Download Prascend- Pergolide mesylate by Chris Ryan DVM Equine

Prascend- Pergolide mesylate
by Chris Ryan DVM
Equine Cushing’s disease, or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), is a common
disease in older horses. The symptoms of this condition can include a shaggy hair coat,
lethargy, pot-bellied appearance, decreased immune function, and increased risk of
laminitis. The best treatment available for these horses is careful management and a daily
dose of an oral medicine called Pergolide mesylate. When Pergolide mesylate was
withdrawn from the human market in 2007, it left veterinarians and owners reaching for
compounded pergolide made at local pharmacies to fill the void. Unfortunately, studies
have shown that this compounded Pergolide does not meet Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) guidelines for stability and potency over time.
However, late last year the FDA approved “Prascend”, a new formulation of
Pergolide mesylate specifically for the treatment of PPID. It comes in a tablet containing 1
milligram of pergolide and can easily be broken in half if necessary for each patient’s dosing
regimen. Steinbeck Country Equine Clinic will be carrying and prescribing Prascend for the
treatment of our Cushing’s patients and we hope that the improved stability and
consistency of this new product will enable some horses to be managed with a smaller dose
than previously possible.