Blood sample was taken 2014-02-25.  As a precaution, since November 2013, Bounce has been on 1mg/5cc of pergolide powder dissolved in water and administered by syringe, with emergency diet supplement and a handful of Brooks Un-Ti to convince him to eat it.:  Regular feed is grass hay and once daily of 1 scoop of MasterFeed Podium (picking my battles with the barn owner):

Insulin - 4.06 ulU/ML (normals 10-40)
Non-fasting Glucose -  80 pmo/L (normal 71-113 mg/dl)
ACTH 2.8 pmo/L (normal 2-10 pmo/L)
Leptin 5.15 (normal 1-4)
Radiographs  - no significant coffin bone rotation.

 

G:I ration 19.70 (normal >10)

Insulin resistance, RISQI: .50   (normal >.32)

Modified Insulin to glucose ration (MIRG): 4.4 (normal <5.6)

Now tapering off of the 1mg/5cc per day pergolide and will retest in a few weeks to validate whether ACTH levels are being held by the pergolide or whether they are otherwise normal without help.  If those are normal, we will return to  non-medicated mode and retest again in the fall.  Horse currently appears healthy, symptoms which displayed in the fall no longer evident (except the abscessing - which continues).   I'm taking him off Podium and the emergency diet now that I have these test results.

Moving to 2lbs daily of Brooks Un-ti - he really likes it, available locally  and I can control the amount he gets if I buy it in addition to board fee..

Your thoughts?

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Lorna asked:

>I'm just asking because of the low insulin.

I paused at that reading.   Vet was aware of the protocols and I'm sure he did his best to meet them.  Bounce was the last patient of the day and vet planned to go directly home.  His home office is 15 minutes drive from the barn, and samples were to be processed and frozen on arrival and out by courier the next morning.  Temps were Very Cold (-15C high) so not sure if that affects anything.   He had results back to me within 3 days, so I'm sure every effort was made.   Any other answer is purely speculative.

Leptin reading is slightly elevated as well - that's a "watch" warning.

He'll get a practice to do this again - on the second draw, and if necessary on the third draw.  I'm right now down about $922 for everything so far, but it is nice to have science based answers and a few more questions.

Ruth Vale and Whippoorwill Amulet (Bounce)
joined Sept 2013
Caledon, Ontario CANADA