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Headshaking in the Horse; Cause and Management

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Headshaking in the horse is a common problem and often affecting up to 30% of patients to variable levels, creating high frustration for the horse owner. The exact cause of this condition can be variable from patient to patient and thus treatment and results can be variable. Headshaking can vary in regards to presentation from simple flaring of the nostrils, flipping of the nose, rubbing the nose, snorting often, sneezing and even variable degrees of overt head shaking. Given the wide range of presentation,potential causes, lack of consistent treatment response and frustration factor for the horse owner, headshaking deserves some investigation for better management options. As is my character, let’s dig into what we know regarding headshaking and see if we can not only make sense of it, but also discover potentials for therapy.

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Case Study: Equine Recurrent Uveitis

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Vision in the horse is a critical factor.  Without it, they are vulnerable to attack in the wild, have a hard time navigating and encounter difficulties in training and competition.  The eye in the horse also tells us a lot in regards to personality and demeanor, often allowing us to see into the spirit of the animal. It is large and obvious, often one of the first things we notice about a horse. Considering the placement of each eye in the horse, as compared to humans or even pets, their range of vision is limited and they are dependent on two functional and healthy eyes.  When the health of the eye is impacted, the health and safety of the horse is likewise compromised.  The equine eye is subject to a variety of conditions including corneal scratches and lacerations, but one of the most debiliating is equine recurrent uveitis or ERU, which is becoming more common place in the equine industry.  What used to be a condition primarily impacting Paint breeds, Appaloosa and even fair skinned Quarter Horses, is now affecting many other breeds.  The exact cause is unknown and despite the best efforts with therapy, these cases can be frustrating and financially draining for the horse owner. Our horses are our companions and given this, it is hard to see them in constant discomfort.  Often, we need to step back and analyze these situations and apply what we have learned from research, to improve comfort and aid in management.

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Joint Health In Dogs; Prevention & Management

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Almost 7 out of 10 people have at least one dog in their family.  They can be of the working class, assisting with hunting or even protection, or in most cases, they are perceived as members of the family.  It is interesting to see the status of the family dog change over the past two decades, which is a good thing, as they have moved up in ranks to more of a social companion for many, following us around with our every task and move.  As we see the changing status and increasing level of meaning in our lives, it becomes even more important to provide for their health in the best ways possible.  Just like us, dogs have joints that will gradually deteriorate secondary to osteoarthritis, which can create much discomfort for them and us.  They often suffer in silence, trying to please us, but it is needless as there are options available to assist in maintaining not only their comfort, but their overall health.

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Easy Keepers, Metabolic Syndrome and Lameness; What is the Connection?

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Easy keepers.  Most horse owners know what this term means almost instantaneously when they hear it.  In general terms, it refers to a horse that has a tendency to carry more weight and gain weight easily, often with just the sight of a green pasture.  Almost any horse can be an easy keeper, but there are certain breeds that are more prone including Quarter Horses, Pony breeds, draft breeds and even some warmbloods.  Many of these easy keepers progress to metabolic syndrome and even insulin resistance over time, each a stage of continued deterioration at a cellular level.  In many situations, these same horses tend to have concurrent lameness issues ranging from joint degeneration to tendon issues and laminitis, but also many also seemed more prone to allergies, respiratory problems and even eye issues.  What is the connection and why do many standard therapies fail to provide relief for this particular group of horses?

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Inflammation and Impact on Health; Beyond Pain and Swelling

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When we think of inflammation, it is often in the form of pain and swelling.  Joint pain, stiffness, a wound or cut, sore back, sore throat or even an ear infection.  All of this is true and these conditions are associated with inflammation, but the overall concept goes much deeper, often being unrecognized clinically but all too closely tied with other health conditions.  It is an important concept to grasp, even on the most basic level, as with this understanding, we have opportunities to intervene which may give us more opportunities to manage and even prevent certain conditions.

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Disease Prevention & Management; The 20,000 Mile View

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Everyone is looking for the ultimate cure or answer to whatever condition impacts their health or lifestyle, whether if that is for themselves, their pets or their horses.  Is there an answer out there? A solution to what ails you?  The answer is more complex than what you would like to hear, not necessarily a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, but more or less in between.

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Horse and Dog Health; The Impact of Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress

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Free radicals are an important entity in chemistry and in health, having been researched for many years with connections to cellular changes that may impact overall health and aging.  A free radical is a molecule that has an unpaired electron in the outer shell, which creates instability and a high rate of reactivity with other molecules.  Free radicals are produced as a normal part of cellular respiration or energy production, but can also be generated as a consequence of environmental factors, stress, poor diet, food additives, medications and genetics.  In general, they can have huge negative impacts on overall health, performance and sustainability, but the good news is that with understanding, we also realize that there are things we can do to minimize the damage inflicted.

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Why Your Joint Supplement May Not be Working

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Daily aches and pains are one of the biggest problems we deal with as we get older, but they are also very common in our pets and horses, especially if they are athletes.  The aches and pains are often associated with joint deterioration on many levels with resulting cartilage degeneration, which creates discomfort.  Most people resort to traditional joint therapies, including glucosamine and chondroitin, in addition to various pain medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to help control pain.  Despite these efforts, many are still seeking options to help get to the next level of comfort not only for themselves, but also for their equine companions and pets.  Let’s take a look at what is going on and what other options may be available.

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Tying Up and Rhabdomyolysis in Horses

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“Tying Up”, myositis, Monday Morning Disease and azoturia all refer to which is more technically known as Equine Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome in horses. It can be a very common problem in some disciplines and breeds.  The most common breeds involved in the condition include the Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Arabian and the draft horses.  In various research papers, tying up has been noted in approximatley 4% of Arabian Endurance horse and up to 10% of racing Throughbreds.  Given the increase in the incidence and possible clinical repercussions of the condition on the performance of the horse, there has been much research trying to unravel the mystery as to what exactly causes the problem.

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Managing Equine Metabolic Syndrome & Insulin Resistance

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Equine metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance have been a common problem but seem to be potentialy increasing in frequency or incidence over the past decade.  As the number of cases of EMS or insulin resistance increases, we are ultimately left with determining the best means of controlling these horses for the long term.  There have been proposed many theories of management, but not every approach works in every patient, often leaving us much to be desired.

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