Re: Right back at square one
Trisha DePietro
Hi Heidi.
ACTH levels respond to the appropriate amount of Prascend/pergolide. So, if your financial situation has improved, speak to your vet and increase the dose back up to 1.5 or 2 mgs. Then retest in 2-4 weeks to ensure that you are on the correct dose of prascend/pergolide. Your goal for a controlled ACTH level is mid teens to low twenties. If your retest is not bringing the ACTH down, then the horse needs more prascend/pergolide. Please don't get discouraged. We all get some setbacks now and then. Compounded pergolide is less expensive and can be ordered by your vet, here is a link to read more about compounded pergolide: main@ECIR.groups.io | Files
As far as the Insulin level...did you test your teff hay to ensure it is low sugar (ESC) and low starch? Exercise definitely lowers insulin levels and with the new diagnosis for DSLD and a change in activity can increase the insulin- but so can uncontrolled ACTH....So, your best bet is to increase your prascend/pergolide and retest. Prascend does not treat high insulin, but it does control ACTH which can affect insulin levels.
We have a new site for our case histories- it just opened today and its so easy to use! I would highly recommend you get your horses information into a case history because it is very difficult to provide advise without it. Here is the link to the new site - https://ch.ecirhorse.org/
Trisha DePietro
Aug 2018
NH
Primary Responder
Dolly and Hope's Case Histories
Dolly's Photos
Hope's Photos
HOW TO SEARCH THE ARCHIVES: https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/wiki/1993
ACTH levels respond to the appropriate amount of Prascend/pergolide. So, if your financial situation has improved, speak to your vet and increase the dose back up to 1.5 or 2 mgs. Then retest in 2-4 weeks to ensure that you are on the correct dose of prascend/pergolide. Your goal for a controlled ACTH level is mid teens to low twenties. If your retest is not bringing the ACTH down, then the horse needs more prascend/pergolide. Please don't get discouraged. We all get some setbacks now and then. Compounded pergolide is less expensive and can be ordered by your vet, here is a link to read more about compounded pergolide: main@ECIR.groups.io | Files
As far as the Insulin level...did you test your teff hay to ensure it is low sugar (ESC) and low starch? Exercise definitely lowers insulin levels and with the new diagnosis for DSLD and a change in activity can increase the insulin- but so can uncontrolled ACTH....So, your best bet is to increase your prascend/pergolide and retest. Prascend does not treat high insulin, but it does control ACTH which can affect insulin levels.
We have a new site for our case histories- it just opened today and its so easy to use! I would highly recommend you get your horses information into a case history because it is very difficult to provide advise without it. Here is the link to the new site - https://ch.ecirhorse.org/
Trisha DePietro
Aug 2018
NH
Primary Responder
Dolly and Hope's Case Histories
Dolly's Photos
Hope's Photos
HOW TO SEARCH THE ARCHIVES: https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/wiki/1993