What Happens If Your Dog Does a Lot of Head Shaking?
Phillips advises that head shaking is usually quite effective, so if you observe your dog shaking their head repeatedly with brief pauses, there is likely an issue, and scheduling an examination with your veterinarian would be a prudent decision. Phillips also outlines several potential medical disorders that could be causing your dog to exhibit frequent head shaking.
Infection of the Ears
For dogs, ear infections are a rather frequent condition. Ear mites, allergies, yeast and germs, and wet ears are common reasons. Other indications of an infection that you may observe include:
- Your dog shakes their head and scratches their ears nonstop.
- Redness and inflammation within their ears.
- An unpleasant discharge—typically brown, green, or yellow—that emerges from the ears.
- Get medical attention right away if you see any of these symptoms in order to save your dog from more suffering and stop the problem from getting worse. Following an examination, your veterinarian will most likely suggest a prescription drug.
Accumulation of Earwax
Dogs may shake their heads due to excessive earwax buildup, which can impede airflow, create discomfort, and serve as a sign of infection. It's time to clean your dog's ears if you sniff them and detect an odor and brown muck without any skin irritation or discharge.
However, cleaning healthy ears at home is not advised. Thus, let your veterinarian handle any material you think may be within your dog's ears.
Allergies
Like us, some of our dog pals have sensitivities to environmental triggers and uncontrollably present parasites like fleas and ticks. Although they occur less frequently, food allergies can also affect dogs.
It's probably time to schedule allergy testing if your dog is shaking his head incessantly and exhibits a variety of additional symptoms, including excessive paw licking, clawing at hot places, diarrhea, and rashes.
How Come My Dog Is So Itchy?
Neurological Conditions
Dogs occasionally tilt their heads or shake their heads uncontrollably, which might be a sign of neurological conditions. Crying out in agony, loss of balance, aberrant stride or limping, and facial deformation are further indications that point to a more serious medical issue.
Is a "Shake Off" Not the Same as a Head Shake?
Phillips explains that if dogs are shaking their entire body, along with their head, it could be associated with a behavior known as "shake off," which is a method that dogs employ to reset after experiencing any tense or stressful situation. This behavior is a common response and serves as a way for them to pacify themselves.
This occurs frequently when two dogs cross paths for the first time. According to Phillips, dogs may get a bit nervous at this first meeting, so both of them shake off after the customary sniffing. In addition, your dog may shake vigorously from head to tail when playing with other dogs (a body language message that indicates, "Hey, let's take a break here!"), following a lengthy vehicle journey, or when they are among strangers.