Sashi, after years of battling Cushings and seasonal laminitis, crashed in the worst way the end of Nov. I had the vet out on 12/4 to euthanize after he had been down for 2 weeks, developing small bedsores, in so much pain with no comfort provided by banamine daily for 2 weeks. Well, he saw the vet that night and got up. He stayed up until she & the farrier left. Of course he went back down and again on the 14th I was going to make the call the following Monday. He's been up (for the most part) ever since. He is now to the point I can get xrays (he hasn't had any since June)and we can draw a current ACTH, check teeth, etc. Up until the last bitter cold day or so he was very comfortable in his hooves and you'd never know I was about to send him on his way.

Bad news is for whatever reason he's dropped at least a 100# in the last couple weeks. Our weather took a horrid turn for the worse but he's got a super heavy blanket on, boots and pads, and his whinny warmers. His diet (except at rehab and the last week) has been a very strict ODTBC diet with appropriate supplements and his 4mg pergolide & JHerb. He won't touch 'em now. He won't touch anything really.

Of course I've played with fire trying to get him to eat and his foot soreness could kill him this time with what I've given him to get food in. On New Year's Day I ran to a friend's and got a bag of LS/LS pelleted grain and he's had about 10+ # of that. He was excited at first but has really no interest now. Won't touch the cubes wet, damp, soupy, will barely touch them dry. Heck no to beet pulp. Only thing he'll touch is untested hay. I'm sick about it.

I'm freaking out and need a caretaker's hug please and any suggestions to get him through until vet appt.

One question....is MSU still questionable with testing?

Thanks so much,
Kristie & Sashi
SW OH 2004
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ECHistory3/files/Kristie%20B./

On 1/4/2013 7:04 PM, barefooted4 wrote:

I'm freaking out and need a caretaker's hug please and any
suggestions to get him through until vet appt.

I don't really have any suggestions others will have good ones I am sure but wanted to give you some caretakers hugs. Here you go,
(((((((((( :-) ))))))))))

That is for being such a wonderful caretaker and for all the TLC.

Elva and Angel Satin
Beau and Whiskey say Us too~!
NM/2004

Kristie and Sashi,
Massive big hugs to you both. I wish I knew more to help you but sure the
people who know will get back to you soon and help you with adjusting meds
and such. I do remember mostly they say here that Cornell is the best to
send testing to.
Kim Lee in NW PA






On Fri, Jan 4, 2013 at 9:04 PM, barefooted4 <kristiebrand@...> wrote:

**


Sashi, after years of battling Cushings and seasonal laminitis, crashed in
the worst way the end of Nov. I had the vet out on 12/4 to euthanize after
he had been down for 2 weeks, developing small bedsores, in so much pain
with no comfort provided by banamine daily for 2 weeks. Well, he saw the
vet that night and got up. He stayed up until she & the farrier left. Of
course he went back down and again on the 14th I was going to make the call
the following Monday. He's been up (for the most part) ever since. He is
now to the point I can get xrays (he hasn't had any since June)and we can
draw a current ACTH, check teeth, etc. Up until the last bitter cold day or
so he was very comfortable in his hooves and you'd never know I was about
to send him on his way.

Bad news is for whatever reason he's dropped at least a 100# in the last
couple weeks. Our weather took a horrid turn for the worse but he's got a
super heavy blanket on, boots and pads, and his whinny warmers. His diet
(except at rehab and the last week) has been a very strict ODTBC diet with
appropriate supplements and his 4mg pergolide & JHerb. He won't touch 'em
now. He won't touch anything really.

Of course I've played with fire trying to get him to eat and his foot
soreness could kill him this time with what I've given him to get food in.
On New Year's Day I ran to a friend's and got a bag of LS/LS pelleted grain
and he's had about 10+ # of that. He was excited at first but has really no
interest now. Won't touch the cubes wet, damp, soupy, will barely touch
them dry. Heck no to beet pulp. Only thing he'll touch is untested hay. I'm
sick about it.

I'm freaking out and need a caretaker's hug please and any suggestions to
get him through until vet appt.

One question....is MSU still questionable with testing?

Thanks so much,
Kristie & Sashi
SW OH 2004
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ECHistory3/files/Kristie%20B./

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thank you for the hug! After 8 years and 11 months I've finally decided he's becoming a little high maintenance. ;)

Kristie & Sashi
SW OH 2004

Sending you lots of hugs and prayers that you both make it through
this. I can't give you answers on MSU, just wanted you to know many
of us have been where you are, and can empathize with you.
Hang in there.

--
Sherry LaMarche
847-343-6036
sherrylamarche@...

So. Wi., 08/08

"How people treat you is their karma, how you react is yours"

I have no idea what meds would be safe for Cushings, but I'd talk to my vet about treating for ulcers. Sounds like his last couple months have been very stressful, stress is a big trigger for ulcers. A big sign for ulcers is lack of interest in "Hard feed", and sometimes any feed, but usually they'll eat hay.
Ulcergard is OTC version of Gastroguard (Omeprazole), so you wouldn't need an Rx for it, but you'll have to find out if its safe for him; although at this point, I'm guessing you'll try anything to get him to eat his regular feeds. [It usually takes several days to see significant results from ulcer meds, but some are quicker ot respond, and others slower.] Its expensive.
Chanda
MT 9/04

--- In EquineCushings@..., "barefooted4" wrote:

Bad news is for whatever reason he's dropped at least a 100# in the last couple weeks. He won't touch anything really.

I'm freaking out and need a caretaker's hug please and any suggestions to get him through until vet appt.

Hi Kristie,
I don't have any experience with Cushings, but I give my IR boys APF and have gone to twice a day now that the temps are getting so cold, and they seem to be feeling really good. They weren't acting footsore or anything, but now just seem to be moving with more spirit. APF is supposed to help with any kind of stress, including cold, so it might help Sashi. Thriving Pets has the best price, and free shipping when you order online (over $60.) and they get it out fast.
Also, maybe the Stabul 1 pellets, which are low s/s, would tempt him. They would be a safe one to try, along with the ulcer meds. I can send you some to try if you'd like, before you check with a feed store to see if they can order some for you.
Also sending you alot of hugs, you take such good care of Sashi, sending hugs and good energy to you both.
Laura K. Chappie & Beau
N.IL.2011
lcknie@...

If I'm understanding you correctly, this pain was pretty clearly cold triggered. Since you already have J, try stopping Banamine, which is probably making things worse, and syringe him with double dose J twice daily. It will take 3 days for the Banamine to completely clear.

Also check a health or sports supplement store for L-arginine. Syringe in 5 grams three times a day. If you see improvement with this, you can switch to AAKG powder from mybesthorse.com.

Pain quickly shuts down appetite but the combination of stress and not eating, plus being down and on Banamine, can easily lead to ulcers. You can check out the file on alternative ulcer treatments, or consider at least a 3 day trial of GastroGard to see if ulcers are likely a factor.

As for MSU, I have seen multiple reports of normal ACTH results from MSU that were abnormal from Cornell - with symptoms to match Cornell's results.

Finally, although it sounds like cold was the cause, Lyme also has to be on the list when there is a severe unexplained pain event.

Eleanor in PA
www.drkellon.com
EC Co-owner
Feb 2001

Thank you for the suggestion Laura. APF has been part of his protocol for a few years now and it is fabulous stuff! I had been giving it 2x daily the last 10 days or so but have cut down to 1x since he's on JHerb 2x/day.

Kristie & Sashi
SW OH 2004

My apologies for not being clearer. He's been off Banamine since mid-Dec. Super cold (what has caused crashes for him in the past) hadn't arrived yet but he was prepared in that manner. He was blanketed & decked out with whinny-warmers. In fact, I lost 2 pair because the weather heated up past 50 and he was unable to get up so I had to cut them off him.

I believe the crash came when I had to improvise because my supplier of ODTBC left me high & dry. I was one of those people who thought just because a feed store carries TC the ODTBC wouldn't be an issue. I recently talked a man into carrying them because I'm committing to at least 1/2 pallet (20 bags) a month since it is the main part of all 6 of my equines' diet.

He's been back on JHerb since Dec. 15 at 2 tsp/2x day. Flax, salt, mag. ox, 2000 iu vit. e & APF.

I have been in discussions with Joan and we figured we'd try AAKG 2:1. I didn't want to shove that down his throat with an empty stomach though so I've held off ordering. I am getting ready to run to the health food store for the L-arginine and will start that!

I did just have an hour discussion w/my vet. We are going to start Ranitidine tomorrow. She doesn't want to pull his ACTH yet if he's stressed with ulcers/pain so that doesn't skew the results. We are doing a week of Ranitidine (I simply cannot afford a month of Gastrogard and she isn't keen on the compounded)and see if that gives him some improvement, take xrays on Friday 1/11 and then hopefully if he is eating some we'll do the ACTH and send it to Cornell rather than MSU. I will test for Lyme when I pull his ACTH.

Poor guy is hungry!

Kristie & Sashi
SW OH 2004

Hi, Kristie - Gads, what a nightmare for you.

For a more reasonably priced omeprazole, go here:

http://www.abler.com/products/abprazole



Jaini (BVSc),Merlin,Maggie,Gypsy
BC09
EC mod/support

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ECHistory/files/Jaini%20Clougher%2C%20Smithers%20BC/

Jainie -

Have you personally used Abprazole? If so, granules or paste? If both, which did you like better? Do you feel one was more effective than the other?

Thank you.

Pat
NC, 2012

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Pat

Begin forwarded message:

From: LandWink@...
Date: January 5, 2013 11:17:07 PM EST
To: "EquineCushings@..." <EquineCushings@...>
Subject: Re: [EquineCushings] Re: Scary weight loss
Reply-To: EquineCushings@...

Jainie -

Have you personally used Abprazole? If so, granules or paste? If both, which did you like better? Do you feel one was more effective than the other?

Thank you.

Pat
NC, 2012

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I was going to ask the same thing! On other horse forums the granules are known as "pop rocks" and have been quite popular now for some time.

Kristie & Sashi
SW OH 2004

Hi, Pat -

No, when I had Maggie on omeprazole, I was mixing up a messy combo of powder, baking soda, and oil to syringe it in. I sure wish I had known about the Abprazole then!

I would think one should use paste on a horse that is fussy with his supplements, so it can be syringed; use granules with a horse that will happily clean up his supps.

Jaini (BVSc),Merlin,Maggie,Gypsy
BC09
EC mod/support

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ECHistory/files/Jaini%20Clougher%2C%20Smithers%20BC/