Dr. Kellon can you tell me or someone in the group give a reference to tell me what percentage of horse's with Cushing's untreated will get laminitis?

I have a friend that has a horse who shows all the signs of Cushing's and is losing weight rapidly. The friend understand the seriousness of founder but not much about Cushing's. If the percentage is pretty high then with a reference he is more likely to trust my suggestion to get the horse care.

Thank you

Hi Lauren,
Maybe have your friend read about Cushings/PPID at the new and improved ECIR website:
https://www.ecirhorse.com/cushings-disease-ppid.php

It does mention that laminitis used to be the most common cause of death/euthanasia in PPID horses.  Now that we understand more, it doesn't have to be if the horse is managed.  Showing all the signs of Cushings suggests that his horse may be pretty advanced in the disease process and would benefit from appropriate care.

Good luck!
--
Paula with Cory (IR) and Onyx (IR/PPID)

 

Bucks County, PA, USA

ECIR Primary Response

NRCplus 2011  ECIR 2014 

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Paula%20and%20Cory

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=1624

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Paula%20and%20Onyx

Hi, Lauren - I don't have actual statistics for you (besides saying "Most of them will get laminitis"), but I can also tell you that along with laminitis comes a general feeling of malaise, poor immune function (some of these horses die from sinus infections, or rather from complications therefrom, such as not eating), and also they just waste away. The weight loss and muscle weakness can result in them slipping and falling in the winter, and being unable to get back up; or slipping and falling in mud etc. Using compounded pergolide is a very inexpensive way to give a Cushing's horse a good quality of life. I know I am preaching to the choir, but this is just a bit more information you can pass on to your friend. 
--

Jaini Clougher (BSc,BVSc)

Merlin (over the bridge) ,Maggie,Gypsy, Ranger

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Jaini%20and%20Merlin-Maggie-Gypsy

 

 

This was true of my mare also. Her consistent symptom was dullness, depression, sadness, grouchiness. Blood test confirmed diagnosis. 
--
Maxine and Indy

Canberra, Australia 2010

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Maxine%20and%20Indy

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=933

 

Thanks Jaini, I can't do anything for this horse and that is hard to watch. I am all to familiar with the signs but sharing somebody else's words that have the experience as well and the degree may be much more influential. 

Where are people getting pergolide compounded? When I was working before people had to buy the very expensive Prascend. This is great to hear!
Thank You!

We have a list of pharmacies that members have used here:

https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/wiki/ECIR-Links

They will require the attending vet to agree to prescribe the compounded pergolide vs. the Name brand Prascend.

Please remember to sign your posts with name, general location and year of joining. You can add an auto signature by clicking on the "subscription" tab then scrolling down. Don't forget to hit "save" when you're done :)
--
Lavinia and George Too

Dante, Nappi and George over the Bridge

Jan 05, RI

EC Support Team

Thank you Paula!

The Michigan Cushing's Project, presented at the AAEP in 2001, found that 53% of untreated PPID horses with elevated insulin had laminitis as their major problem.

The Laminitis Trust in the UK has stated: "Equine Cushing's cases always develop laminitis if they live long enough." http://www.laminitis.org/cushings.html

Reported incidence of laminitis overall with PPID varies from 24 to 82%:   http://www.j-evs.com/article/S0737-0806(10)00345-X/fulltext . The reason for the variation is that any individual study will be looking at a different population of horses - different ages, breeds, methods of detecting laminitis, stages of PPID, etc.


--
Eleanor in PA

 

www.drkellon.com 

EC Owner 2001

For what it is worth, our Pergolide Dosage Database Statistics page currently shows 60% of the horses entered have had laminitis.   
--

- ​LeeAnne