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Headshaking in 5 horses after paranasal sinus surgery
William F Gilsenan1, Liberty M Getman, Eric J Parente
1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Objective:
To report headshaking and presumptive trigeminal neuritis as a potential complication after paranasal sinus surgery in horses.
Study Design:
Retrospective case series.
Animals:
Horses (n = 5) that developed headshaking within 45 days of paranasal sinus surgery.
Methods:
Medical records (2007-2010) of horses that had been evaluated for headshaking after paranasal sinus surgery were reviewed.
Results:
Of 5 horses that developed headshaking within 45 days of paranasal sinus surgery, resolution occurred after treatment in 2 horses. One horse was euthanatized because clinical signs associated with headshaking could not be controlled. Headshaking persisted in the other 2 horses but was either adequately controlled with analgesics or was considered infrequent and transient enough to not warrant therapeutic intervention. Only 2 of 5 horses returned to full work after development of headshaking.
Conclusions:
Headshaking because of presumptive trigeminal neuritis is a possible career-ending or fatal complication of paranasal sinus surgery in horses.
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