New minis. And pregnant?

Sorry to read this.

We look forward to watching your other mare and hope you'll add her to this thread.

Please keep us posted about this pretty little girl and give her a hug from the Aunties and tell her we wish her a steady improvement.

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

Thanks all for your support. My vet said there is a study going on that I can join for cushings. I don't know much about it yet , but if I do join then I will know for sure and know more about treatment and care. And yes I will hang around. I'm glad I have one bred for spring.

Is there any info on here about cushings?

 

[chandab]

How old is she? Many vets still confuse Insulin Resistance (IR) and Cushing's; IR is controlled with diet, Cushing's is controlled with medication. They have some cross-over symptoms.

 

[chandab]

Probably the best place for Cushing's information is the Yahoo Cushing's group, and their sister website (I'll have to see if I can find the website, I don't think I have it bookmarked).
Ok, I think this is the right website, but haven't checked the link: ecirhorse.org
I do have a Cushing's mini, but I don't follow all the rules for his care, and for the most part is he doing well.

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

Ok. I'll check it out she is 10 yrs. and very fat. That's why we thought she was preg. And she had milk.

 

[chandab]

10 is a bit young for Cushing's, but not impossible at that age. I'll wager a guess that she is IR (insulin resistant, it's similar to Type II diabetes in people) it is controlled by diet. Recommended diet is everything under 10% sugar and starch, which leaves out most commercial feeds, but there are a few. It's recommended that hay be tested for sugar and starch level, and if it's over 10%, then soak it to reduce sugars. Plain beet pulp can be used in the diet, but it needs to be rinsed, soaked and rinsed again; first rinse removed dirt and such, soak to fluff and reduce chance of choke, second rinse removes residual sugars (rinse til water comes clear). You also need to watch the fat level in commercial feeds, too high of fat in the diet can lead to IR or worsen it.

Triple Crown Lite is fairly safe, Triple Crown Safe Starch Forage is a tad high in fat, but pretty safe. A nearly complete feed in a bag is Ontario Dehy Timothy Balance cubes, but they can be hard to find and are a bit spendy (at least for me), just need to add Flax, Vit E and salt to make the diet complete.

Edited to add: Another safe feed is Anderson Feed's Nuzu Stabul 1 (there is also Stabul 1 Plus, but it has higher fat); it's available through TSC, it may or may not be on the shelves, but is available for special order. http://www.nuzufeed.com/bestIngred.html Hope that link works.

 

Thank goodness for all your valuable experience with Cushings and IR horses, Chanda. You are a wonderful resource here!

 

[chandab]

Thank you, Diane; but since I don't follow all the rules of caring for an IR or Cushing's horse, if someone really wants to know how to do it up proper they really should go to the website or the Yahoo group. I'll warn you though, the rules can be daunting, there are a lot of them; and the horse will do best if all are followed.

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

We have a feed mill close by so I'm going to contact see if they can mix something up for me. Wish I had an ingredients list

 

[chandab]

If you want to keep it simple, and your horse is an easy keeper, then good grass hay and a vit/min supplement is about all you need; if he needs extra calories, then soaked rinsed beet pulp can be added to the diet. Depending on where you purchase your hay, you might find a place that already tests hay, and then you might be lucky that they test for sugar and starch (it's the ESC component of the sugars that is important). Many of the low carb feeds are in an alfalfa and beet pulp base, most straight grains are too high in starch.

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

Ok. Thanks. So far I'm just giving her hay now. Am calling feed mill next week. Maybe they already have a feed they sell for this. I know I can get the beet

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

Probably the best place for Cushing's information is the Yahoo Cushing's group, and their sister website (I'll have to see if I can find the website, I don't think I have it bookmarked).

Ok, I think this is the right website, but haven't checked the link: ecirhorse.org

I do have a Cushing's mini, but I don't follow all the rules for his care, and for the most part is he doing well.

The link you posted doesn't work

The link you posted doesn't work

 

[chandab]

It should be the right address, you might have to copy/paste it.

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

Ok got it now. Thanks