My dog's head tilts, shakes, and swells; meds helping, what now?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If your vet suspected that the swelling behind the ear is from trauma and that Mila is in pain, anti-inflammatory medication would be a better choice than an antibiotic. It is very unlikely that manhandling caused trauma to the middle or inner ear but it sounds that Mila is not very well. I would suggest to contact your local vets to confirm why Mila was prescribed an antibiotic and find out if they would prescribe a pain killer for her. The other option would be taking her to a different vet. Unfortunately, human anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen are toxic and must not be used in dogs.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Blu. Poor boy. It could be an allergic reaction that he is suffering from, and my main concern is that his face looks swollen. If his face swells too much, it could cut off his trachea, leading to respiratory distress. I would take him into a vet immediately to get checked out. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You may be describing inflammation, an infection, hematomas or even growths. To know how to better manage this, it would be needed to reach a diagnosis. For that reason, I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat him accordingly. Best of luck!

Thanks for using PetCoach! It sounds like Bruno could have "old dog idiopathic vestibular syndrome". There is more information below but we don't know why it happens and in general it usually gets better within a few days. Of course, we can never rule out a middle ear infection, brain tumor, or other problem so I always recommend seeing a vet. Even if it is the just the old dog vestibular syndrome, your vet can give Bruno some anti nausea medication for his vertigo. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/vestibular-disease-in-dogs Best of luck to you and Bruno!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Head tremors can be observed with neurologic conditions or even electrolyte imbalances. I recommend that you have Buddy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They are likely going to perform and examination to be followed by bloodwork which should help start sorting this out. A referral to a veterinary neurologist may be recommended. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bruno. I recommend that you seek emergency veterinary care. A swollen face can be a sign of an allergic reaction such as an insect bite or sting. If this is the case, it requires prompt treatment. If the swelling progresses, it can interfere with his ability to breathe. I hope this information helps!

I’m sorry to hear Tuffy is uncomfortable. Head shaking is common in ear infections. Gentazol is a good ear medication for ear infections and after applying ear medication. When using ear medication, remember a few things: Clean the ear with an ear cleaner made for dogs before each application and use only as directed on the prescription. If no improvement in 3 days or if worsening in any way, see you vet as it may be something else such as a foreign body (bug, plant, other) stuck in the ear canal, or something else. Good luck!