Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Successful treatment of head shaking by use of infrared diode laser deflation and coagulation of corpora nigra cysts and behavioral modification in a horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Berger, Jeannine M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old Saddlebred gelding, used for competitive pleasure driving, had been shaking his head for a year while pulling a cart. The vet found that he had cysts in both eyes and was reacting negatively to wearing a bridle with blinkers. To help him, they used an infrared laser to treat the cysts and also worked on changing his behavior through desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques. This combination of treatments successfully improved his performance and reduced the head shaking.
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 15-year-old Saddlebred gelding used for competitive pleasure driving had a 1-year history of head shaking while pulling a cart. CLINICAL FINDINGS: The horse had cystic corpora nigra in both eyes and concomitant classic and operant conditioned responses to wearing a bridle with bilateral eye covers (blinkers). TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Deflation and coagulation of the cysts with an infrared diode laser and behavior modification consisting of desensitization and counter-conditioning were used to successfully restore performance. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Behavioral changes in horses can result from a combination of physical and psychologic causes. A combination of appropriate medical treatment of physical abnormalities and a behavioral modification plan is necessary to successfully treat behavioral problems in these patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19014298/