 |
| Colors |
|
|
Colors is a 26-year-old pony. She has a big horse personality and plenty of pony tricks. Diagnosed with Cushing's Disease about six years ago, Colors enjoys robust health with the proper care and medication.
One tell-tale sign of Equine Cushing's Disease is a long, shaggy coat. Colors is body clipped three to four times a year because of her thick coat. Sounds crazy clipping her so often, but it works for this quirky pony. As she ages, Colors has trouble regulating her temperature. She gets cold in the winter, so we blanket her. And in the heat of the day during the summer, she hangs out in her stall under a fan.
Recently, an abscess in her right front foot had to be lanced by a veterinarian. The farrier fashioned a hospital plate bolted to her shoe to protect the wound. Every day for five weeks, the plate was removed so that the wound could be brushed clean. Sole paint was applied directly to the wound and on two 4x4 gauze pads placed between the hoof and the hospital plate. Colors was confined to a stall at night and turned out in a paddock during the day.
Miss Colors' hoof has healed. Whether she's wearing a blanket or not, this mischievous pony grazes freely around the farm and kicks it up whenever she can.
Her medicine: Pergolide once a day available only by prescription.
Other medications: Thyro-L once a day for her hypothyroidism. Vitex powder twice a day --homeopathic medicine for hormonal imbalance related to Cushing's.
Let's Ask an Expert: Are horses and ponies with Cushing's Disease more prone to hoof abscesses? What is the life expectancy of a horse with Cushing's?
For more information about this disease, check out http://www.horseadvice.com or http://www.allabouthorses.com
|
All horses are treated on an individual basis. What works for our horses may not work for yours. Please contact your veterinarian before administering any medications or treatments for your geriatric horse.
|
|