Stress and results...

lauren123

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2007
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East Yorkshire
Im going to speak to the vet tomorrow But I thought it would be good to ask for your opinions.
The vet was due for soxs cushings bloods thursday. All the horses where very upset and agitated all thursday. Including sox. His bloods where meant to be under 110 and his were 188.
Could he still be over and the stress increased the levels? Or could the stress be enough to raise them that high?
 
While stress can raise the result - acth test specifies it should be from a calm horse at rest - I can't tell you if it would be enough to raise the result by that much. My gut feeling is unless he was literally bouncing off the walls and throwing himself around then the result wouldn't be that elevated, and I would imagine if he was that would up the vet wouldn't have carried on anyway simply for his or her own safety. Also the level of agitated that lasts all day isn't likely to be the level that would affect bloods, horses just don't stay on that extreme an alert for long.

What had happened Thursday to unsettle the whole yard?
 
Just read your hacking thread and I'd say the blood test probably isn't that affected and if your vet suggests altering his meds that's what you need to do.
 
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I've read that stress can definitely affect ACTH levels. I know that the day Jack had his initial test - which confirmed his PPID - he was in a stable being a total stress-head. The best result he ever got was when I got the vet to walk with me to the field to perform it Luckily that day Jack was only just inside the gate so he was brought out and his blood was taken - totally stress-free - within seconds. I specifically requested this test to be performed outside because Jack hated being stabled. So imho, being stressed definitely affected his level.
 
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Stress does elevate acth, but I don’t know how much by. If you’re not convinced it’s accurate have him retested on a calm day.
 
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