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  Discussion on Headshakers due to cervical arthritis?
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 7:12 am:

I've had a long winter trying to help my mare be properly diagnosed. At this point, she has been shown to have moderate arthritis in C6-7. It was diagnosed after bone scan and xrays. She also reacted upon palpation.
She was injected with depo meDrOl in the capsule at that spot. It did not make a difference in her way of go. Her surgeon and vet believe that if the nerve was being pinched from this, the steroid would have helped. He thinks it may be low grade head shakers though her signs aren't classic.
I've just read an article that listed changes in the cervical region as a possible cause for head shakers. She did have her head x rayed and examined for any obvious headshakers problems, to no avail.
This started in September and she'd been found to have OCD in her stifles which was operated on. Cornell never saw her lameness issue and assumed that was the cause of it. It was not as her problem was back this winter after turnout was added to her recovery regime. So we've gone through a possible older horse (5) wobblers diagnosis to a 'possible' headshakers diagnosis once they finally saw the problem.
I'm at the end of my rope here and don't know what options are left.
I read that sometimes chiropractic can help the cervical issues that may cause headshakers. But if it's arthris causing the cervical issues can chiropractic do anything?
Tired owner, Beth

Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 5:00 pm:

Hello Beth,
We have a article on headshakers, since you posted in this section I am not sure you have read it? See, Training Horses: Behavioral Problems: Head Shaking. I do not know of any work that suggests that cervical arthritis is a cause of head shaking and would expect the opposite: a stiff painful neck.
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 6:24 pm:

Hmmm, thank you. That dampens my enthusiasm a tad. And I think that's what the surgeon expected also but the mare has a very flexible neck. She did have hot spots though on her bone scan and the xrays did show mild, then moderate arthritis on C5-6 and C6-7. Also osteophytes. Back to the drawing board we go. I did look up headshakers but wasn't sure to post there or under the spine and neck problem area. It appeared it might be both.
I'm not sure who wrote this, it's in a magazine. And it says spinal misalignments may cause swelling and pinching of sensory nerves that could be more painful with the head and neck in certain positions. And that there are 'reports' of headshaking being alleviated by chiropractic manipulations of the cervical spine.
She goes along okay actually keeping her neck and head rather level...then either something appears to 'get' her which makes her eyes squint, ears go back, tail twitches and her head and neck go up and she hollows and almost pops up in front. Very odd and no one can really seem to pinpoint why or where.
She does this at hand walk and lunging. She started it one day. Under saddle and I immediately got off and undressed her little by little and she still did it. I haven't ridden since last fall since she's had stifle surgery. They're suggesting I ride her now to see if she does it under saddle. I'm sure she will and am also leary to work her or try to while she's in what I consider to be pain.
Sigh......
Thank you for replying. No miracle cure to be found I guess.
Beth

Posted on Sunday, Apr 22, 2001 - 10:26 am:

I think it is good to continue the thread here to keep all the information together. Have you ever had a friend with a pinched spinal nerve, they become almost immobile and the last thing they do is shake the affected part up and down.

Your best chance of getting this cured is to follow a careful diagnostic plan that starts with the most likely/easiest to rule out and work your way down the list provided by the article and possibly any other information your vet can garner.

Could a therapy with unknown affects cure a disease of unknown etiology? As long as the therapy is not harmful, I would expect this to happen 80% of the time. Of course that is what I expect 80% of the time with just time alone.
DrO

Posted on Monday, Apr 23, 2001 - 7:21 am:

I guess that's why Dr. Nixon also ruled out any form of Wobblers. He said the same thing. So likely the arthritis in the neck is just that and not affecting much else.
Yes, I suppose we should follow the protocol for ruling out reasons for headshakers and go from there.
I am a little skeptical that it's that only because it's quite unlike what you see in headshakers. And the vets have all agreed with that but I think that's what they're left with at this point. Or of course, training problems or learned behavior. Both of which, I'm quite sure it's not. Hard for them to know that though.
I'll let you know if the med helps at all. I sure hope so.
Thanks again.
Beth

Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2001 - 8:26 am:

I took my mare to a vet/chiro/acup.specialist. Actually a rather renowned one I hear. He feels she has lower cervical hyperpathia. A partial nerve impingement. She doesn't shake her head up and down when she feels the pain, she just raises up her head and neck stiffly and her back stride shortens way up. We had some adjustments done, mild in the neck area, and some acupuncture also. I'm to leave her be for a week, lunge for a week and if that goes well, ride. My vet actually does acupuncture and there is a chiro at Cornell I can follow up with if needed.
I know not everyone believes in this work but at this point, if it does nothing more than make her feel better through her body, I'm happy. She has been compensating for so long that she was really sore.
Beth

Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 8:27 pm:

I just read your message, and although not having experienced this exactly with my horse, he has had chiro work done. Sometimes medicine actually allows the body to heal, sometimes it only covers over the pain, which can cause even more problems.
I myself am glad to see that you tried the chiro/acup. route. I think you have to be very careful with diagnosis and always have your horse checked with vet first. I could see the immediate relief when my horse was worked on by a very competent vet/chiro. He looked like he had just drank a tall beer,(laughing) he was so relaxed that I couldn't hardly believe it. Total improvement! I have neck injuries...and I was to point I was miserable 24/7! After a year of Chiro work, I feel like a new person. If nerves are damaged, they run right off the spinal cord which controls everything in the body. It would be like cutting an electric cord, if you cut it, what ever it is attached to is going to not work. Just like our bodies, if that nerve is pinched or damaged, whatever body parts/organs it is attached to aren't going to work and eventually will fail.
Since you have covered all the other medical areas so thoroughly, it sure doesn't hurt to try. I can sympathise with how discouraging it is trying to find out what is wrong.
Hope all is going better for your horse.
Let us know how progress is going.

Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 8:48 pm:

Yes, well, while it may have done her overall body aches and pains some good I'm afraid it doesn't look as if it's helped her big problem.
She has appeared uncomfortable to me in the pasture this past week and today I put her on the longe line. She was very uncomfortable trying to go into trot.
Sigh.....
One last ditch attempt, I'm going to have my vet xray her left hock. Just a thought and feeling I've had. Probably wrong. But before I call it quits, I'd best lay my mind to rest.
Thanks and I'm glad you were able to be helped with chiro work. It sure does help in some cases.
Beth
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