foxy1
Well-Known Member
Just another thought, would your vet be open to you trying a drug to treat nerve pain like Gabapentin for example? Could help reduce inflammation if his nerves in head/neck are inflamed?
Headshaking
- Thread starter AUB
- Start date
AUB
Well-Known Member
Yes, I had everything x-rayed, he was quite expensive so I went all out for the vetting.
AUB
Well-Known Member
I’m sure he would. And I also know that he’s referred some to PENS treatment and electro acupuncture, so there are many options left to try.
foxy1
Well-Known Member
I would also feed hay from the floor only, get rid of any haynet or hay feeders that encourage prolonged repetitive movement of the head and neck.
I guess he could have got cast or fallen in the field and injured himself, and the timing of the headshaking starting is just a coincidence.
Best of luck with him.
I guess he could have got cast or fallen in the field and injured himself, and the timing of the headshaking starting is just a coincidence.
Best of luck with him.
AUB
Well-Known Member
Just wanted to update that we’re going to the clinic on tuesday. Hopefully that will give me some answers!
AUB
Well-Known Member
So now I know more! He has vasomotor rhinitis, which is where the mucous membranes of his nose and upper airways react as if he had hayfever but without actually being allergic. So he is reacting to pollen, probably rape or the forrest next to the yard, and the dust of the arena, without being proper allergic.
This is both good and bad news. Good is that now there are a few things to try and that he is hopefully only reacting during the summertime, bad is that there is no guarantee that anything works and we might just have to live with him shaking May-September.
This is both good and bad news. Good is that now there are a few things to try and that he is hopefully only reacting during the summertime, bad is that there is no guarantee that anything works and we might just have to live with him shaking May-September.
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meleeka
Well-Known Member
At least you have a reason. That’s not usually the case, so you have a head start on helping him feel better. Keeping fingers crossed something works.
AandK
Well-Known Member
I 'liked' your update as now you have an answer. I hope you can get your boy more comfortable so you can both enjoy the summer months!
AUB
Well-Known Member
I’ll just keep updating from time to time in case someone stumbles over this thread in a search someday.
I’ve bought a Flexineb and have used it for 4 days now with Bitop Equi lung complete to try and soothe his poor little nostrils and I think I see a little improvement.
I’ve also bought a nosenet from Equilibrium that should be better suited for headshakers. No idea if that makes any difference or why, but it was recommended in a facebook group for headshakers. Tip: there are 3 nets in each pack, so no need to buy two. I now have enough nosenets to last me quite a while!
And then I will do a geographical test and move my horse about 100 km away to a yard in quite open land for 3 weeks to see if that makes a difference compared to our current yard which is almost inside a forrest. It is obviously not a permanent solution, but just to try a very drastic change.
I’ve bought a Flexineb and have used it for 4 days now with Bitop Equi lung complete to try and soothe his poor little nostrils and I think I see a little improvement.
I’ve also bought a nosenet from Equilibrium that should be better suited for headshakers. No idea if that makes any difference or why, but it was recommended in a facebook group for headshakers. Tip: there are 3 nets in each pack, so no need to buy two. I now have enough nosenets to last me quite a while!
And then I will do a geographical test and move my horse about 100 km away to a yard in quite open land for 3 weeks to see if that makes a difference compared to our current yard which is almost inside a forrest. It is obviously not a permanent solution, but just to try a very drastic change.
AUB
Well-Known Member
My boy is back from his little “vacation” <3
The first two weeks he was still headshaking, but this last week he has stopped almost completely. Maybe he’s lifts his head twice in the very beginning of the trotwork, but no snorting etc.
So now he’s back on the old yard and it’s exciting to see if he’ll start headshaking again or not. If he does, I guess it’s safe to draw the conclusion that something in that environment triggers it. If he doesn’t start again, it might just be because the season is over.
I am of course calling the vet tomorrow to discuss with him if and how to proceed now.
The first two weeks he was still headshaking, but this last week he has stopped almost completely. Maybe he’s lifts his head twice in the very beginning of the trotwork, but no snorting etc.
So now he’s back on the old yard and it’s exciting to see if he’ll start headshaking again or not. If he does, I guess it’s safe to draw the conclusion that something in that environment triggers it. If he doesn’t start again, it might just be because the season is over.
I am of course calling the vet tomorrow to discuss with him if and how to proceed now.
MissTyc
Well-Known Member
Well done for getting this far in the diagnosis and "cure" -- fingers crossed you can find a way to permanently alleviate his symptoms
ycbm
Overwhelmed
How interesting. I'm aware of horses that seem to be affected by the trees, or something, around the yard I'm at around August time. I'll be following with interest.
Have we any horticulturists on the forum who might hazard a guess what tree/plant could be responsible?
.
Have we any horticulturists on the forum who might hazard a guess what tree/plant could be responsible?
.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Pines and privets according to this article. Didn't OP say she was by a forest?
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AUB
Well-Known Member
Yes, I’m almost in a forrest. It’s mostly beech, but also oak, red fir/spruce - not sure which, birch, ash, alder (??? Google translated this one!), elm and elder. So there’s pretty much everything.
Took my boy out on the lunge today and after only 30 hours back, he’s headshaking again. So I guess it’s pretty safe to say that something on/around the yard is the trigger
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Oh flipping heck not again.Yes, I’m almost in a forrest. It’s mostly beech, but also oak, red fir/spruce - not sure which, birch, ash, alder (??? Google translated this one!), elm and elder. So there’s pretty much everything.
Took my boy out on the lunge today and after only 30 hours back, he’s headshaking again. So I guess it’s pretty safe to say that something on/around the yard is the trigger
What on earth are your plans now?
Hats off to you for making the effort to see if it was environmental. That was worthwhile even though it doesn't help you in the long run. It's a total nightmare.
AUB
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it’s so frustrating! But at least I now know that there’s something locally that triggers him. I mean, I’ll give him a few more days to settle in again, but I think it was quite a difference from just the day before and I’m not sure I can attribute it all to just him remembering it from before. So I guess I’ll have to find a new yard. I have small children so not having to drive too far is definitely a priority. I’ll just have to find somewhere not right next to a forrest and then see if that does it and if not I’ll find something further away.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
If you find a new yard maybe see if they do holiday livery for a week or something. So you can see if it makes any difference.
ycbm
Overwhelmed
Yes, I’m almost in a forrest. It’s mostly beech, but also oak, red fir/spruce - not sure which, birch, ash, alder (??? Google translated this one!), elm and elder. So there’s pretty much everything.
Took my boy out on the lunge today and after only 30 hours back, he’s headshaking again. So I guess it’s pretty safe to say that something on/around the yard is the trigger
Wow, well at least you know, even if it is a total pain in the backside to have to move him.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
We are opposite spruce and when I ride Louis through there his breathing gets bad and he coughs sometimes, his breathing also gets bad around May time some years his not my horse that head shakes though but it definitely affects his breathing.Yes, I’m almost in a forrest. It’s mostly beech, but also oak, red fir/spruce - not sure which, birch, ash, alder (??? Google translated this one!), elm and elder. So there’s pretty much everything.
Took my boy out on the lunge today and after only 30 hours back, he’s headshaking again. So I guess it’s pretty safe to say that something on/around the yard is the trigger
AUB
Well-Known Member
I seriously love my vet. He’s very no nonsense and doesn’t waste time.
We’re skipping the bute trial, there’s no need for that with a confirmed diagnosis, but are instead doing a corticosteroid trial for the next 2 weeks, just to see if that helps. I will of course move yards, but in case that doesn’t help and he (horse, not vet) starts shaking come spring it’s nice to know if (systemic) steroids work or if we can skip that and try something else. If they work, we can maybe try a local inhalation steroid instead so that the risk of laminitis is a little lower.
We’re skipping the bute trial, there’s no need for that with a confirmed diagnosis, but are instead doing a corticosteroid trial for the next 2 weeks, just to see if that helps. I will of course move yards, but in case that doesn’t help and he (horse, not vet) starts shaking come spring it’s nice to know if (systemic) steroids work or if we can skip that and try something else. If they work, we can maybe try a local inhalation steroid instead so that the risk of laminitis is a little lower.
AUB
Well-Known Member
Just a small update: corticosteroids worked! On day 4 he was shake-free and on day 8 after last dose he shaked slightly again. So that’s good to know. Also because of the period of time he has shaken we believe it’s because of alternaria and cladosporium, every other possible trigger that is measured in Denmark is gone by now. I attribute the fact that he is not shaking very much to the fact that these mold spores are also fewer and fewer and hope that we get some minus degrees soon.
I might try to do the allergy test and possibly vaccine in a month or so, even if the vet says that he has vasomotor i.e non-allergic rhinitis. I mean, it’s worth s try, right?
Right now the shaking is held at bay with nosenet and nostrilvet, so we are slowly starting a bit of work again. Here’s hoping for (at least!) 6 good months now!
I might try to do the allergy test and possibly vaccine in a month or so, even if the vet says that he has vasomotor i.e non-allergic rhinitis. I mean, it’s worth s try, right?
Right now the shaking is held at bay with nosenet and nostrilvet, so we are slowly starting a bit of work again. Here’s hoping for (at least!) 6 good months now!
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Thats good news thanks for updating
persons Patricia
New User
I just started volunteering at an animal rescue center and there is one stallion that has been “weaving “(?) It was on a day that our local weather report said that the barometer was dipping really low and fast and it could bring on migraines ( in people) ….then today, I was there and noticed the same horse was doing the weaving thing ( pacing back and forth with a rhythm of swinging his head as he’s pacing….and the weather reports say it’s going to be stormy tomorrow with lots of wind and rain…. Can this cause migraines in horses as well as people? I know when the weather changes a day before because my hips tell me so! I just wondered if it works the same with horses as it does people, and what can I do to alleviate a migraine,, is it best not to touch or stimulate the poor horse… he’s obviously miserable according to his body language…I think that’s fabulous! Im excited for you to hopefully get a cure
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
I would imagine , yea they could suffer, diagnosing could be tricky. A friends mare was pts after they thought uveitis, turns out at the post mortem, she had a tumour behind her eye that would be causing migraines they thought.
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
Just read this thread and clicked on the post to quote then realised it’s very old… just for info my mare started headshaking when I moved her to a new yard and I used the equilibrium nose nets which helped , she did this for the whole 8 years we were there during the summer months. Moved to another yard and headshaking stopped almost immediately, the only thing different with the yards was that the first had rape fields all around it ..
AUB
Well-Known Member
AUB
Well-Known Member
I don’t think you can compare headshaking and weaving.
Weaving is a stereotypic behaviour associated with stress, frustration, the environment the horse lives in or an inability to express natural equine behaviours.
Headshaking is not a stereotypic behaviour.
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AUB
Well-Known Member
Okay, time for an update…
November ‘23 was fine.
He was then kicked in the beginning of december and had to have stitches and box rest for 5 weeks.
Began training again in the end of January ‘24. He was headshaking a bit during February. WTF?! Could be hazelnut, I guess?
Then he sustained a suspensory in the beginning of March. Yay. By August I was ready to PTS and then he… healed. I mean, last check up after 6 weeks of hail Mary shockwave treatment and then he is just… sound. Perfect scans.
So we began training again and he was shaking minimally. Maybe because he was kept on a small sand paddock instead of grass during the spring and summer?
But at this point I was just waiting for the next thing to happen and felt like bubblewrapping him and never ride him again because 2 years of bad luck just got in my brain and made me nervous, which in turn made him nervous because spicy dressage warmblood.
And then he chucked me.
I was seriously fed up. But a master rider student I know in the other end of the country needed a horse to bring from medium to advanced medium for her 4th year exam in the summer of ‘25. So off he went in October and so far everything is peachy! No new injuries, no headshaking and the issues we had with mounting and bolting appear less and less.
Maybe I’ll get him back after her exam, maybe she’ll keep him on and train towards her final exam in Inter II. I don’t know yet.
So… yeah. Horses. Much fun.
November ‘23 was fine.
He was then kicked in the beginning of december and had to have stitches and box rest for 5 weeks.
Began training again in the end of January ‘24. He was headshaking a bit during February. WTF?! Could be hazelnut, I guess?
Then he sustained a suspensory in the beginning of March. Yay. By August I was ready to PTS and then he… healed. I mean, last check up after 6 weeks of hail Mary shockwave treatment and then he is just… sound. Perfect scans.
So we began training again and he was shaking minimally. Maybe because he was kept on a small sand paddock instead of grass during the spring and summer?
But at this point I was just waiting for the next thing to happen and felt like bubblewrapping him and never ride him again because 2 years of bad luck just got in my brain and made me nervous, which in turn made him nervous because spicy dressage warmblood.
And then he chucked me.
I was seriously fed up. But a master rider student I know in the other end of the country needed a horse to bring from medium to advanced medium for her 4th year exam in the summer of ‘25. So off he went in October and so far everything is peachy! No new injuries, no headshaking and the issues we had with mounting and bolting appear less and less.
Maybe I’ll get him back after her exam, maybe she’ll keep him on and train towards her final exam in Inter II. I don’t know yet.
So… yeah. Horses. Much fun.
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
No not far only 7 mins drive as opposed to 2 mins. In her case it was the rape, when I first got her she was kept 20 mins drive away for just over 2 years and no headshaking .. it started in the first summer and she was ok all winter . Glad you have found somewhere for him and he is behaving better
AUB
Well-Known Member
Wow, so not even that far away! Good to hear. That is also pretty much what my vet says. Maybe it’s enough to move 1 km away and maybe 10 is not enough. It’s trial and error.
If/when he moves back I will definitely try a new yard and I will absolutely make it a priority that there are no fields with rape close to the yard.