Thalia Rehab Project Update March 21, 2016

The top picture is Thalia in early January right after I brought her to my place from Virginia for Edouard.  The bottom picture was taken yesterday, March 20, 2016.  I want you to notice how the fat pat from her croup to her tail head has evaporated.  She no long has a rear-end that looks like a Percheron.  She has been shedding her excessively thick and long haired coat since January.  As of now she is down to a normal winter coat.  The crest of her neck has slimmed down.  We had blood work done, glucose and insulin from the same draw, and ACTH to test for PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Disfunction aka Cushings).  Thalia came back positive for both conditions though fortunately only slightly high in both. (See note below) This is the best scenario we could have hoped for given what her external symptoms were telling us. Getting her metabolic system back under control is obviously much easier and bodes better in terms of breeding her for a preservation foal.  The physical changes that have occurred  include appropriate supplementation to balance the major and trace mineral content of the hay she consumes.  She gets almost no concentrated feed (grain).  Her diet is hay.  She gets 1tsp 2x/day of Vitex angus (Chaste Tree Berry) powder 3 weeks on and 1 week off.  This herb can help assist pituitary function.  Sometimes works sometimes not.  Working in her case, thankfully.  She moves more rapidly these days, offering to both trot and canter.  She had so much inflammation all over her body when she came in she acted more like a 30yo than a coming 24yo.

NOTE:  While Thalia’s glucose and insulin numbers are within normal limits, it is the ratio of the two that determines Insulin Resistance.  See the  IR Calculator posted on ECIRHorse.org