Video Odd behaviour, any ideas?

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
Yesterday afternoon and today Arlo has been acting a bit odd. When given a bucket feed or you attempt to feed him by hand as soon as his lips make contact with the food in the bucket/my hand, he snatches his head away and head shakes, been scratching his lip and pawing the ground and just looking a bit irritated. Watching him eat his hay, he does the weird snatch for the first couple of mouthfuls then seems to be fine and munches on happily, also grazing just fine.

Initially thought maybe teeth, but he had the dentist out Monday and all is well, hacked him today and no issues with taking the bit/contact etc and once any food is in his mouth he seems to be chewing and swallowing perfectly normally. I thought maybe he had been bitten/got a thorn or something in his lip which was irritating him, but I had a good prod and look around, checked all his lips and gums and couldn’t see any wounds, lumps or bumps.

Any experiences of this at all? If it continues I’ll be getting the vet, but not too worried as he’s eating/drinking normally and very chirpy in himself otherwise.

Couple of videos of him this evening, not very good but you can see the twitchy behaviour

[VIDEO]
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
[/VIDEO]

[VIDEO]
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
[/VIDEO]
 

TheMule

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 October 2009
Messages
5,485
Visit site
I would definitely get the vet.
I had one behave similar and she had a stick wedged on her upper palate which was impossible to see untilt eh vet put the gag on
 

bonny

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2007
Messages
6,487
Visit site
I would try some different feed, he looks like he doesn’t like something about it and if he’s grazing and eating hay fine I wouldn’t think it’s his teeth
 

Mrs. Jingle

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2009
Messages
4,765
Location
Deep in Bandit Country
Visit site
Has he only been doing this since the dentist? If yes I think perhaps he has been caught somewhere and is sore or he has a problem in his mouth that dentist has made worse. I would either get the dentist back, although I would prefer another dentists independent opinion as no dental visit should leave a horse like this with food, if it is the issue. Or your vet?
 

splashgirl45

Lurcher lover
Joined
6 March 2010
Messages
15,044
Location
suffolk
Visit site
have you looked inside his lips, he may have a little sore spot from when the dentist came or if there are nettles or similar in his field he may have been stung and as his nose has quite a bit of white it may have reacted....
 

Carrottom

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 February 2018
Messages
1,917
Visit site
I would talk to the dentist, send him the vids and ask if he can think of any reason. He may offer to come back and have a look. ( I'm fairly sure that mine would.)
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
Thanks for replies and thoughts. Dentist was last Monday so a week ago and he has only behaved like this since yesterday afternoon. If still like it tomorrow will ring the vet for advice. Have had a good look around his gums and lips and can’t see anything obvious, he doesn’t seem to mind me prodding around either. Just seems like the the very tip of his lip is very sensitive.
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
I would try some different feed, he looks like he doesn’t like something about it and if he’s grazing and eating hay fine I wouldn’t think it’s his teeth

This is the ‘yummiest’ feed I know he likes, he only gets a token feed anyway but gave him a bit more this evening so I could film. He finished the feed with no issues after this video clips then proceeded to go and munch his hay. A bit odd.
 

bonny

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2007
Messages
6,487
Visit site
This is the ‘yummiest’ feed I know he likes, he only gets a token feed anyway but gave him a bit more this evening so I could film. He finished the feed with no issues after this video clips then proceeded to go and munch his hay. A bit odd.
In that case I wouldn’t worry, just see how he goes
 

ycbm

Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Joined
30 January 2015
Messages
56,552
Visit site
Did you check his tongue? it definitely looks like a mouth problem.
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
Did you check his tongue? it definitely looks like a mouth problem.

I had as good of a look as I could and couldn’t see anything untoward. If he’s the same tomorrow I’ll contact the vet. He was totally normal ridden and not fussing in his mouth at all, which is what make me think more lips/gums? Reaction to something maybe? I wouldn’t have ridden but to tack up etc he was fine, it wasn’t until I got back and went to give him a little handful of high fibre cubes that he twitched away as soon as his lip touched my hand.
 

ycbm

Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Joined
30 January 2015
Messages
56,552
Visit site
I had as good of a look as I could and couldn’t see anything untoward. If he’s the same tomorrow I’ll contact the vet. He was totally normal ridden and not fussing in his mouth at all, which is what make me think more lips/gums? Reaction to something maybe? I wouldn’t have ridden but to tack up etc he was fine, it wasn’t until I got back and went to give him a little handful of high fibre cubes that he twitched away as soon as his lip touched my hand.

It's very interesting, isn't it? It looks almost like a electric shock at the tip of his tongue or his lips. If you can't see anything, I'd be putting my money on him having got a reaction to something he's tried to eat in the field.

Hopefully he will be better tomorrow.
 

bonny

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2007
Messages
6,487
Visit site
I wouldn’t get the vet unless it carries on or gets worse, I imagine it’s one of those things that will remain a mystery and disappear by itself
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
It's very interesting, isn't it? It looks almost like a electric shock at the tip of his tongue or his lips. If you can't see anything, I'd be putting my money on him having got a reaction to something he's tried to eat in the field.

Hopefully he will be better tomorrow.

Yes really odd, when I tried to feed him by hand, it was almost like I was giving him a static shock (I’m sure I didn’t) it was so quick him pulling away. I also hope he’s better tomorrow, if not will be on the phone to vet. They do like to worry us!
 

Louby

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2005
Messages
6,591
Visit site
You havent taken his whiskers off by any chance? I did years ago and my poor horse was like she'd had an electric shock every time she touched something, wouldnt eat and I was beside myself with worry. Never did it again. Hope hes better soon x
 

Northern Hare

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2012
Messages
1,743
Visit site
My horse would be just like this for a few days if he was ever twitched - I don’t suppose your horse was twitched for the dentist was he - just a thought? The vet said it sometimes can cause hyper sensitivity.

The only other time, I had a new grooming brush and it must have built up static somehow and I gave him a static shock on his nose - poor thing! I had to get the emergency vet out and he sedated him as he had completely lost the plot. Anyway he was also hyper-sensitive on his nose for a week or so after that happened as well.
 

ihatework

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 September 2004
Messages
21,347
Visit site
You havent taken his whiskers off by any chance? I did years ago and my poor horse was like she'd had an electric shock every time she touched something, wouldnt eat and I was beside myself with worry. Never did it again. Hope hes better soon x

I wondered that. I’ve known a couple in my time react like that when their muzzle whiskers were removed and is the reason none of mine have them off!
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
I wondered that. I’ve known a couple in my time react like that when their muzzle whiskers were removed and is the reason none of mine have them off!

No I’ve never touched his whiskers. I did give his beard a trim with the trimmers yesterday, so the same day I noticed the twitchiness. I don’t go anywhere near whiskers as he lives out and so I keep as much on as possible but thought I could have possibly nicked him somewhere, but again I couldn’t see anything when I checked all over.

I can’t remember if I noticed the twitchiness before or after I trimmed his beard.
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
My horse would be just like this for a few days if he was ever twitched - I don’t suppose your horse was twitched for the dentist was he - just a thought? The vet said it sometimes can cause hyper sensitivity.

The only other time, I had a new grooming brush and it must have built up static somehow and I gave him a static shock on his nose - poor thing! I had to get the emergency vet out and he sedated him as he had completely lost the plot. Anyway he was also hyper-sensitive on his nose for a week or so after that happened as well.

No hasn’t been twitched at all, but thank you for suggestion.
 

paddi22

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 December 2010
Messages
6,232
Visit site
did the dentist use power tools? say one on a yard behaving identically, and the dentist had done damage with the power tools and taken too much off, so nerves were exposed.
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
did the dentist use power tools? say one on a yard behaving identically, and the dentist had done damage with the power tools and taken too much off, so nerves were exposed.

Hi, thank you for the suggestion. No power tools used at all.
 

mavandkaz

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2007
Messages
727
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
My boy has gone through stages of doing this. He goes to eat his hay, and as soon as his nose touches it he jerks his head away, and will toss it. He will also then go back for a mouthful but pull away before he touches it as though he expects it to hurt. Describing it as an electric shock is spot on. He will occasionally do it grazing too. Sometimes he will do this a few times before 'getting over it' with plenty of head tossing and snorting. Other times he gives up and just doesn't eat.
I put it down to the fact that he is a head shaker. The movement is very similar to when he head shakes. I presume he has a sensitive nose and sometimes the 'spikiness' of the hay sets it off and the nerves in his face fire off.
I found soaking his hay and feeding it loose helps. He is also on a supplement for his head shaking that makes a real difference and if he is having a really bad day I will double dose and he is usually fine after eating his feed. Being able to dunk his nose in water as he eats his hay also seems to sooth him
His head shaking has been affected by the wind, and today he was bad when walking in from the field - looks like spring has sprung
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
My boy has gone through stages of doing this. He goes to eat his hay, and as soon as his nose touches it he jerks his head away, and will toss it. He will also then go back for a mouthful but pull away before he touches it as though he expects it to hurt. Describing it as an electric shock is spot on. He will occasionally do it grazing too. Sometimes he will do this a few times before 'getting over it' with plenty of head tossing and snorting. Other times he gives up and just doesn't eat.
I put it down to the fact that he is a head shaker. The movement is very similar to when he head shakes. I presume he has a sensitive nose and sometimes the 'spikiness' of the hay sets it off and the nerves in his face fire off.
I found soaking his hay and feeding it loose helps. He is also on a supplement for his head shaking that makes a real difference and if he is having a really bad day I will double dose and he is usually fine after eating his feed. Being able to dunk his nose in water as he eats his hay also seems to sooth him
His head shaking has been affected by the wind, and today he was bad when walking in from the field - looks like spring has sprung

Hi, thank you for the reply and it does sound very similar behaviour. Arlo has never displayed any signs of head shaking previously, so I’m hoping this is just a reaction to something which has caused some form of sensitivity and heading shaking like behaviour rather than actual head shaking.
 

emfen1305

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 December 2015
Messages
1,046
Visit site
I had one that did exactly this! I think I deleted the video but will try to find it! We never really did get round to solving it, I tried giving him Cavalesse under the assumption it was allergies which did lessen the violent twitching and for some periods totally stop it but then I remember having to wait a couple of weeks for some more and he didn't do it during that time so can't be 100% sure that was the solution. He did it less when I fed him either off the floor or out of a very large bucket with low sides. He just started doing it out of nowhere with no trigger, I looked at absolutely everything it could be and in the end I just had to ignore it as it became more infrequent and he never did it with treats or any other time when he wasn't eating!
 

ImmyS

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2012
Messages
2,262
Visit site
Update this morning. Good amounts of poo in the field so appears to be eating his hay/grass well. When I gave him his bucket feed we didn’t have any of the ‘electric shock’ type snatching away. Will see how he goes the rest of the day, but fingers crossed it was just a reaction to something which has settled.
 
Top