PPID- Pixie

Yesterday we got test results back for Pixie. We tested for both IR (insulin resistance) and PPID (formally called Cushings). We truly thought if it was either of the two it would have been IR, but no she does not have IR. She does however have PPID ( pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction). 

Here is what I knew about cushings in horses prior to getting this diagnosis yesterday:
1. It somehow affected the glucose levels
2. I was pretty sure it had to do with hormones somehow
3. They don't shed their hair and usually are shaved down in warmer months.

Here is what I am beginning to understand about this disease:

1. Yes, it does give them hyperglycemia, but it is so much more than that. Pixie's test came back at  125 fasting and that is high for fasting.
2. It is all hormone based. The pituitary gland essentially is overactive due to hypertrophy or an adenoma (neoplasm).
3. By they time they have stop shedding properly they are in the advance stages of the disease.
4. It affects their whole system. Basically they are immunocompromised meaning they are at a higher risk of infection.
5. It is either treated with medicine or not, but there is no in between. Since this is caused by a dysfunction of the pituitary gland you can't not treat with diet alone. Currently there is only one medicine on the market for horses. Which as we all know that means the medicine is expensive. With treatment though horses can live a normal life span, without treatment this disease will usually shorten their life quite a bit.

So basically it boils down to this. This diagnoses is a life changing dx for Pixie and I. Of course we are starting the medicine. Expensive or not I don't really see an option here. I can't treat this disease any other way. My only hope is that maybe one day there will be more than one drug available to help lower the price. This is a progressive disease. We are starting out at a 1/2 tablet a day, but as the years go the vet told me we will probably make our way up in dosage. But it could be years before we need to up the dosage so that is good. With the meds  she can eat like a normal horse with the exception of grass. She will never be able to free graze on lush green grass. But we shouldn't have to soak hay at least! Her feet should stop being sore. It may be up to a year before she is completely sound, but she should be feeling better in the next 3 months or so. She may or may not have to be in some sort of shoes forever. Time will tell on how sensitive her feet are.

This is what I know so far. There is far more to this then I ever realized. Between Pixie and Devan at least I can go around saying cool abbreviations for their diseases. PPID and EPI, that is enough now, I am not sure I can remember any more cool disease names though 😉

Then You Go Splat

This last week I worked really hard to maim myself. Last Sunday just a mile or so into the trail ride I dismounted without looking down first ( a big no no) and proceed to land on a rock and roll my ankle, resulting in spraining both sides. It didn't hurt as bad as one would expect (yes, it did hurt though) so I went on and finished my 6 mile ride. Now to see me get back on Navi the few times during the ride I am sure was quite the sight as I struggled to pull myself up. I am not graceful anyways, but without being able to push off of my right foot made it worse. Navi was a champ and stood there and let me climb my way up in a not so nice way.

After the ride it was time to float the creek. Fun times! I must do that again!!

By Thursday I was able to squeeze my foot back into my boot. So I was off to the barn. Promising my other half I would be super careful because I wasn't wearing my brace the dr said I had to wear for 2 weeks! 2 weeks of wearing a brace that won't fit into my boot meant no riding for two weeks...uhm no. And 4 months of wearing the brace on uneven ground!  (I did ask if there were limitations on what activities I could do while my ankle was sprained and the dr said "no, not really", they just wanted me to be careful. Oh and to probably avoid stairs. They didn't say I couldn't ride)
I decided I probably wouldn't really ride on Thursday and just took Navi down and did some liberty ground work. She was doing amazing! We had some really nice liberty work so I decided to try some bareback riding in the round pen to work on getting her softer. I didn't want to tack up so figured it would be a good time to start working towards bridle-less riding with her. We did some more warm up in the round pen and I jump on and off at liberty before putting her halter back on her. ( Ok, here is where I stop using my common sense.) She was kinda a pill for putting her halter back on, but I ignored that sign. Then we lined up and I hopped on. She quickly gave me the head shake, did I listen no, no why would I do that. I told her to stop it and walk on. (Keep in mind this mare hates being brushed, hates being touched. And I wonder why she doesn't like bareback riding?!) Ok she quits and we walk on. Work on flexing and relaxing at the walk. We get back around and I felt it coming. She braced humped up. Oh crap...up she went into a small rear I leaned forward and then she threw her head down bucked and when she came back up my head collided with her neck and I knew I was going to hit the ground. I fell off, landed on my side rolled over to the other side out and stayed put for a second. I tend to curl up in the fetal position just in case they decide to run me over. She didn't, she stood perfectly still like a good girl, lol. As I flew off I thought " my other half is gonna kill me" and great I sure hope I didn't mess up my ankle more. Well I jumped up and of course looked at Navi and said "Really Navi, Really". I was mad, but really I knew it was my fault. I had pushed passed all the signs she had given me. Bareback hurts her or just plain irritates her and she will always let me know if she doesn't like something. I sent her away then I relaxed and knew I had to go tack up to finish the ride. I wasn't leaving it on that note. We walked back up the hill and tacked up. I climbed up and she was great. We went for a little ride and then met up with some friends and hung out and talked while we rode around the arena. She did really well. A bit bracey and moody with the gelding riding with us, but compared to bucking me off it was really good, lol.  We called it a night and I left the barn with a fat lip, a few more bruises, and a bit of a headache. But hey my foot didn't hurt any worse!

So that my friends is how you end up going splat on the ground. Word of advice...don't ride your green, very opinionated, mare bareback when you know she hates bareback. I don't think liberty riding is out for us, but I do think we will do it with a saddle, lol.

 Well I am off to hit the trails with Navi today as Pixie is still slightly lame. We are still working on it, but really she doesn't need to be ridden so she gets time off to heal and hopefully come back sound! Besides Pixie could handle just getting loved on and groomed, she is partial to not working really.