**CUSHINGS BLOOD TESTING**

On the 31st October, the Cushings blood test at the reduced price of £10 will be coming to an end. (This applies to the first blood test only).

What is Cushings?
Cushings disease, or PPID, is a condition that we usually see in the older horse population (15+ year olds)
At the base of the brain lies the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. These act as a hormone control centre for the body and are responsible for fine tuning many different things – including the release of a hormone called ACTH which leads to cortisol production.

Prascend medication treatment for Cushings

As horses get older, the nerve supply to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland can change, causing it to become overactive and produce too much ACTH. And as a result, cortisol production increases.

What symptoms do we see?
Lethargy
Pot belly
Increased drinking and urination
Increased coat growth/curly coat/ lack of shedding in Spring
Laminitis
Increased infections and foot abscesses (this is due to the excess cortisol suppressing the immune system)

How do we test for it?
If you see any of these symptoms we can test for the condition using a blood test. This measures the amount of ACTH in the blood.

What is the treatment?
We will start your horse on a tablet called Prascend. We usually start on a low dose and retest your horse 4-6 weeks later to decide if the dose needs increasing or not.

Most horses do fantastically well on Prascend and we can manage the condition for many years!

Fantastic service really can’t thank Claudia enough for her help and advice on Monday my little Bart is doing great.

I can honestly say every vet and member of staff are always helpful and knowledgeable wouldn’t use any other vets.

Katy

Winter Care Tips Feet

Winter Care Tips Feet

Constant standing around in mud can compromise the health of your horse’s feet. Ensure feet are picked out daily. It may be necessary to bring some horses in each day to allow feet to dry out. Overreach boots may become a necessity to prevent loss of shoes in sticky...