headshaking please help

O

oln

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 October 2007
Messages
178
Visit site
Hi, My daughters little pony has developed photic headshaking. She is fine in the winter ,but in bright light in the summer she is very bad. 3 years ago we had her operated on for a guttoral pouch infection which she developed before we bought her even though the vet advised having her put to sleep. There is no longer any sign of infection but she is a lovely little pony in all other ways and very much loved. My daughter would like to show her and so a nosenet isn't possible and i wondered if anyone had had any success using anything else ie nostrilvet, eye drops , antihistamines etc. . Many thanks all help very much appreciated.
 
I have a horse that is a mild headshaker, with no real pattern as to what causes it. However bright light and flies definately makes it worse. He comes in during the day in the summer and wears a fly mask when out all night. I have tried nostrilvet last summer and will use it again this year as it also seemed to help. I give him a small amount of magnesium in the summer too, to help nerve function.

Ask your vet about eyedrops and also contact lenses as these have been shown to help some horses too.
 
Sometimes Vaseline smeared across the nose can help as it serves as a barrier to irritants. Might help for a brief session in the show ring too.
 
I tried anti-histimines on our little section B pony who headshakes (headshaking is controlled 100% by use of a net)....they reduced his headshaking, but didn't stop it completely. I didn't really persevere with it, and didn't try upping the dose, which may or may not have worked.
 
Headshaking occurs for a variety of reasons. It is primarily related to stimulation of the trigeminal nerve (trigeminal neuralgia). In my experience the best way to control photic symptoms is with the use of a nose net or fly mask with nose extension. Also if the headshaking is truly photic (relating to light) in nature minimizing exposure to sunlight can reduce signs - if possible to switch to nighttime turnout.

Headshaking can be difficult to control pharmacologically. However, there are some pharmacologic treatments described, the efficacy of which are widely varied. The most common is Cyproheptidine. If improvement is not noted with Cyproheptidine alone it can be used in combination with Carbamazepine. Best to speak to your veterinarian about what they recommend in this case.
 
I had an eventing headshaker who was treated homepathically after the vet couldn't help. He had homeopathic tablets he took from March - October which worked fantastically.

He jumped round Blenheim 3* and upgraded to Advanced. His headshaking was caused by a pollen allergy with a different allergen every season. He had a combination of 6 tablets - if I ran out of one, the others started to be less effective.

I can give you the details of the homeopathic vet if you're interested! You could at least talk to him and see what he thought he could do.....
smile.gif
 
We have a photic headshaker. Nosenet works to a certain extent as he hates anything bugging around his nose, but after a lot of trial and error I put him on Periactin which is, as Mainring has mentioned a cyproheptodine based antihistamine. We were prepared to use it in conjuction with Carbamazapine but didn't have to go that far. I get it online relatively cheaply (£1.37 for 30 tablets). The pony is 13.2 Connemara, and he had to start on 30 tabs in both breakfast and dinner, but after 4 days we notice a real difference, and by the end of the week he had stopped. We gradually reduced the dose, without any side effect, and by the end of the Summer he was on 5 or 10 a day depending on the weather. Occasionally we get the odd 'bug up the nostril twitch' but I have another pony who hates flies and her reactions are much worse! A different vet told me that this particular antihistamine does reduce the amount of light taken into the eye (if that makes sense).

Bizarrely enough it took me over a year's research to find out about the Cyproheptadine via the internet and a Canadian research paper - my vet never once suggested it. If you want the details of where I get it from, PM me. As its cheap then it may be worth a try as you should see if it helps within a week or two.

PS re the nosenet and showing / dressage - we only do unaffiliated but have never once had a judge take offense to the net and have the trophies to prove it! Good luck with it all. x
 
Many thanks! everyone with your suggestions, i shall certainly give them a go and hope that something works, the only one i have tried previously is the vaseline smeared around the nostrils(i used vicks) but it didn't help unfortunately. I guess it's going to be a bit hit and miss but i don't want to give up on her!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top