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My dog has ear pain and head shaking. Should I take him to the vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 5 years and 11 months old | 35 lbs

my dog was playing fetch yesterday and after he retreived a ball froma thick bush he is displaying ear discomfort. its tender to the touch and he keeps shaking his head. he also is shaking a little. Anything I can do at home to help him or should I take him to the vet?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Daniel Fonza, DVM

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 13th, 2018

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend having Dexter examined by a veterinarian to get a good ear exam in order to determine if anything is stuck in the ear canal or if there is an infection that needs to be treated. I would not advise trying to stick anything into the ear at home or trying to remove anything yourself as you could potentially damage the ear drum. 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.
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