|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 619
 
| Had my horse to the vet yesterday for a full lameness exam workup to find what was the culprit to her constantly staying out in her neck, shoulders and poll. I’ve not had her a year and this has been a huge issue. I also noticed that when you asked for flexion to the left and let off pressure she shook her head. Not violently just like a fly was on her face but she does it a lot. Not too mention was extremely heavy to the left and did a weird head bob thing to the right. Ended up scoping her to find that her Trigeminal Nerve on left side was severely inflamed.. this is what’s causing all the issues in neck, head and shoulders due to the fact she is bracing herself to keep the pressure off of her face. Injected steroid straight to the nerve to calm it down. Vet suggested I have her on a Vitamin E supplement from here on out.. she said head shaking should stop once this nerve calms down but she could have formed a habit from it. She has seen it go both ways.. Have any of you all ever experienced something like this? I apparently get the weird cookies!?? |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | Have you looked into Hemp oil and meal which is a superior natural diet for horses, dogs and people. It is very good for decreasing/stopping inflammation. Excellent diet for the healthy horse and doesn't break you! |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1035
 
Location: TN | I wrote an article on this in college - trigeminal neuralgia or head shaking syndrome. That’s been 8 years ago so I can’t really remember what all treatments I learned about but there are some out there. Try doing some google searches. I’m sorry you and your horse are dealing with this. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 619
| KatieMac88 - 2018-02-24 7:49 PM
I wrote an article on this in college - trigeminal neuralgia or head shaking syndrome. That’s been 8 years ago so I can’t really remember what all treatments I learned about but there are some out there. Try doing some google searches. I’m sorry you and your horse are dealing with this.
I did google. Not much info. I read nose nets were used but have been found to not be effective. Vet told me she will be fine once that nerve calms down. But she could have a habit now. She said people have changed bits up to have something for them to play with to keep mind off of it but she said it doesn’t work long. So I don’t know! Hopefully I will find somebody out here that has dealt with this |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1035
Location: TN | Yes I do remember the nose nets. I hope the symptoms improve as her nerve inflammation improves. Good luck! |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 619
| Â Thank you
Edited by Burninbarrels9456 2018-02-24 7:39 PM
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| Is this very similar to Trigeminal neuralgia in people? |
|
| |
|
 Winner winner chicken dinner
Posts: 2047
Location: California | My mare is a photic head shaker due to an oversensitve trigmenal nerve. She is 26 now and retired but I was able to ride and run her with a fly mask and then a German Nose Net. Her condition is trigggered by extremely bright sun light and she only shakes for about 2 months in May and June. It’s the up and down shaking with the violent jerks like a bee flew up her nose. It has decreased greatly since retiring her. There is a head shaking group on Facebook. It’s interesting how many cases there are of this worldwide. Dr. Madigan at UC Davis is the expert as far as I’ve found. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 619
| From what the vet told me and what I saw when she scoped her, the nerve is just inflamed. It could have been caused by something that got in there and irritated it or she somehow tweaked it a certain way causing inflammation. She didn’t mention anything of it being Trigeminal neuralgia or photic head shaking more or less just the nerve was irritated and needed medicine to calm it down. |
|
| |
|
  Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | phillyincal - 2018-02-24 9:32 PM My mare is a photic head shaker due to an oversensitve trigmenal nerve. She is 26 now and retired but I was able to ride and run her with a fly mask and then a German Nose Net. Her condition is trigggered by extremely bright sun light and she only shakes for about 2 months in May and June. It’s the up and down shaking with the violent jerks like a bee flew up her nose. It has decreased greatly since retiring her. There is a head shaking group on Facebook. It’s interesting how many cases there are of this worldwide. Dr. Madigan at UC Davis is the expert as far as I’ve found.
My 30 year-old is a photic head shaker as well. He started at about 3 or 4 years old. He was affected by it spring, summer and early fall. I did a lot of reading on Dr Madigan's research as well trying to figure it out. We tried masks, nets, and meds. The only thing that helped was cyproheptidine, however the dose required to make an impact had a sedative effect so I couldn't ride him if he was on it. Interesting thing is that we lived a few years in Anchorage Alaska when my husband was in the military and I had this horse with me. He did not head shake at all when we were there. As soon as we returned to the lower 48 so did the head shaking. |
|
| |
|
Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | Burninbarrels9456 - 2018-02-25 10:02 AM From what the vet told me and what I saw when she scoped her, the nerve is just inflamed. It could have been caused by something that got in there and irritated it or she somehow tweaked it a certain way causing inflammation. She didn’t mention anything of it being Trigeminal neuralgia or photic head shaking more or less just the nerve was irritated and needed medicine to calm it down.
That's realy interesting. Maybe I missed it in an earlier post but I'm curious as to what medicine was prescribed? |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 619
| Calangelo - 2018-02-25 11:24 AM
Burninbarrels9456 - 2018-02-25 10:02 AM From what the vet told me and what I saw when she scoped her, the nerve is just inflamed. It could have been caused by something that got in there and irritated it or she somehow tweaked it a certain way causing inflammation. She didn’t mention anything of it being Trigeminal neuralgia or photic head shaking more or less just the nerve was irritated and needed medicine to calm it down.
That's realy interesting. Maybe I missed it in an earlier post but I'm curious as to what medicine was prescribed?
They use steroid injection straight to the nerve to calm it down. Pretty cool because I actually got to see the steroid go straight to that nerve through the scope. Also adding natural vitamin E to her daily diet.
Edited by Burninbarrels9456 2018-02-25 11:15 AM
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 619
| phillyincal - 2018-02-24 10:32 PM My mare is a photic head shaker due to an oversensitve trigmenal nerve. She is 26 now and retired but I was able to ride and run her with a fly mask and then a German Nose Net. Her condition is trigggered by extremely bright sun light and she only shakes for about 2 months in May and June. It’s the up and down shaking with the violent jerks like a bee flew up her nose. It has decreased greatly since retiring her. There is a head shaking group on Facebook. It’s interesting how many cases there are of this worldwide. Dr. Madigan at UC Davis is the expert as far as I’ve found.
What is the name of the group? |
|
| |
|
Winner winner chicken dinner
Posts: 2047
Location: California | Burninbarrels9456 - 2018-02-26 12:19 PM
phillyincal - 2018-02-24 10:32 PM My mare is a photic head shaker due to an oversensitve trigmenal nerve. She is 26 now and retired but I was able to ride and run her with a fly mask and then a German Nose Net. Her condition is trigggered by extremely bright sun light and she only shakes for about 2 months in May and June. It’s the up and down shaking with the violent jerks like a bee flew up her nose. It has decreased greatly since retiring her. There is a head shaking group on Facebook. It’s interesting how many cases there are of this worldwide. Dr. Madigan at UC Davis is the expert as far as I’ve found.
 What is the name of the group?
It’s called Equine Headshaking Syndrome. That is super interesting about your horse not shaking in Alaska. My vet told me there was usually a trigger of some kind and for my horse it seems to be that first really bright sunny day. I wonder if for your horse it was something in the air that wasn’t in Alaska? Now that I’m not trying to fix it, it is all really interesting, but what a super frustrating disorder! |
|
| |
|
Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | phillyincal - 2018-02-25 9:40 PM Burninbarrels9456 - 2018-02-26 12:19 PM phillyincal - 2018-02-24 10:32 PM My mare is a photic head shaker due to an oversensitve trigmenal nerve. She is 26 now and retired but I was able to ride and run her with a fly mask and then a German Nose Net. Her condition is trigggered by extremely bright sun light and she only shakes for about 2 months in May and June. It’s the up and down shaking with the violent jerks like a bee flew up her nose. It has decreased greatly since retiring her. There is a head shaking group on Facebook. It’s interesting how many cases there are of this worldwide. Dr. Madigan at UC Davis is the expert as far as I’ve found. What is the name of the group? It’s called Equine Headshaking Syndrome. That is super interesting about your horse not shaking in Alaska. My vet told me there was usually a trigger of some kind and for my horse it seems to be that first really bright sunny day. I wonder if for your horse it was something in the air that wasn’t in Alaska? Now that I’m not trying to fix it, it is all really interesting, but what a super frustrating disorder!
Edited by Calangelo 2018-02-26 7:33 AM
|
|
| |
|
 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | If you take care of inflammation, you will always be a head of the game. Cur-OST has done wonders for mine. Magnesium would also help.
It's not fun! Also the culprit as to why I call mine a unicorn.... ha! |
|
| |
Folks on-line