WHY IS MY DOG SHAKING ITS HEAD?

We all see our dog shake their head from time to time; sometimes, it makes us laugh.  When they are chewing our favorite shoes and ripping them to shreds, we may not be so amused by this head shaking.  We may laugh when they are delightfully shaking their head while playing with a toy.

There are, however, sometimes when head shaking may mean something else entirely, something that may warrant a trip to the vet for evaluation and a proper checkup.  Beyond the general merrymaking and fun playing that a dog may display when they are happy if you see your dog shaking his or her head repeatedly, you will want to take them to the vet.

A common cause of this symptom in the LA area can be an ear infection which we all get, even humans. The typical signs of an ear infection for a dog can be whining as if something hurts as well as scratching at their ear area repeatedly.

Depending on your dog’s temperament, they may scratch so much that it makes the area red and irritated.

There are a few different types of ear infections common in LA, so it is essential to take your dog to the vet for proper evaluation.  Ear infections can affect different parts of the ear, and they are commonplace for a dog, more so for dogs with floppy ears like a Basset Hound, but any dog can get them.  On some occasions, a dog can get an infection in just one of their ears, but they usually get infections in both ears.

Other common symptoms besides head shaking, whining, and scratching is scaly skin in and around the dog’s ear.  The pooch also can have an odor about them, beyond the dog smell some dogs display as well as a dark discharge coming from the ear itself.  If you see any of these signs alone or combined, it is time to tote them off to the vet.

An ear infection can have a variety of causes from yeast and bacteria to moisture or even a severe illness located elsewhere in the body.  Therefore, it is always best to have your pet evaluated first.  Not just for their discomfort and annoyance but to rule out another more severe disease.

The vet will want to know how long the head shaking has been going on as well as how often and when.  Your pet’s doctor will also want to know such things as how your dog is eating and sleeping if you clean your dogs’ ears and other pertinent information regarding their health.

While an ear infection certainly isn’t life-threatening in and of itself, it can, however, be annoying and can threaten the overall health of your dogs hearing if it is left untreated.

Head shaking can mean a variety of behavior and personality traits, but when you see it combined with some of the other symptoms, it should be a red flag to have a closer look at your dog's ears to make sure something else isn’t going on with them.