Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Idiopathic head tremors in 291 dogs by breed and symptoms
By L. Shell et al.·Published in Veterinary Medicine International·2015·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Clinical and Breed Characteristics of Idiopathic Head Tremor Syndrome in 291 Dogs: A Retrospective Study
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old Labrador Retriever was brought in for episodes of head shaking and tremors. The dog's episodes were mostly harmless, with normal behavior during the tremors and distractions often stopping the shaking. The vet found that most dogs with this condition, called idiopathic head tremor syndrome, do not respond to seizure medications, but the tremors are not usually serious. Owners can manage the episodes by providing distractions when they occur.
People also search for: dog head tremors · Labrador Retriever shaking head · idiopathic head tremor syndrome treatment
Abstract
Objective. To establish signalment and phenomenology of canine idiopathic head tremor syndrome (IHTS), an episodic head movement disorder of undetermined pathogenesis. Design. Retrospective case series. Animals. 291 dogs with IHTS diagnosed between 1999 and 2013. Procedures. Clinical information was obtained from an online community of veterinary information aggregation and exchange (Veterinary Information Network, 777 W Covell Boulevard, Davis, CA 95616) and conducted with their approval. Information on breed, sex, age of onset, tremor description, mentation during the event, effect of distractions and drugs, diagnostics, presence of other problems, and outcome was analyzed. Results. IHTS was found in 24 pure breeds. Bulldogs, Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, and Doberman Pinschers comprised 69%; mixed breeds comprised 17%. Average onset age was 29 months (range: 3 months to 12 years). First episode occurred before 48 months of age in 88%. Vertical (35%), horizontal (50%), and rotational (15%) movements were documented. Possible trigger events were found in 21%. Mentation was normal in 93%. Distractions abated the tremor in 87%. Most dogs did not respond to antiepileptic drugs. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance. This retrospective study documents IHTS in many breeds including Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, and mixed breeds.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/26064776