Pergolide For Cushing's Disease

Pergolide is a prescription medication that was used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in humans until its discontinuation 2007. Veterinarians still use the medication to treat Cushing's disease in horses.

  1. Function

    • Cushing's disease is caused by excessive levels of cortisol in the horse's body due to the use of corticosteroid drugs or pituitary gland tumors. Pergolide increases levels of the brain chemical dopamine, which in turn works to lower cortisol levels in horses.

    Time Frame

    • Your horse will most likely need to take pergolide for up to 21 weeks, according to Recovery EQ.

    Features

    • Veterinarians normally begin treatment with pergolide at a low dose of approximately 0.5 mg per day, and then take blood samples to measure cortisol levels after a number of weeks, reports Wedgewood Pharmacy. If the cortisol levels have not decreased, it is likely the veterinarian will increase the dosage.

    Risks

    • The most common side effect of pergolide is decreased appetite, which typically improves after the first week of treatment, according to Wedgewood Pharmacy. Other possible side effects include low blood pressure, dizziness, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, anemia, respiratory infections and hallucinations.

    Considerations

    • Because the effect of pergolide on fetal development is not known, veterinarians rarely prescribe the drug for pregnant horses.