Insulin Resistance and Cushings

[walkinthewalk]

The IR/EMS & Cushings issue has become a hot topic for discussion and learning everywhere.

Following is a link to some great information on I-R & Cushings; some of which is from Dr. Kellon's Equine Cushings Group.

Please do not skim the first post, as missing just one or two words can skewe the interpretation and important points might be missed:)


http://gaitedhorsesenseonline.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=7995&posts=4&start=1

[cloedoll]

Very interesting and informative, thanks for sharing!

[Gypsy Rose]

Very informative article- thanks for sharing!

[FoxFireEMT]

Yay thanks for sharing. Equus gave a short blup on it in their "september" issue. (Yes I'm a month behind, life does that to you!) ha ha. This is a very intersting topic & I am always looking on learning more about these topics. Thanks again 4 sharing.

[Ryle]

A really good starter article (because Dr. Kellon and the Equine Cushing's Group can quickly overload the brain and get you all befuddled) is one in The Horse magazine that is a writeup about the 2006 AAEP meeting's presentation on IR and Cushing's www.thehorse.com/pdf/aaep/obese.pdf (http://www.thehorse.com/pdf/aaep/obese.pdf)

[Arrow]

We're starting to get some great threads 'round here at Baywind Farm!

[HoustonFarrier]

Even as important as managing the diet and living conditions of the metabolic horse, farrier care is equally important. Chronic laminits, bouts of founder and abscesses are a constant threat. I have several on my books. Some react very well to the treatment protocols...some are more problematic. Spent 2 hours with the vet and a problem horse last night. He had been getting sore again, so I asked the vet to x-ray him, to see if he was changing...and he had rotated...again. Not much, but enough to make him sore. We decided to pull a shoe, because his right front foot was hot, and we found a sub-solar abscess(which does not show up on the x-ray). We drained it, cleaned the foot, and re-shod him in EDSS shoes. He's a happy camper again. You can never let your guard down on these guys !

Steve

[Gypsy Rose]

Very good point, Houston Farrier! I was thinking that somewhere along the line, care of the metabolic horse's hooves and the hoof related complications that come with being metabolic should be discussed.

[westmanfarrier]

You can never let your guard down on these guys !

Steve

Most important statement to remember with IR/Cushings.

[westmanfarrier]

If my client's animal is diagnosed Cushings I try to explain that if the horse has not already foundered, it is a matter of time. One slip up and BANG, laminitis.

For some reason the local vets (who are very good) do not stress the importance of regulating diet and hoof care for these horses.:nono: Every lecture I attend about Cushings and IR starts with the NSC intake.

[walkinthewalk]

Ditto what Ryle said about the Yahoo Equine Cushing's Group. It is a be-fuddling place to try and struggle thru, so I mostly rely on the lady from GHS, whose link I posted, to sort things out and re-write it all.

I get "TheHorse" at home, and I did read the referred to article.

Well Happy Happy Day!! I am so glad the farriers are contributing:clap:

I have been telling anyone that will listen that these metabolic horses need constant monitoring. My own thought is once a month and that is part of why I laid my shoer off and took the trimming back on all my horses.

I did spend this morning trimming the fronts on my three Walkers, one of which is metabolic. Since I did take pictures of the metabolic hooves, and since we now have the interest of two farriers, I will gingerly post the pics in a separate thread.

Please don't whap me alongside the head too hard with critique. I have already had two concussions over the years, and don't need a third:crazy:

[FoxFireEMT]

Yay I'm always glad that you guys start such good threads. I try to but mine never to take off! LOL. But seriously thank you so much for the thread, crushings is something that I wasn't very familiar with 2 yrs ago & have recently started to learn more & more about.

[HoustonFarrier]

I posted some of these pics on other forums....this is my brothers Arabian mare. She foundered (IR) last year. He was unable to find any suitable experienced farriers, so when I went to Ohio for the Ohio State Fair, I went over to Pittsburgh and shod his mare in EDSS package. I also met with a new farrier he found, and we went over what I was doing, and what he would have to do on subsequent resets.

As she was when I got there....
http://inlinethumb42.webshots.com/42089/2052130140053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

Bottom AFTER I removed all the old sole....
http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/43021/2664308500053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

Rough trim....
http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/44264/2415842020053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

Before shoe.....
http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/41899/2806499640053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

Shoe.....
http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/41989/2279855820053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

Bottom of shoe before rails....
http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/40827/2127328990053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

Shoe with rails.....
http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/42009/2002462560053248425S425x425Q85.jpg

x-ray before (She was broken back as well as rotated)
http://inlinethumb42.webshots.com/43113/2627141810053248425S200x200Q85.jpg

x-ray after
http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/42205/2781365510053248425S200x200Q85.jpg

Happy camper.....
http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/42325/2577276820053248425S200x200Q85.jpg

She's been through 2 resets, and he has dropped the wedge quite a bit, and she is happy and frisky !

Steve

[walkinthewalk]

What a change! Duke has never foundered. The vet and farrier that guides me both call him slightly laminitic.

Were the x-rays taken just before and just after the EDSS shoes were put on or was there a time-span between them?

Duke's metabolic issue exploded his arthritis. Being a Tennessee Walker he is drug-sensitive. The last set of shoes went on him in mid-September, 2007. I gave him half a bute tablet. It did nothing to mask the pain of the hammer and the drug itself still just about set him down on the ground. That was another part of the formula to keep him barefoot.

Those are terrific pictures! I have heard of the EDSS shoes but have never seen "real" pictures --- just on TV and in advertisements.

You must not mind driving or did you fly from Columbus, OH to Pittsburgh, PA. I am originally from a OH/PA border town further north, and I know it's good long drive between these two cities. That is genuine affection for your brother and his horse:cowboy:

[HoustonFarrier]

That is genuine affection for your brother and his horse:cowboy:

Shhhh....(I have a rep ya know:doh:)

LOL

Steve

[Peggy Sue]

This is another good site discussing equine nutrition in gereral and EMS's in horses
http://www.understanding-horse-nutrition.com/

[walkinthewalk]

Here's a new article from "TheHorse"

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12916

PeggySue, I put stored your article in my Cushings folder - thanks!

[Gypsy Rose]

PeggySue and walkinthewalk: thank you for sharing such informative articles!