Why is my senior conure tilting its head to the left? Ear issue?

Thanks for reaching out about Tipu. Monitor for repetition of the episode. If persistent problem, a veterinary visit is recommended. Possibilities include neurologic disorders due to ingested toxins (lead, zinc, plants, etc.), metabolic disorders, nutritional deficiencies, head/neck trauma, infections (viral, bacterial, fungal), just to list a few. Monitor appetite. Providing supplemental heat in the 80-85 F range can give some support. Good luck.

Unfortunately I agree with your vet that MRI is probably the next step. Even though his ears appeared normal inner ear disease is still possible although fairly unlikely, especially since there is no nystagmus eye movement noted. A head tilt can be a sign of infectious or inflammatory brain disease, a stroke or blood clot in the brain, or even a brain tumor. If the head tilt is the only neurologic symptom and your dog is otherwise acting like his normal self you could consider simply monitoring for additional neurologic signs - with most of these neurologic problems I would expect more symptoms to develop as the disease progresses.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cockatiels can indeed present with signs of loss of balance-many times due to things like infections, trauma, neoplasia, etc. your vet may need to do a few tests to see exactly what is going on inside of your pet before you proceed further. I hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Echo. Concerns would be around a neurologic event and a veterinary visit scheduled soon. Maintain a warm environment around 80-85 F for comfort, try offering food and water via a syringe if not eating. Good luck.

Dogs can have head tilts because of a neurologic problem (such as vestibular syndrome), or if something related to their head is bothering them. If the issue just started after your walk, and given Charlie's young age and the fact he was wearing a muzzle, I would be suspicious there's something bothering him with one of his ears - perhaps the strap of the muzzle irritated it, or he has an early ear infection, or got a little debris in his ear. Even if his ears look fine to you, the ear canal has a bend in it that requires an otiscope to be able to see all the way down to his eardrum. Problems in the mouth don't usually cause a dog to tilt their head. If the issue just started, and if he's acting completely normal otherwise, I'd keep an eye on it for a day or two. If he keeps tilting his head, or if any other symptoms start, I'd have him seen by a vet. Hope this helps!

If he's like that even while eating, drinking, or being active (not sleeping) and never has his head in a normal position, it wouldn't hurt to have him examined by your vet. It's possible there could be an underlying issue such as a nutritional problem or even a neuromuscular issue that would benefit from being checked out.

Loss of balance is a very concerning sign and I would recommend bringing her to a local vet for a complete exam. Muscular and neurologic issues, underlying illness, seizures, old age, toxicity, nutritional issues and more can call cause problems with balance and requires an exam to help narrow down the possible causes. Until you can get into the vet, you can move Millet's perches closer to the floor of her cage to prevent injury if she falls, and make sure she has food and water dishes that are easy to climb in and out of if she is having trouble getting around. If you see any additional signs of illness, be sure to let your vet know.