Cha Cha Update - 8/4/2012

[wingnut]

Cha Cha continues to eat well. She is finishing off 2lbs of Purina Miniature & Pony feed plus 1lb of rice bran pellets a day (fed two times). She's getting all the pasture time and hay she wants. Her over all attitude continues to improve.

Our mill's equine specialist came out with their portable scale on Thursday. I have her come out annually to get a weight for each of my horses as I think it's important information to have. In fact, if I can get them cleaned up for photos I might share updated photos for each and their current heights/weights to share.

Anyway, according to this scale, Cha Cha has gained 3lbs since she was seen at the New Bolton Center. Of course, there's a chance the scales don't match but I think 3lbs is about right based on what my own eyes are seeing. I'm going to start measuring her girth this week and tracking any changes. That way I'll know if I'm seeing things or she's actually gaining.

We're nearly done with the steroid injections and I'm really worried that she'll fall off this progress when we do.

 

[chandab]

So glad she is improving for you, and hope she continues to improve without the steriods. I know steroids can have serious side-effects, but have you discussed keeping her on them with your vet? [My dog was on some steroid tablets, wonder if that might be an option, so she wouldn't have to continue to be a pin cushion.]

 

[wingnut]

I have asked my vet about continuing the steroids. She wants to hold off and see what happens after she's been off them a couple of weeks or so. Having an allergy prone Golden retriever, I know how long term steroid use is not optimal in any situation but sometimes the options have to be weighed and calculated risks may need to be taken. I personally would like to NOT stop the steroids but will defer to my vet's advice as I trust her to know about these things more than I.

 

[chandab]

I hope she continues to improve or at the very least, hold her own while you try going without the steroids. Even if it wasn't what you wanted to hear, at least you have an idea of what is going on with her, that's a little bit of comfort. [i was going nuts trying to figure out what was wrong with my gelding; he was a walking disaster til last Nov when he was diagnosed with cushings at only 12, started him on pergolide and proper diet and he's done a complete 180. Never thought of Cushings at only 12, and probably had it sooner as we'd been fighting his health problems for 3 years.]

 

[targetsmom]

Thanks so much for the update. I hope she continues to improve and can be weaned off the steroids. My vet never suggested steroids for our mare and now I can't help but wonder if they might have saved her. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for Cha Cha.