Hi all,

Well, bummer, I typed my entire message, then went to attach the link to my CH, and lost the whole thing...so starting over. How do you save a draft? 

The prune question:  I've read that prunes are OK as treats for IR horses.  How come, since the sugar is so much higher than apples, for example?  It's really a curiosity question at this point, tho, since Houdon turned his finicky nose up.  I have found his Prascend at the bottom of his food bowl on occasion and, in a pinch, I've given it to him in a small piece of apple, which I know is not recommended, but since the sugar is lower, can a bit of apple be really bad?  Just wondering.  I've tried salted peanuts in the shell, too....no go.

I'd love some feedback on his latest blood work (Cornell).  His ACTH came back at 74.9 (up from 41 in Jan).  He's been on 1 mg Prascend, but it's been upped to 2.  It was surprising to me that it went up so much, especially at this time of the year, during the seasonal low.  Has anyone experienced that?  His other results were better.

Leptin:  1.21 (same as in Jan)

Glucose:  89 (not tested in Jan)

Insulin:  54.72 (down from 82 in Jan)

Lyme:  negative

When my trimmer was here 2 weeks ago, she suspected that his ACTH had risen because of his clinical signs (not shedding well, pulses).  Houdon had been in an eaten-down paddock wearing his muzzle, with two other horses, but when the pulses showed up, he's now in a small mostly bare pen.  It's not the best, but there's no larger dry lot at my barn.  I notice Houdon is not eating the bitty grass that's there (and which I've covered with old, dirty hay), but eats the plentiful hay and ODBC given him.  He's definitely foot-sore, seems the pulses might be a tiny better, but are still there. He'll be trimmed again in another week and I hope before then I notice a change in his soreness once the increased dose of pergolide kicks in....he had his 3rd dose today.  I switched to compounded capsules from ThrivingPets....very helpful folks there.  My former vet would not prescribe compounded, but my new vet does (Yay!)  There's so many folks with successful management of PPID using compounded pergolide.....made perfect sense to switch. 

Houdon's diet has been balanced, so am working on the recommended changes.  Don't have to soak the hay...yay!

Thanks in advance to any feedback.  Learning lots from everyone.

Rita and Houdon

Gaithersburg, MD

Sept 2013

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/echistory8/files/Rita%2C%20Maryland/