Why does my dog keep shaking his head?

Head movement that occurs when dog baths or swims is entirely regular. It is an effective way to keep water, dirt, and insects out of their ear canal. But why does my dog keep shaking his head too often?

If your dog starts shaking his head so often, it’s essential to know what is causing the problem. They probably have ear problems, and it might be time to go to the vet. If left untreated, conditions under which the canine shakes its head can lead to a ruptured eardrum, deafness, injury, further infection, or illness.

So, you must keep this condition under concern. Also, find out the possible reasons for your dogs’ keep shaking his head and how to act with it.

The reasons why does my dog keep shaking his head

Let’s find out some reasons why the dogs keep shaking their head.

Trauma or injury to the ear

Although canines are usually strong animals, they can sometimes get injured to the ear while playing in a dog park, running, or walking along a forest path. If you notice a change in your dog’s behavior, a serious medical condition could be the cause.

Fungal and Bacterial ear infections

The most commonly diagnosed health problem that causes excessive shaking of the head in pups is an ear infection. Ear infections tend to be itchy and cause many discharge and inflammation, making dogs want to shake their heads.

Otitis Media

Otitis media is an inflammation of the outer ear caused by various things, such as wax, mites, or grass clippings. Allergies usually cause this. Inflammation allows bacteria and fungi to accumulate in the ear.

Allergy

Puppies that are allergic to certain foods or environmental elements such as mold, pollen, dust mites, or mites will shiver their heads more often than usual.

Ear polyps

Ear polyps are growths in the ear that vary in size. They are usually diagnosed by examination with an otoscope. Polyps are generally not cancerous, but the polyps can be sent to a laboratory for analysis after removal if in doubt.

Water in the ears

Head movement due to water entering the ears can be easily avoided by placing cotton balls in the dog’s ears before swimming. Avoid splashing or spilling water directly on your puppy’s head while bathing.

Parasites

Parasites, including ear mites (Otodectes cynotis) and mites (Ixodes species), can cause irritation and subsequent bacterial ear infection. Mites are usually visible to the naked eye, but ear mites are easier to see under a microscope.

Why do dogs shake their heads when they play with a toy?

Dogs act to convey their messages: happiness, love, anger, hunger, sadness, and a million other emotions. But the typical behavior that people try to induce in dogs is shaking their heads when they play with toys.

Often this is a slight shaking of the head but a rough movement that affects the entire upper body. But what’s going on here? Sometimes this is just playful behavior, but sometimes it can indicate that your puppy is upset or aggressive.

Here we will give you several possible answers.

For Fun

Every day puppies do three things: sleep, eat, and play. But, probably, the dog’s most favorite pastime is playing games. Often, your canine will rock his toys to ask you to play with them. When your pet plays, he picks up the toy before returning it to you because he is enjoying the moment.

Hunting

When your puppy shakes his head with the toy, it mimics the actions of wolves and other wild fangs killing small prey. Shaking is intended to break the victim’s back or neck immediately. Your puppy may be acute and cuddly furball, but he still retains these basic instincts and the desire to “attack” his toys from time to time.

Onrush

Most dogs only shake heads while playing with toys, but some dogs use them to show aggression. When shaking the head, pay special attention to the position of the dog. If your furry friend plays playfully or lowers upper body while moving, it may want to have some fun. However, if the canine bounces a little, lookup, or shakes the toy at you or a smaller animal, the behavior can be aggressive.

Disappointment or boredom

If your dog seems to swing his toys to destroy them, it can be frustrating or tedious. This behavior is often seen in dogs left alone for long periods as they may suffer from separation anxiety.

Why do dogs shake their heads when they wake up?

The dog’s morning routine is very similar to ours. They may start with violent yawning, long stretches, and slight tremors in their entire body. You may be wondering why some dogs like to shake their heads when they wake up. These are some of the most common reasons.

If your dog has been injured or suffered from trauma

If your dog has recently been injured, especially in the head, it can cause discomfort or imbalance and be shaken to relieve symptoms. It can also happen if your canine has recently had a stroke, an inner ear infection, or vestibular syndrome.

They’re want to relax

Dogs can shake their head and body as soon as they wake up to relax. They are in the same stable position for a long time, so this is normal for stretching the muscles. Stretching and shaking can be seen as automatic behaviors to warm their bodies.

Prepare them for the hunt

Dogs, as hunters in an evolutionary sense, never know what will happen when they get up to roam their territory. This behavior helps prepare for any food hunt or territory battle.

Why does my dog shake his head when he barks?

Dogs often shake their heads while barking. It could be due to emotion. But if it is a constant movement of the head, then it could be an ear infection. Again, it can happen due to problems inside the ear, such as allergies, mites, or even an ear infection like before.

Similarly, there may be something that hassles your dog’s ear, and barking can help relieve it, be a symptom of it, or barking can be a source of irritation.

If you see signs of redness, infection, debris/dirt, foul odor, or another clue of problems, your dog may have ear problems. Head tilt and tremors can also indicate a condition called vestibular disease.

We can usually see this along with other symptoms such as scratching the ear, walking in circles, persistent tilting of the head, or gestural dizziness. If this activity is new, it is best to contact your veterinarian to look for ear problems causing strange behavior.

Why do dogs shake their heads after you pet them?

Head trembling is an excellent way for a dog to arch something out of its ears that shouldn’t be there. The power generated by the strong shaking is fantastic, as anyone who has pierced a pup’s ear can tell. When dogs feel itchy or sore ears, they instinctively shingle their heads.

At the same time, this can fix the problem if the dog has some water, a piece of grass, or an insect in its ear. Indeed, constant head movement indicates that irritation persists and requires treatment. Moreover, Neurologic disorders are causing tremors in the head, grass seeds, or other foreign matter in the ear canal may be the causes.

When to concern about the canine’s shaking his head

Some health problems can cause pups to shake their heads excessively. They may include inflammatory conditions, foreign objects in the ear canal, or even neurological conditions that cause head tremors, which can easily be mistaken for head shaking.

Many of these conditions can lead to permanent hearing loss. All of these conditions cause discomfort and even pain for your puppy. You should seek help from your veterinarian to determine the cause and prescribe treatment. This will not only reduce your dog’s irritation and discomfort but will also prevent more severe health problems.

Whatever the underlying problem, you need to address it, but shaking your dog’s head can lead to other injuries. Continuous head movement can rupture blood vessels in the dog’s ear, resulting in ear injuries that usually require surgery.

Treatment for dog shaking head

If your dog is constantly scratching his ears, shaking his head, or if you observe that the canine’s ear looks red. Then, firstly, go to your vet and ask him to properly and safely remove all debris from your dog’s ears. In severe cases, your veterinarian may need to stun your canine to rinse the ears at the level of the eardrum thoroughly.

After cleaning, your vet will inflict the most effective treatment for your dog’s ear infections. Ear infections in pups that involve makeup behind the eardrum need more competitive treatment.

If your vet has suggested medication for an ear infection for your dog, follow the directions carefully. Never use products on your dog’s infected ear that you have not previously discussed with your veterinarian. Some topical medications can cause deafness when used in pets with a ruptured eardrum.

A simple tip to treat my dog’s ear infection without going to the vet

FAQ:

Final Verdicts:

Finally, I hope you got the answer to your question, “why does my dog keep shaking his head?”

So, if your dog continues to shake his head, you need to go to the vet immediately. Indeed, over-shaking of the head can lead to bruising your dog’s hearing, which often requires surgery.

Your veterinarian must examine your dog’s ears to initiate proper diagnosis and treatment. Of course, by identifying the cause of your dog’s head shaking early on, your veterinarian will be able to fix the problem before it gets worse.

I hope my answer was helpful and that your dog will have much more comfortable ears as soon as possible.