My dog has a head tilt, walks in circles, and seems tired. Help!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cutie. He could be experiencing neck or back pain that is making him walk in the way that you have described. He could also have a problem with his vestibular system as this can affect balance. Problems such as an inner ear infection will cause a dog to have a head tilt, walk in circles or off balance. In any case, he will likely need to see his veterinarian. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

What you are describing with Shasta may be something called vestibular disease. I am attaching a handout with more information about it below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=564 If Shasta has a history of ear infections, she may have a middle ear infection that is causing her signs. That is discussed in the handout above. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Shasta and determine what might be causing her signs and the appropriate way to treat them. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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.

It sounds as Pelu is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking her to the vet the first chance you get, she will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection she will need an anti vomiting injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better. if the vet thinks it is more serious she will need a blood test and possibly an ultrasound in order to find out what is wrong.

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.

It sounds like your Toby is suffering from a brain condition, This could be so-called vestibular syndrome, a brain bleed or similar lesion. Vestibular syndrome is a condition affecting old dogs. We do not know what causes it, however most of the time the dogs recover from it within about 4-6 weeks. Sometimes a head tilt remains,, but does not bother them. You need to take Toby to a vet to rule out other brain conditions, possibly for some iv fluids and medicine to combat nausea and fear, if indicated. Here is some really good information: http://vestibular.org/sites/default/files/page_files/Vestibular%20disease%20in%20dogs%20and%20cats.pdf

This could indicate anxiety or pain. If she has a head tilt or unable to lay down without flipping over, or non-responsive to you when she is like this, then I would be more concerned about a neurological problem and she needs to see a vet ASAP. But if she is willing to stop to eat or drink and responsive to your voice then I would monitor her closely, rest her for the weekend (don't let her run, jump or play) and contact your vet Monday if she is still showing symptoms. I would not recommend to give her any human pun meds as most of these are toxic to dogs. I hope this helps!