Head Shaking
Symptoms
Violent shaking or jerking of the head, often gets worse during the summer months. Is worse during the day but disappears at night. Horse will hang head in corner of stable or try and seek shade. Snorting and scraping nostrils upon the ground also occurs, with a state of high agitation being present.
Cause
Many problems can cause head shaking, although most go undiagnosed. Some are attributed to allergies, mites and middle ear disease, although recent research has shown sensitivity to sunlight as a major factor.
Treatment
To rule out smaller factors, treatments for allergies and mites can be used. If these are ineffective a veterinarian will need to be consulted. Further treatment may involve surgically sectioning the nerves to the nostrils, which will improve the problem but all sensitivity in the nose will be lost. Studies are researching the effects of a drug which may be effective.
Please remember this information is provided as a guide only and professional advice should be sought before any diagnosis or treatment is applied.