Irregular Head Shaking

[novadose82]

Has anyone out there come across a similar problem that I have with my Alfie, it's only happened twice in 8 months but is scary when it does. The first time we were quietly hacking on a bridle path when he had a 'turn' shaking his head violently and thrashing about like a lunatic, I thought he'd been stung, or got something down his ear, had the vet to check him over and he couldn't find anything. The second time was in his stable, going from quietly munching on his net with me grooming him to throwing himself around and along the wall rubbing his head with me trying to keep out the way. Any suggestions??

 

[Shilasdair]

Problems with his ear - plaques?
S

 

[novadose82]

Would this not be more frequent??

 

[Shilasdair]

Maybe. My friend's horse has trouble with them - and the pain seems to get worse sometimes, though.
Although pain is hard to measure.
Have you read up on the headshaking link - University of Lincoln/shire, isn't it?
S

 

[Shilasdair]

Here's the page;
http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/dbs/research/headshaking/
S

 

[novadose82]

thanks for the link - have read the page, maybe maybe not - the bee/insect up the nose is a possibility, but I thought head shakers did it almost all the time, hopefully I'll get to the bottom of it.

 

[gailt]

Twice in 8 months sounds more like pain related to me, be it from a sting, to a pain in the tooth or a pain anywhere to be honest, with it happening twice in 8 months, i dont think id worry yourself unless it started happening more often.

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
thanks for the link - have read the page, maybe maybe not - the bee/insect up the nose is a possibility, but I thought head shakers did it almost all the time, hopefully I'll get to the bottom of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

They don't do it all the time - only when the trigger is there, I think. My TB headshakes from Easter to early June - allergic either to oil seed rape, or to tree pollen (I think the former).
The rest of the year, she is completely normal.
I think it will be very difficult for your vet (or you) to work out what the trigger is, if it only happens once or twice - maybe dust or a fly bite? Or maybe neuralgia? Who knows?
Hope it never happens again and you can forget all about it.
S

 

[novadose82]

Thanks for the replies, think I'll just 'get on with it' just so scary when it happens, have never come across anything like this before, he's usually a calm 'dead on legs' cob!!