Head Shaking - Symptom Control and Advice?

[mezoshea1]

Evening all! I'm looking for any advice regarding my horses head shaking, or if anyone has experienced similar problems then I'd love to hear your troubles and how you've managed their symptoms?

• I have a 12 year old OTTB gelding who started vertical head shaking in March/April this year, other symptoms include snorting, rubbing his muzzle/face on legs and fencing and also a slight increase in watery eyes. He is eating and drinking normally, rectal temperature whenever measured has always been normal.
• Initially I believed this to be due to pollen, because in September time last year (at least I think it was September) he developed minimal head shaking when hacking out. I started to use a nose filter, and from what I can recall this helped with the headshaking. I did not note any further head shaking throughout the winter months.
• When the head shaking started again it was in full force. I immediately started him on Feedmark's Clarity, and I was also recommended Nostrilvet by my instructor. Unfortunately he absolutely hates the Nostrilvet and it is very difficult to administer. I have not seen any improvement with the Clarity.
• At the start of March he came in from the field with what I can only describe as swelling and hives to the neck, he was administered cetirizine and analgesia in his feed which helped and by morning this had all gone down. He has been on cetirizine since then, however at this point in time I did not realise I was giving the incorrect dose.
• Over the course of these 2 months the head shaking has been ongoing pretty much daily, some days are worse than others, I cannot say for certain I have noticed a pattern as all the days seem to roll into one. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, he just looks p*ssed off at the world and irritated. I contacted the vet who came out and agreed it appears to be allergy related, and she completed an allergy test - results state he is allergic to wasp stings and dust mites.
  • The allergy test centre state that it is likely he was stung by a wasp and now he is hypersensitive to flies (could the swelling and hives in March be the wasp sting?)
• My vet recommended a 7 day course of prednisolone, preventative measures such as fly rug and fly mask, and weekly baths.
  • I believe the steroids worked, but they did take a few days to kick in. On the 5th day he was brilliant, so much more happy and relaxed and even when being ridden. I would just like to mention that his symptoms do not worsen during ridden work.
  • Are there any waterproof fly rugs out there at all? I feel like I'm going to need one!
  • My horse is a fidget bum and won't stand for long, so I somehow end up bathing the both of us on bath days :')
• I have started him on Feedmark's Fly Formula. I am also now giving the correct dose of cetirizine.
• His symptoms are much better than what they were, again he does have good and bad days, but for now he is only really snorting or itching his muzzle. I have noted he is occasionally shaking his head side to side but it is not verticle.

I guess I would just like to hear if other people have had horses that head shake due to allergies, and if anyone else has heard of wasp stings causing hypersensitivity to flies?

Apologies for the rant, I just can't seem to find other people that have experienced this. I feel so helpless at times, if only horses could talk!

 

[webble]

Horseware do a waterproof (ish) fly rug liner

 

[nutjob]

I had a headshaker, he was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia using a nerve block. I don't think this is recommended any more. He was much improved, rideable, with a nosenet. Nostril vet and any supplements were totally ineffective.

Mine was affected by bright sunshine especially in the evening. He had to have a dark fly hood with a nose attachment if there was any sun or flys. Things like flys, pollen, petals etc in the air made it worse and also growing grass, glucosamine and echinacea could cause hives. More than an hour turn out on a relatively bald area would cause colic, he had to be fed hay or haylage.

There's so many different things that can affect your horse and its very individual. The best thing is to keep a diary of how bad it is compared with weather conditions, pollen count, type of pollen, ridden or not, stabled or out, travelled somewhere, introduced new feed/bedding/medication. See if he is better when kept in during the day and out at night. Also try different bedding. It's really a question of finding out what triggers your horse and avoiding it.

 

[poiuytrewq]

When you say The Allergy Centre out of interest who/where are you referring to? How were the tests carried out?

I think mine is allergy related. I have reasonable results, as it it helps not fixes it with Nostril Vet. My horse didn't like it at first but i can now do it loose in the field or stable with no bother. Might it be worth persevering a little longer?

Mine is also very sensitive to flies, He also does the sideways (like a dog?) shaking.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Buttercups can trigger a great deal of sensitivity. Sneezing, snorting, skin bumps, itchyness etc.. Equibiome have launched a test aimed at head shakers. I don't have any personal experience of it, but have seen the adverts.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Buttercups can trigger a great deal of sensitivity. Sneezing, snorting, skin bumps, itchyness etc.. Equibiome have launched a test aimed at head shakers. I don't have any personal experience of it, but have seen the adverts.

Buttercups are the work of the devil! Luckily I don't have any but always had problems with another pink nosed horse who would get terrible looking burns over night form them.