What is the best diet for a horse with Cushings?
Horses and ponies diagnosed with PPID/Cushing’s Disease should be fed a low sugar and starch diet. As alfalfa is naturally low in both sugar and starch, there are a number of feeds in our range that are suitable.
Are Oats good for horses with Cushing’s?
Even though oats are the grain lowest in sugar and starch, at around 45 to 50% starch they are still far too high in starch for horses on a low sugar and starch diet, eg insulin resistant horses, horses prone to laminitis, those with disorders like Cushings or PSSM etc, as well as many horses who are prone to ulcers.
Is there an alternative to Prascend for horses?
In horses that simply refuse to eat pergolide, or in the small percentage of cases that do not respond well to treatment, then there is an alternative. Instead of using a drug that aims to reduce ACTH secretion by the pituitary gland, we instead use a drug called Trilostane (marketed as Vetoryl).
Can a Cushings horse eat grass?
Pasture grasses can have a high NSC content, especially during the spring and fall seasons, and the risk of colic and laminitis is greater when horses are on pasture. Since laminitis and founder are more common in horses with Cushing’s disease, pasture grazing should be severely limited or totally avoided.
Is alfalfa good for Cushings horse?
Regular exercise reduces blood glucose levels, so it will help horses with Cushing’s disease. Standlee Premium Western Forage offers several products that can be beneficial in the feeding program of horses with Cushing’s including: Premium Alfalfa Pellets or Organic Alfalfa Pellets.
Are carrots bad for horses with Cushings?
Unfortunately most commercially made horse treats, as well as apples and carrots, can be high in sugar. This presents a problem with horses that have Cushing’s disease, or Insulin Resistance/Metabolic Syndrome, as those horses’ sugar and starch intake must be limited.
Can a horse with Cushings eat carrots?
It can be difficult to find treats that are safe for metabolically challenged horses, like those with Cushings or insulin disorders that require limited ingestion of carbohydrates and sugars. If your horse has metabolic issues, you will need to avoid feeding an these: apples and apple sauce. carrots.
What grain should I feed my horse with Cushings?
Alfalfa averages 10-15% NSC, and oat hay is very high, averaging 22%. Alfalfa can be a good option for a horse with Cushings if they are a hard time holding their weight because it is more calorie-dense than grass hay.
Can horses with Cushings eat grass?
Is there such a thing as Cushings disease in horses?
Cushing’s Disease in Horses Equine Cushing’s Disease is also known as Cushing’s Syndrome and also referred to as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (or PPID). It is normally considered a condition of people and old dogs but has recently been accepted as a hormonal (endocrine) disorder in horses.
What does dexamethasone do to a horse with Cushings disease?
Administration of dexamethasone (a synthetic type of cortisol) to normal horses causes marked suppression of blood cortisol, whereas horses with Cushing’s disease have little to no change in cortisol levels in response to dexamethasone.
What happens to the pars intermedia in Cushing’s disease?
With Equine Cushing’s Disease, the part of the pituitary gland known as the pars intermedia, becomes enlarged and secretes large amounts of a variety of hormones. The most notable of these is the stress-hormone cortisol which is produced in the adrenal glands.
How does Cushing’s disease affect the adrenal glands?
Cushing’s disease, more properly termed pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to the enlargement of a portion of the pituitary gland in the brain of the horse which results in excess production of certain peptides and hormones that have a direct effect on the adrenal glands.