Spring Feather
Well-Known Member
One of my horses has two skull fractures also so I went out and checked her blink rate; it was approx 20 per minute. I checked the others in her herd and they were between 12 and 15 per min.
Can I suggest trying the mickel multi bridle when you do start trying to do stuff as it's designed to relive pressure on the trigeminal nerve
a horse at my old yard used to suffer excessive blinking when he needed physiotherapy on a trapped nerve. I can't remember which nerve it was that was affected though but we often wondered if it caused him pain. After treatment he would be fine for a few months before it returned. I don't know if you have had a physio out to him but wonder if it's worth a try.
oh dear, don't know about blink rates at all, but I am another that wonders if the fractures are not accidental, I wonder if its like a serious form of head pressing, I know a lady who had very serious health problems and used to hit her leg with a hammer so she had different pain to that which was driving her mad! so pain can do very peculiar things to you.
Is it worth seeing if you can speak to a specialist at one of the university horspitals? A phone consultation shouldn't be much but you sound so worried by his state that waiting a month to see if he can tolerate being ridden just doesn't feel like the right answer.
You don't have to take him miles and spend £thousands to get a expert second opinion.
If he really is in as much pain as you think he might be he could react very badly to being ridden and as it is intermitant will you be confident to ride him if you never get to the bottom of it?
I can't do a blink count but following on from the fractures I can offer some human results. I have fractured my skull on three occasions. The last time it happened I hadn't realised it - long story - about six months later I started having the most horrendous headaches, I was also blinking a lot - I ended up having MRI scans and this is when I found out about the final fracture. It transpired that each time I had fractured my skull (in almost the same place) the bone remodelling had reduced the 'gap/hole' (I cant remember the proper name) that the nerves/muscles went through on the skull/jaw had narrowed.The proper name for it is Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction. I ended up with the choice of surgery or taking pain relief. I opted for the tablets and like another poster was given Amitriptyline - this worked for me and now I manage only having to take them occasionally. I was also given some jaw exercises to do.
Massaging the area also helped. If your horse has had several head fractures this may be the case and hopefully will improve with time. Fingers crossed for you.
We've seen him do it once and it looked accidental. We're thinking more in terms of a bolt of pain makes him temporarily blind to where walls are. Especially since it's likely to be movement induced as well. He came in very aerated this morning, bullying my little cob, refusing to let him into his stable or go into his own, and blinking at 50+ with a big frown. It was cold overnight and the wind is up a bit, so it's beginning to look as if it's triggered by wind, cold, and raised blood pressure due to movement.
He stood yesterday with his head in my arms while I stroked his face, and he was so gentle and lovely I couldn't help but cry for him. I do wish he could talk and tell me what to do. His eyes are so stressed looking, but would his ears still be forward if he was in that much pain?
Can he not be medicated? At least initially? Not sure if amitriptyline is licensed in horses but there must be an equivalent that can be used and then tapered off to see if he can/ will improve?
Alongside massage and perhaps specific exercises?
I'm not sure what massage can be done with a jaw that is not being done by him eating? My edt recommended three months eating to sort out the first fracture. He has no mobility problems with his head or neck which would suggest massage was required.
He shouldn't have Bute or steroids as he also gets laminitis and ulcers at the drop of a hat. The blinking day after day is recent, the escalation into yawning was new yesterday, and today he seems to have started to nose flick, which would be an expected progression if there was going to be another. I'll be discussing it with my vet on Tuesday, but trigeminal neuralgia in horses and humans is notoriously difficult to treat.
Since you seem be trying to help, can I take it that you are satisfied that I'm not making this all up to give me an excuse not to ride him?
PM the vet I am using is extremely experienced and I've known him over twenty years.
Notoriously difficult but not impossible so I was simply asking a fairly obvious question.
I had a horse with trigeminal neuralgia, laser acupuncture helped her immensely, not cheap at £120 a go but her quality of life was so much improved after 3 treatments.
Sorry I wasn't questioning your vet at all just wondered as its not a common condition whether there might be someone out there who has more experience with this specific illness that might be able to give you advice / help confirm the diagnosis (give you other symptoms to look for)/ help nderstand how it might progress etc.
There are some strange specities that people have out there, cluching at straws for you but you never know?
Can he not be medicated? At least initially? Not sure if amitriptyline is licensed in horses but there must be an equivalent that can be used and then tapered off to see if he can/ will improve?
Alongside massage and perhaps specific exercises?
cptrayes would you mind if i PMd you about my horse that has TMJ pain and after reading this thread I counted her blink rate tonight?
I had trigeminal neuralgia and agree it was the worst pain ever - mine was cured in two sessions of acupuncture - at the stage doctor was saying only thing they could do was cut the nerve - it was like a miracle! I would strongly suggest trying acupuncture if at all possible. x
CPT you say your horse cant have bute or steroids . Amitriptyline is neither an anti-inflammatory nor a steroid its a nerve pain drug so if there was something similar for horses it might not give the side effects of bute or steroids. Also you said about micklem bridles being expensive, not so much, only 100 pounds last time I looked (a year or two maybe). Riding in a headcollar with a bit attached would also avoid the nerve I think. Good luck anyway whatever you decide to do.
Amitriptyline is not a painkiller as such, is a tricyclic antidepressant. I have no idea if it's available for horses and I will be talking to my vet on Tuesday.
The cost of a micklem is not an issue, as they can be hired. I actually can't see how it would be any different to use a padded slip head and a bit, so I'm likely to try that first.