My dog, especially a German Shepherd, tilts its head. Is it serious?

I would be worried about a potential inner ear infection. Other ear infections can progress to inner ear infections which are painful, can result in hearing loss and balance issues. It is possible that the head tilt is the first sign that the balance Centers are being affected. I would advise taking Dahlia back in to the vet.

I would have Dexter seen by a vet for his problems. If he's small and thin, he could be suffering from a medical condition such as a liver shunt. This is a congenital condition where the blood flow to and through the liver is absent or markedly reduced. It leads to poor growth rates, and would cause a nine month old puppy to be quite small for his age. It also sounds like he may be suffering from vestibular disease if his eyes flicker side to side and he has a head tilt. He has a myriad of problems that requires veterinary attention as soon as possible. I would take him into a vet right away.

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.

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!

That is very unusual. There are several things that come to mind that could cause the signs. Ingesting toxins, an inner ear infection, stroke or viral infections are all possible. Anytime a pet appears off-balance you should be concerned and I recommend to take Nigel in to see a veterinarian right away. The doctor will need to perform a few basic tests to try to figure out the cause of the imbalance. Treatment will depend on the cause. Best of luck and I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Missy! A head tilt can mean a few things - serious ear infection, vestibular disease (this affects balance and coordination), or brain/nerve problems. It would be best for Missy to be seen by a veterinarian to determine what is going on and if there is treatment available. It is a good idea to have young children leave Missy alone while she isn't feeling well, since dogs that don't feel well may be more likely to bite.

There are various conditions that can manifest with those signs. The most common on would be vestibular syndrome, which is quite common in geriatric dogs. Another cause could be an inner ear infection or meningitis, a brain tumor or similar. Vestibular syndrome has a sudden onset, the dog (or cat) shows a head tilt, sometimes circles, and is nauseous or even afraid, as it cannot figure out why it feels strange. We do not know what causes this, however in most cases this will go away by itself within a few weeks. Sometimes the head tilt remains. I suggest you take Rex to your veterinarian for an exam and possibly some medication to take any anxiety caused by the condition, if needed. Your vet will also be able to rule out all the other conditions.