Your experience with chasteberry for the Cushing's horse

[HappyHorsey]

After discussion with our vet, we’re trying our Cushing’s horse on chasteberry as we could not use Prascend due to the side effects. While I realize that chasteberry is not Prascend, our vet does know some horses that have improved on it.

If you’ve used chasteberry with your Cushing’s horse, did you see any improvement in the Cushing’s symptoms? How long did it take to see a change? Did you see any change in ACTH levels or just the symptoms? Which symptoms improved? Did you try different chasteberry supplements and did one work better than the other? Anything else we should know about feeding chasteberry? Thank you!

[CHT]

Did you try this, and what were the results?

[Event_Horse]

My horse was on Prascend but I decided to also use chasteberry as the Prascend was not making a difference with shedding / thick coat. Tried liquid chasteberry and he would not touch his feed with this on it. (He never was fussy with cherry flavored supplements before, but that changed after he got Cushings and went on the Prascend - not sure which is to blame.) Tried the Smartpak chasteberry supplement. No difference in coat. Doubled the dose. No difference in coat. Was clipping once a month in the summer. Stopped the supplement.

Started feeding Triple Crown Naturals Ground Golden Flax because his coat seemed dull. Surprisingly, that helped with the coat (did not have to clip as often in the summer.) Obviously, in your case, this would not help with the ACTH. Eventually, had to increase his Prascend as his ACTH levels rose as he aged.

I read on another thread that APF - Advanced Protection Formula helps counteract Prascend’s side effects on the appetite. Maybe worth asking your vet about? Also, did your vet have you introduce the Prascend slowly - 1/2 pill and then work up to a full dose?

I feel for you - having a horse with Cushings is a struggle.

[Weezer]

We couldn’t get our two Cushings horses to touch the chasteberry supplement.

[pony_baloney]

I gave it in addition to Prascend. When first diagnosed many years ago when compounded pergolide was the only option, I tried ctb only and he looked a bit better but ACTH was through the roof (721). APF, as mentioned, should help when starting with Prascend. FYI, there’s usually no side effects when increasing dosage when horse has been on the Prascend for some time.

[Event_Horse]

@pony_baloney

FYI, there’s usually no side effects when increasing dosage when horse has been on the Prascend for some time.

Unfortunately, mine did even when it was upped gradually. It affected his appetite. He had been on 1 tablet for years and we needed to increase to 2.