My Shih Tzu shakes head a lot. Is it yeast or a painful ear infection?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Brigg is shaking his head so much. These are classic clinical signs of an external ear infection, or otitis externa. I recommend bringing Brigg to your veterinarian at their next available appointment for an exam. Your veterinarian can perform an ear smear of any debris in the ears, and look at this under a microscope. Most ear infections are either bacterial and/or yeast infections, treated with topical medications. I hope this is helpful!

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!

It's probably an ear infection, often it cannot be seen from the outside but head shaking is the main symptom. Ear infections are very common in dogs, it is usually caused by either yeast or bacterial disease. the treatment is usually simple and straightforward, you will have to take Merlin to the vet and get the ears checked, then a prescription ear drops will be prescribed according to the infectious agent.

Head shaking can often be a sign of an ear infection, something stuck in the ear or a tooth problem. Lift up his ears and look in the canals for redness, discharge or odor. Ear and tooth problems need to be evaluated by a veterinarian and I recommend to have him seen today if possible. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately the picture you provided is quite blurry and it is difficult to see the inside of the ear. For a definitive diagnosis, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Coco so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. The veterinarian can examine the ear using an otoscope and obtain any waxy debris for analysis if needed in order to help determine what treatment is best for Coco. 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.

Oh no, poor Piper! You are correct that he could have an ear infection, and if he was scratching at his ear, that could cause the infected (the pus, color, and smell indicate infection) areas on his face. I would have him seen by a vet first thing tomorrow morning. Ear infections in dogs can be caused by bacteria, yeast, or ear mites, and the vet can diagnose if he does have one, the cause, and can prescribe treatment for it. As for the infected areas, the vet can clean those and prescribe him antibiotics.

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.