Headshaking

[phoebetrainer]

@Carley Sparks;6591909

I’ve never had to deal with a head shaker (or ridden in a bitless bridle for that matter), but if the bit is causing the issue, perhaps removing it would help alleviate the symptoms?

I first noticed symptoms in my horse when he was out in the field, standing around. He hasn’t been ridden for nearly 2 years and still head flicks. He is worse under stress - some days, simply catching him and bringing him to the stables will set it off. If head shaking is about mouth pain, caused by a bit, I would have thought that after this amount of time, it would have settled.

I think that my horse’s head shaking was triggered by an allergic reaction to something (in the environment, probably a grass, hay or straw variety), he is now very sensitive to it and small amounts can set him off. If i could put him in a sterile, sealed environment I could do some elimination tests, but its difficult to find one of them for a horse!

[Roman_s_Folley]

Photic head shaking syndrome

What direction is your horse shaking his head? Side to side, or up and down? I dealt with an almost identical situation and my vet suggested Photic head shaking, or extreme sensitivity to light. I know that it can be managed with a mask that the horse wears, however I treat my horse for about 8 months of the year with a med called cyproheptadine(sp?). Please feel free to PM me for any additional info

[Warmblood369]

My horse does a quick and short head flick up. My regimen for this problem which has almost completed alleviated the problem is fly mask for turnout, nose net for riding, 2oz of Quiessence 2x a day all year, and Spirulina wafers from April-November. I agree that many horses have different degrees of head shaking and different triggers. Best wishes in finding a combination that works.

[ShannonD]

I had a TB mare with very bad photic headshaking years ago. Guardian Mask, Melatonin, etc, nothing even touched it. Couldn’t be ridden or even worked at all because it would throw her off so much :sadsmile:

Moved her to a new facility and it was gone nearly instantly. Must have been allergic to something at the old barn.

Not sure if that helps!

[Jaideux]

Check the eventing forum. There is a poster there- AKB987, I believe. She has written EXTENSIVELY about her experience with her head shaker, and she pulled out basically all the stops to get to the bottom.

Sadly, she decided retiring him was the only safe choice for her and him at this point in time, but she (and others) chronicled their experiences in that thread. Go look.

[shohanna]

I took my girl to be evaluated by a big veterinary clinic. They had several specialists available. I thought we would try chiropractic and possible acupuncture but when he examined her he thought she has something more serious going on. Ended up doing xrays and neck injections (twice). She always stops head shaking in the summer and starts back up in the fall (usually thru April). Unfortunately nothing has changed. She is miserable to ride. She actually only does it under saddle. Vet seems to think it is tied to the degenerative vertebra in her neck. She is a OTTB and had a serious pasture injury before I got her. I love her and plan to keep her regardless but always live in hopes she will have some kind of miraculous recovery like you hear…

[ML]

one of my horses started after a dose of three shots last week , ran blood tests going to be awhile before he hits normal again. for others to read up on

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/horse-health/2006/june/26/new-views-on-headshaking.aspx

[ML]

Update, pulled up some old threads on this and this is what came up with for a cure. . Chlor-Trimeton Allergy Relief, 4 Hour Tablets Wow week two and the head shaking stopped dead day one on first itty bitty single pill. He gets one am feed one pm feed going on week three of these pills and he is not head shaking any more and getting more fluid in his motion. Doing a happy dance here.

ML

[Jersey_Fresh]

[QUOTE=ML;6780485]
Update, pulled up some old threads on this and this is what came up with for a cure. . Chlor-Trimeton Allergy Relief, 4 Hour Tablets Wow week two and the head shaking stopped dead day one on first itty bitty single pill. He gets one am feed one pm feed going on week three of these pills and he is not head shaking any more and getting more fluid in his motion. Doing a happy dance here.

ML[/QUOTE]

Glad to hear yours is doing better. Mine is still headshaking, and its been really hard ot figure out what triggers it. He does it sometimes when its cloudy, when its sunny, when its windy, AM/PM, sometimes when I ride, sometimes not at all. Extremely frusterating.

I wanted a second opinion from a vet before I decide what to do next, so he is having me keep a journal for a few weeks before he looks at my horse. Hopefully I will find some options. If not I will have to retire him as I do not feel safe jumping him with the head flipping, expecially when he strikes out or does it 2 strides before a jump.

[betonbill]

Tractor Supply has a calming magnesium formula that I tried last summer, figuring if it worked on the nervous system it might do something. I thought I saw some improvement, but truthfully it wasn’t a bad year for headshaking. Now he’s started up stronger, so I am trying this magnesium formula again. After three days it does seem to help some, but I haven’t tried to ride yet.

The TS stuff is called “Calm and” something else and it’s cheap. Fingers crossed.

[ParadoxFarm]

Hmm. Mine doesn’t head shake in the winter. Only summer.

[lintesia]

[QUOTE=ML;6780485]
Update, pulled up some old threads on this and this is what came up with for a cure. . Chlor-Trimeton Allergy Relief, 4 Hour Tablets Wow week two and the head shaking stopped dead day one on first itty bitty single pill. He gets one am feed one pm feed going on week three of these pills and he is not head shaking any more and getting more fluid in his motion. Doing a happy dance here.

ML[/QUOTE]

Can you point me to where you saw the reference to this? Thanks!

[Horsezee]

http://www.headshaker.eu/en/headshaking_research.html

What seems to be currently working best for our idiopathic (it started as Seasonal HS then got worse each year) Head Shaking horse is a combination of Mag Restore magnesium (20,000 mg) and Colocynthis (2 ml). Colocynthis is a liquid homeopathic remedy that helps alleviate nerve and colic pain. We started with 1 ml/day and now give 2 ml/day. Our horse weighs around 1450#. The cost for the Colocynthis is around $25/50 ml bottle. He is currently symptom free with the above Mag Restore/Colocynthis regime.

We will no longer vaccinate this horse.

The HS began shortly after spring shots and dental several years ago. We have tried a number of treatments over the years. Our horse is pretty severely affected and his HS is not triggered by exercise so pasture retirement is not an option.

Every man-made medication that seemed to help alleviate the Head Shaking symptoms stopped working at some point and even some like Cyproheptadine started to make the Head Shaking WORSE.

I also ordered some sunscreens with grommets from a company in Florida so we can zip tie them over the stall fronts at horse shows.

Hope this helps.

[ML]

[QUOTE=lintesia;6782440]
Can you point me to where you saw the reference to this? Thanks![/QUOTE]

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-249920.html

[ML]

“cyprohedimine” is what one lady used and found that to be in Chlor-Trimeton, I have gone after this with a passion, Head shaking is very painful for the horse, it is a form of Shingles caused by a Rhino shot my horse received in Oct. I am very thankful that one pill in am and one in his feed at night is bringing this horse back to normal. My horses head shaking was quite painful and he was very dangerous with it . So glad to have him back to his sweet self right now.

[Horsezee]

[QUOTE=ML;6782913]
“cyprohedimine” is what one lady used and found that to be in Chlor-Trimeton, I have gone after this with a passion, Head shaking is very painful for the horse, it is a form of Shingles caused by a Rhino shot my horse received in Oct. I am very thankful that one pill in am and one in his feed at night is bringing this horse back to normal. My horses head shaking was quite painful and he was very dangerous with it . So glad to have him back to his sweet self right now.[/QUOTE]

I think you may be confused.

‘Cypro’ aka Cyproheptadine is not the active ingredient in the human antihistamine Chlor-Trimeton. The active ingredient in Chlor-Trimeton is Chlorpheniramine Maleate. Not the same medication.

Cyproheptadine is a prescription medication that is used to treat Head Shaking in horses. Unfortunately it stopped helping our horse and made the HS worse. I have no knowledge of the use of Chlor-Trimeton, Chlorpheniramine Maleate for Head Shaking.

I do believe there is a connection between the Rhino vaccines and the onset of Head Shaking although this has not been scientifically proven.

[ML]

Head Shaking

[QUOTE=Horsezee;6783153]
I think you may be confused.

‘Cypro’ aka Cyproheptadine is not the active ingredient in the human antihistamine Chlor-Trimeton. The active ingredient in Chlor-Trimeton is Chlorpheniramine Maleate. Not the same medication.

Cyproheptadine is a prescription medication that is used to treat Head Shaking in horses. Unfortunately it stopped helping our horse and made the HS worse. I have no knowledge of the use of Chlor-Trimeton, Chlorpheniramine Maleate for Head Shaking.

I do believe there is a connection between the Rhino vaccines and the onset of Head Shaking although this has not been scientifically proven.[/QUOTE]

Well confused or not it is working!!! I tried to numb the pain in the beginning with butte and benedryl in case it was a alergic reaction to some thing. But that was not curing it. It just masked the problem. So from research did a ton came up with the allergy pill. Just so happy to see him on the mend. It seems to affect the nerves like shingles it is so painful, could not touch this horse with out it hurting him. From what being told he has to be on these pills for 90 days and no more shots for him ever.

ML

[ML]

from a past post here

"For an acute attack (e.g. hives and swelling) I have used Dexamine which is a compounded drug of chlorephinepherin (sp? it is the same drug as the human ‘chlortrimeton’ in a horse dose) and a small amount of dexamethasone (steroid). THere are those who will use dexamethasone straight, as a steroid it may help, but I found the best relief for the one mare with Dexamine. ALL of this needs to be prescribed by your vet, and NONE of it is legal for showing. per Alpha Mare
Mar. 24, 2010, 12:03 AM http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-249920.html

[LauraKY]

A friend of mine with a headshaker finally called in an equine allergist. She started him on allergy shots and the headshaking is gone.

[In_the_Air]

bumping as this is all very good advce and want to save the thread…