FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2019; 33(3); 1464-1472; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15499

Effects of magnesium with or without boron on headshaking behavior in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking.

Abstract: Oral administration of magnesium and boron might have a beneficial effect on headshaking behavior in horses. Objective: Evaluate the effects of oral magnesium alone or in combination with boron on headshaking behavior in affected horses. Methods: Twelve geldings (6 healthy controls and 6 affected). Methods: Prospective randomized controlled dietary trial over 42 days in 12 horses (6 horses diagnosed with trigeminal-mediated headshaking and 6 unaffected healthy controls). All horses received a hay diet and were randomized into 3 treatment groups: pelleted feed combination (PF), pelleted feed combination with magnesium (M), and pelleted feed combination with magnesium-boron (MB) with a week washout of hay only between treatments. Headshaking behavior and biochemical blood variables were assessed at baseline (hay only) and then after each week of supplementation. Results: All 3 diet interventions increased blood ionized and total magnesium. Groups M and MB further increased Mg2+ when compared to PF. Horses receiving treatments had a significant reduction in headshaking behavior, as measured by incidence rate ratio (IRR), when compared to unsupplemented hay diet (44% for PF, IRR, 0.558; CI, 0.44, 0.72; P < .001; 52% for M, IRR, 0.476; CI, 0.37, 0.62; P < .001; and 64% for MB, IRR, 0.358; CI, 0.27, 0.48; P < .001). Conclusions: Magnesium in combination with boron had the greatest decrease in headshaking. Oral supplementation with magnesium or magnesium in combination with boron should be considered in horses affected with headshaking.
© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-04-16 PubMed ID: 30990929PubMed Central: PMC6524471DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15499Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the effects of magnesium alone or in combination with boron on headshaking behavior in horses. The dietary treatment was found to reduce the headshaking behavior in horses, with the combination of magnesium and boron showing the greatest effects.

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate how oral administration of magnesium, with or without boron, can impact headshaking behavior in horses.

Methods

  • The research was carried out as a prospective randomized controlled dietary trial over a period of 42 days.
  • The trial included 12 horses, of which 6 were healthy controls and the other 6 were diagnosed with trigeminal-mediated headshaking.
  • The horses were randomized into three treatment groups: pelleted feed combination (PF), pelleted feed combination with magnesium (M) and pelleted feed combination with magnesium-boron (MB). There was a week of only hay between treatments to washout any effects.
  • Researcher assessed headshaking behavior and biochemical blood variables at the beginning (baseline) and after each week of supplementation.

Results

  • The results showed an increase in blood ionized and total magnesium following all three dietary interventions.
  • Groups M and MB showed a further increase in Mg2+, as compared to the PF group.
  • Significant reduction in headshaking behavior was observed in all treatment groups. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) measured the reduction as 44% for PF group, 52% for M group and 64% for MB group.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that the combination of magnesium and boron demonstrated the largest decrease in headshaking behavior in horses.
  • Oral supplementation with magnesium or a combination of magnesium and boron should be considered as a treatment option in horses afflicted with headshaking.

Cite This Article

APA
Sheldon SA, Aleman M, Costa LRR, Weich K, Howey Q, Madigan JE. (2019). Effects of magnesium with or without boron on headshaking behavior in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking. J Vet Intern Med, 33(3), 1464-1472. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15499

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 33
Issue: 3
Pages: 1464-1472

Researcher Affiliations

Sheldon, Shara A
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.
Aleman, Monica
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.
Costa, Lais R R
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.
Weich, Kalie
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.
Howey, Quinn
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.
Madigan, John E
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Boron / administration & dosage
  • Boron / blood
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Head Movements / drug effects
  • Horse Diseases / diet therapy
  • Horses
  • Magnesium / administration & dosage
  • Magnesium / blood
  • Male
  • Trigeminal Nerve

Conflict of Interest Statement

Platinum Performance provided oral magnesium and boron supplements and partial support for a graduate student.

References

This article includes 36 references
  1. Pickles K, Madigan J, Aleman M. Idiopathic headshaking: is it still idiopathic?. Vet J 2014;201:21‐30.
    pubmed: 24821361
  2. Aleman M, Rhodes D, Williams DC, Guedes A, Madigan JE. Sensory evoked potentials of the trigeminal nerve for the diagnosis of idiopathic headshaking in a horse. J Vet Intern Med 2014;28:250‐253.
    pmc: PMC4895556pubmed: 24428325
  3. Aleman M, Williams DC, Brosnan RJ. Sensory nerve conduction and somatosensory evoked potentials of the trigeminal nerve in horses with idiopathic headshaking. J Vet Intern Med 2013;27:1571‐1580.
    pubmed: 24107198
  4. Madigan JE, Bell SA. Characterisation of headshaking syndrome–31 cases. Equine Vet J Suppl 1998;30:28‐29.
    pubmed: 10485000
  5. Colloca L, Ludman T, Bouhassira D. Neuropathic pain. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2017;3:17002.
    pmc: PMC5371025pubmed: 28205574
  6. Bell AJ. Headshaking in a 10‐year‐old thoroughbred mare. Can Vet J 2004;45:153‐155.
    pmc: PMC548606pubmed: 15025153
  7. Madigan JE, Kortz G, Murphy C. Photic headshaking in the horse: 7 cases. Equine Vet J 1995;27:306‐311.
    pubmed: 8536668
  8. Madigan JE, Bell SA. Owner survey of headshaking in horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;219:334‐337.
    pubmed: 11497047
  9. Mills DS, Cook S, Jones B. Reported response to treatment among 245 cases of equine headshaking. Vet Rec 2002;150:311‐313.
    pubmed: 11913586
  10. Newton SA, Knottenbelt DC, Eldridge PR. Headshaking in horses: possible aetiopathogenesis suggested by the results of diagnostic tests and several treatment regimes used in 20 cases. Equine Vet J 2000;32:208‐216.
    pubmed: 10836475
  11. Pickles KJ, Berger J, Davies R, Roser J, Madigan JE. Use of a gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone vaccine in headshaking horses. Vet Rec 2011;168:19.
    pubmed: 21257532
  12. Roberts VLH, Perkins JD, SkÄRlina E. 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 Vet J 2013;45:107‐110.
    pubmed: 22413870
  13. Talbot WA, Pinchbeck GL, Knottenbelt DC, Graham H, Mckane SA. A randomised, blinded, crossover study to assess the efficacy of a feed supplement in alleviating the clinical signs of headshaking in 32 horses. Equine Vet J 2013;45:293‐297.
    pubmed: 22994634
  14. Bell C, Hnenny L, Torske K. Internal neurolysis of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve for the treatment of equine trigeminal mediated headshaking syndrome. Can Vet J 2018;59:763‐769.
    pmc: PMC6005076pubmed: 30026624
  15. Tomlinson JE, Neff P, Boston RC, Aceto H, Nolen‐Walston RD. Treatment of idiopathic headshaking in horses with pulsed high‐dose dexamethasone. J Vet Intern Med 2013;27:1551‐1554.
    pubmed: 24627899
  16. Roberts VL, Patel NK, Tremaine WH. Neuromodulation using percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the management of trigeminal‐mediated headshaking: a safe procedure resulting in medium‐term remission in five of seven horses. Equine Vet J 2016;48:201‐204.
    pubmed: 25475743
  17. Roberts VL, McKane SA, Williams A. Caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve: a novel surgical technique for treatment of idiopathic headshaking and assessment of its efficacy in 24 horses. Equine Vet J 2009;41:165‐170.
    pubmed: 19418746
  18. Mair TS. Assessment of bilateral infra‐orbital nerve blockade and bilateral infra‐orbital neurectomy in the investigation and treatment of idiopathic headshaking. Equine Vet J 1999;31:262‐264.
    pubmed: 10402143
  19. Pickles K, Aleman M, Adams VJ. Owner‐reported response to treatment of 130 headshaking horses. Proceed Am Assoc Equine Pract 2014;60:176‐183.
  20. Sheldon S, Aleman M, Costa L, Santoyo A, Howey Q, Madigan J. Alterations in metabolic status and headshaking behavior following intravenous administration of hypertonic solutions in horses with trigeminal‐mediated headshaking. Animals 2018;8:102.
    pmc: PMC6071069pubmed: 29941850
  21. Sheldon S, Aleman M, Costa L. Magnesium sulfate intravenous infusion and its effect on horses with trigeminal‐mediated headshaking. J Vet Intern Med 2019;33:923‐932.
    pmc: PMC6430935pubmed: 30666732
  22. Pizzorno L. Nothing boring about boron. Integr Med (Encinitas) 2015;14:35‐48.
    pmc: PMC4712861pubmed: 26770156
  23. Stewart PA. Modern quantitative acid‐base chemistry. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 1983;61:1444‐1461.
    pubmed: 6423247
  24. Bowen JM, McMullan WC. Influence of induced hypermagnesemia and hypocalcemia on neuromuscular blocking property of oxytetracycline in the horse. Am J Vet Res 1975;36:1025‐1028.
    pubmed: 1147343
  25. Hoenderop JG, Bindels RJ. Epithelial Ca2+ and Mg2+ channels in health and disease. J am Soc Nephrol 2005;16:15‐26.
    pubmed: 15574510
  26. Rodriguez‐Rubio L, Solis Garcia Del Pozo J, Nava E, Jordán J. Interaction between magnesium sulfate and neuromuscular blockers during the perioperative period. A systematic review and meta‐analysis. J Clin Anesth 2016;34:524‐534.
    pubmed: 27687446
  27. Stewart AJ. Magnesium disorders in horses. Vet Clin North am Equine Pract 2011;27:149‐163.
    pubmed: 21392659
  28. Stewart AJ. Treatment for hypomagnesemia In: Fielding CL, Magdesian KG, eds. Equine Fluid Therapy. 1st ed. Ames, Iowa: John Wiley & Sons, Inc; 2015:76‐87. .
  29. Cavalcante AL, Siqueira RM, Araujo JC. Role of NMDA receptors in the trigeminal pathway, and the modulatory effect of magnesium in a model of rat temporomandibular joint arthritis. Euro J Oral Sci 2013;121:573‐583.
    pubmed: 24206074
  30. Lambuk L, Jafri AJA, Arfuzir NNN. Neuroprotective effect of magnesium acetyltaurate against NMDA‐induced excitotoxicity in rat retina. Neurotox Res 2017;31:31‐45.
    pubmed: 27568334
  31. Wang LY, MacDonald JF. Modulation by magnesium of the affinity of NMDA receptors for glycine in murine hippocampal neurones. J Physiol 1995;486 (Pt 1):83‐95.
    pmc: PMC1156498pubmed: 7562646
  32. Zhang L, Rzigalinski BA, Ellis EF, Satin LS. Reduction of voltage‐dependent Mg2+ blockade of NMDA current in mechanically injured neurons. Science 1996;274:1921‐1923.
    pubmed: 8943207
  33. Chen L, Mae Huang L‐Y. Protein kinase C reduces Mg2+ block of NMDA‐receptor channels as a mechanism of modulation. Nature 1992;356:521‐523.
    pubmed: 1373227
  34. Nielsen FH. Update on human health effects of boron. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2014;28:383‐387.
    pubmed: 25063690
  35. Kim DH, Hee SQ, Norris AJ, Faull KF, Eckhert CD. Boric acid inhibits adenosine diphosphate‐ribosyl cyclase non‐competitively. J Chromatogr A 2006;1115:246‐252.
    pubmed: 16545389
  36. Li KW, Yu YP, Zhou C. Calcium channel alpha2 delta1 proteins mediate trigeminal neuropathic pain states associated with aberrant excitatory synaptogenesis. J Biol Chem 2014;289:7025‐7037.
    pmc: PMC3945363pubmed: 24459143

Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Nessler JN, Delarocque J, Kloock T, Twele L, Neudeck S, Meyerhoff N, Riese F, Cavalleri JV, Tipold A, Feige K, Niebuhr T. Sensory nerve conduction stimulus threshold measurements of the infraorbital nerve and its applicability as a diagnostic tool in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking. BMC Vet Res 2024 May 16;20(1):201.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04068-xpubmed: 38750534google scholar: lookup
  2. Bell T, Kyriazopoulou P, Mowbray C, Murphy BA. Equine Headshaking Syndrome: Triggers, Seasonality, and Treatment Efficacy in Australia. Animals (Basel) 2024 Mar 13;14(6).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14060875pubmed: 38539973google scholar: lookup
  3. Vujović S, Desnica J, Stanišić D, Ognjanović I, Stevanovic M, Rosic G. Applications of Biodegradable Magnesium-Based Materials in Reconstructive Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Review. Molecules 2022 Aug 28;27(17).
    doi: 10.3390/molecules27175529pubmed: 36080296google scholar: lookup
  4. Aleman M, Sheldon SA, Jospin G, Coil D, Stratton-Phelps M, Eisen J. Caecal microbiota in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking. Vet Med Sci 2022 May;8(3):1049-1055.
    doi: 10.1002/vms3.735pubmed: 35060350google scholar: lookup
  5. Xia D, Yang F, Zheng Y, Liu Y, Zhou Y. Research status of biodegradable metals designed for oral and maxillofacial applications: A review. Bioact Mater 2021 Nov;6(11):4186-4208.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.01.011pubmed: 33997502google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,727 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.