Headshaking

[Happy H]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone has tried anything new that's worked for a headshaker, or know of any new treatments available?

Horse is getting bad again and wondered if there was anything else to try.

Has anyone tried local anathetic creams with success?

Thank you

 

[Hen]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone has tried anything new that's worked for a headshaker, or know of any new treatments available?

Horse is getting bad again and wondered if there was anything else to try.

Has anyone tried local anathetic creams with success?

Thank you

My mare is very sensitive to rapeseed and hawthorn pollens in particular but also a range of garden pollens, and to spray fertilisers/weed killers etc etc - she is on spirulina and J-herb to support her immune and respiratory system and currently Trinity Consultants AH181 which is going pretty well, only the odd twitch at the moment and the rape is starting to flower and the whole farm is sprayed currently, haven't had to resort to the nose net. She also did well last year on Global Herbs Shakefree and Pollenex in combination - definitely needed the Pollenex.

 

[jenni999]

I have tried various steroids/Vaseline in the nose / nasal sprays and the only thing that helps my boy is a nose net. He only starts twitching when he works as presumably he's taking in more air through his nose. So that's what I have stuck with.

 

[DuckToller]

My pony headshakes all year. He has a very specific type of head shaking - he throws his head up and down, and then pulls the reins out of the rider's hands, throws his leg forward, and rubs the side of his face on his leg.

He had a very slightly mucky eye one day so as the vet was here I asked her to flush out his tear duct. She did, and some opaque gunge came out - she said that should be clear, so flushed again.

Bizarrely he then stopped head shaking - result! I have to have it done every 6 months or so - it's not a complete cure as he still slightly nods when the dust/pollen/midges or whatever it is that sets him off is bad, but he is 90% better, and rideable. I think he has had it done 4 times now - 2 vets did it without sedating him, the other 2 insisted on sedation (makes their job easier ).


My current vet is hugely excited by this and wants me to monitor him - the other vets seemed to think I was deranged when I said it stops him head shaking (perhaps they are right!). Current vet pointed out that he has incredibly small tear ducts (the exit is inside the nostril, not a part of my horse's anatomy that I was aware of) and she had to use a very small canular to get in to it. Perhaps this is why he has such a problem - the tear duct doesn't drain well enough, so phlegm and other stuff builds up, and it itches. When there is a trigger, the eye waters a bit more and the pressure builds up. That's my theory anyway.

So perhaps ask your vet next time - it might work for a small percentage of head shakers, it's a cheap procedure, and it is worth a try.

 

[Gwyntbryn]

Our mare was found to have arthritis in her TM (temperomandibular) joint, probably caused by over stretching of the gag when her teeth were done at some point. After a steroid injection she has (touch wood) stopped headshaking completely!
#

 

[Tnavas]

If you are feeding any product that contains SOY stop immediately. Soy is known to suppress the immune system.
Additionally if you are using a flash noseband, take the flash strap off. If you can't manage without the strap change to a grackle.

 

[annunziata]

I use eye drops from tesco they have helped my boy loads xxx

 

[Happy H]

Thanks for replies so far! The tear duct one is interesting as she headshakes whenever there is bright light, rather than being polen related.

I.e. in the winter, can school happily in the day, but with the school lights on at night, she headshakes.

Can't wear a nose net as anything touching her nose makes it much worse. Don't wear a noseband all summer as better without. Not tack related as does it free schooled naked!

Any more ideas apprecited!!

 

[Happy H]

I use eye drops from tesco they have helped my boy loads xxx

What eye drops are these? Thanks!

 

[annhemming]

Hi. Has anyone had any experience using the equiwinner patches or cyproheptidine? My mare has just started head shaking. I think its pollen related so I have ordered a nose net, but just wondered what else people have tried.

 

[Hen]

Hi. Has anyone had any experience using the equiwinner patches or cyproheptidine? My mare has just started head shaking. I think its pollen related so I have ordered a nose net, but just wondered what else people have tried.

I found the patches absolute rubbish, and wandering around with what looked like a Gold Label tea sticker on didn't do much in the aesthetics stakes either! I tried them as instructed but they did square root of nothing for my horse. But ensuring she was getting adequate magnesium, salt, eliminating soy then feeding a blend of spirulina, MSM and micronised linseed has done wonders to flatten allergic response. The rape is now in full flower and still no need for a nose net, yes she does the occasional 'bee up nose' flinch but it's massively less than in previous years and it's not stressing her in the same way, you can feel her adrenalin levels are staying low.

 

[annhemming]

Thanks so much for your reply, I have ordered magnesium for her, I believe it helps with calming also.

 

[Tnavas]

Just another to add, if you are feeding any Legume foods such as Lucerne (Alfalfa), clover in paddock in large quantities or as hay, peas or beers, then stop them for a few weeks and see if there is any difference in behaviour.

Legumes are known to cause photosensitisation (reaction to bright light) and also cause Mudfever type symptoms in horses with white areas.

Gwyntbryn, interesting about the arthritis in your horses mandibular joint, this can also be brought about by people hanging onto the tongue to keep the horses mouth open.

 

[Clava]

Just another to add, if you are feeding any Legume foods such as Lucerne (Alfalfa), clover in paddock in large quantities or as hay, peas or beers, then stop them for a few weeks and see if there is any difference in behaviour.

Legumes are known to cause photosensitisation (reaction to bright light) and also cause Mudfever type symptoms in horses with white areas.

Gwyntbryn, interesting about the arthritis in your horses mandibular joint, this can also be brought about by people hanging onto the tongue to keep the horses mouth open.

Yes I poisoned all the clover in my paddock and started to feed salt and it pretty much cured my TB mare who had head shaken for the previous 3 summers (just 2 days instead of 2 months). There are many links to potassium spikes in spring growth and irritation o the trigeminal nerve in the face, salt helps to reduce K through urination. Worth giving salt as cheap and most horses have too little in their diets , they cannot get enough from salt licks.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone has tried anything new that's worked for a headshaker, or know of any new treatments available?

Horse is getting bad again and wondered if there was anything else to try.

Has anyone tried local anathetic creams with success?

Thank you

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