South African Equine Veterinary Association Congress 2015 Protea Hotel Stellenbosch
current technique, the time until recurrence of clinical signs is usually short, making multiple
treatments a requirement. Further development of this technique could lead to it becoming an
effective, minimally invasive approach to the management of headshaking.
As further research begins to uncover more about head shaking in horses, new treatment options
may become available. Until then, head shaking remains poorly understood and a difficult
condition to manage.
Further reading:
Aleman, M., Williams, D.C., Brosnan, R.J., Nieto, J.E., Pickles, K.J., Berger, J., Lecouteur, R.A., Holliday, T.A. &
Madigan, J.E. (2013) Sensory nerve conduction and somatosensory evoked potentials of the trigeminal nerve in
horses with idiopathic headshaking. Journal of veterinary internal medicine / American College of Veterinary
Internal Medicine, 27. 1571-1580.
Madigan, J.E., Kortz, G., Murphy, C. & Rodger, L. (1995) Photic headshaking in the horse: 7 cases. Equine
veterinary journal, 27. 306-311.
Mair, T.S. (1999) Assessment of bilateral infra-orbital nerve blockade and bilateral infra-orbital neurectomy in the
investigation and treatment of idiopathic headshaking. Equine veterinary journal, 31. 262-264.
Mills, D.S. & Taylor, K. (2003) Field study of the efficacy of three types of nose net for the treatment of headshaking
in horses. The Veterinary record, 152. 41-44.
Newton, S.A., Knottenbelt, D.C. & Eldridge, P.R. (2000) Headshaking in horses: possible aetiopathogenesis
suggested by the results of diagnostic tests and several treatment regimes used in 20 cases. Equine veterinary journal,
32. 208-216.
Pickles, K., Madigan, J. & Aleman, M. (2014) Idiopathic headshaking: is it still idiopathic? Veterinary journal
(London, England : 1997), 201. 21-30.
Roberts, V., Patel, N., Tremaine,H. (2014) Neuromodulationusing Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for the
management of trigeminal-mediated headshaking; a safe procedure resulting in medium term remission in five of
seven horses. Poster presentation: ECEIM Congress, Prague.
Roberts, V.L., Perkins, J.D., Skarlina, E., Gorvy, D.A., Tremaine, W.H., Williams, A., McKane, S.A., White, I. &
Knottenbelt, D.C. (2013) Caudal anaesthesia of the infraorbital nerve for diagnosis of idiopathic headshaking and
caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve for its treatment, in 58 horses. Equine veterinary journal, 45. 107110.jmc
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