt, sunflower seeds and Safe Choice pellets. He is doing very well. He has some top line wasting, but is holding his weight well. I did have to shave him again this year, but his coat looks loads better than it did last year.

Pleas go have a look at the yahoo group. I think you will appreciate their support.