Why is my Dachshund shaking his head? What are the common causes?

Head shaking doesn't indicate anything on its own. It could be that there is something irritating Orvia's ear or nose, itchy skin, a bug bite causing a reaction, neurologic or muscular issues, or more. If you are seeing other signs and symptoms in addition to the head shaking (loss of balance, nausea, confusion, etc), discharge from the ears or nose, or the head shaking doesn't resolve, having a vet take a look in person is best.

It’s possible his anal glands are full/uncomfortable. If they are bulging on either side of his anus when you palapate from the outside, then that definitely could be the case. I recommend bringing him to your vet for a rectal exam/anal gland expression and to check his ears. He likely will need and ear cleaner and a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal/antiyeast ointment such as otomax/kometamax/posatex if he has an ear infection. A few days of an allergy medication called Apoquel may help as well. Good luck!

I recommend to have Dash examined by the veterinarian to check for an ear infection, vasculitis or hematoma. This and the itching is not likely related to the IVDD. Chronic itching is often due to allergies, fleas, skin mites or endocrine disease. The veterinarian can help you work through each of those to discover why Dash is itching. I recommend to have him examined. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to something stuck in his ear or an ear infection. I would recommend having Frank examined by a veterinarian. The vet can look into Frank's ear to make sure nothing is stuck in the ear canal and to see if there are signs of an ear infection. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Head tilting and head shaking are common occurrence when inner ear problems such as an ear infection, allergies or even mites occur. It is possible that there may be something bothering the inside of your dog's ear and it may be that either barking helps relieve it, is a symptom of it (IE he is barking because it hurts) or the barking is the cause of the irritation. It is a good idea to take a peek into your dog's ears if he'll let you to see if you can see any signs of infection or irritation such as redness, dirt/debris, bad smell (usually a "corn chip" like smell) or other signs of problems. If the ear is irritated to the point where it can't be touched, this is also a good indication of a possible ear problem. Ear infections are usually treated with a medicated ear ointment and cleaner from your vet over a period of 7-10 days to relieve the problem, while allergies can be treated with a daily oral allergy medication (your vet can give you dosing information if this is the case). In some cases of severe infections, your vet may also want to sedate your dog to get a thorough ear cleaning in and to relieve the problem quickly. In some cases, head tilt and shaking can also indicate an illness called Vestibular Disease. This is commonly seen with other symptoms such as walking in a circle (usually in the direction of the head tilt), scratching at the ear, constant head tilt or signs of dizziness such as nausea and vomiting. This situation is more serious, and can be caused by a number of issues ranging from severe infections, to neurologic problems and should be looked at by a vet as soon as possible if suspected. If this behavior is new, then making a checkup with your local vet is the best option to look for ear problems causing the odd behavior. In the mean time, prevent him from scratching at or shaking his head when possible- an Elizabethan collar (cone) can help to stop this and prevent any spread of infection/irritation.

Hello. Achillies may have a ear infection, ear mites, or a foreign body like a grass awn in his ear. Do try to have him seen tomorrow by your veterinarian to diagnose what the problem might be. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.