Why is my dog whimpering, shaking head, and licking lips at night?

Hello. This is a situation that requires a hands on veterinary examination to sort out what is bothering Jax. He may have an anal gland impaction/infection, or allergies ( yes, allergies can cause his butt to itch ). Shivering can also be an indication of a elevated temperature. The fastest way to see what is bothering Jax is to have your veterinarian evaluate him. Then, once a problem is isolated, the proper treatment can be initiated to get him feeling better again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Hi and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sight unseen, it is hard to say exactly what the cause of the tongue issue may be, but I certainly provide a few possibilities. Dogs will stick out their tongues or lick their lips with their tongues when they are nauseous. Other times, it can signal a dental infection, periodontal disease or other oral infection. A foreign body like a pieces of twine or twig could be stuck in between his teeth or gums. Lastly, dogs stick their tongues out and report to "lick the air" can be a self soothing behavior- it would be like us tapping our feet or clicking a pen. An exam from your primary care veterinarian can help rule out most of the above possibilities. I would encourage you to take Jack in when you can. Best of luck to you and Jack!

It could be that Jax is suffering from an ear infection. This would be painful to him, and it would cause him to touch his ear. In dogs, ear infections can be caused by yeast, bacteria, or ear mites, and the cause of the infection needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated correctly. Only the vet can do this, so I would take him into the vet on Monday to have his ear examined, diagnosed, and treated. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

We will very commonly see ear infections in dogs. The infection is most commonly due to an overgrowth of normal yeast and bacteria in the ear. I am attaching a link with more information below. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951507 Ear infections can be very painful or sometimes the only sign is that they are holding their ear in an abnormal position. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Jax. They will be able to examine into the ear and take a sample of any discharge to evaluate under the microscope to determine if there is anything abnormal going on then determine the best treatment for him. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Jax feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It’s possible his anal glands are full/uncomfortable. If they are bulging on either side of his anus when you palapate from the outside, then that definitely could be the case. I recommend bringing him to your vet for a rectal exam/anal gland expression and to check his ears. He likely will need and ear cleaner and a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal/antiyeast ointment such as otomax/kometamax/posatex if he has an ear infection. A few days of an allergy medication called Apoquel may help as well. Good luck!

Hello. Achillies may have a ear infection, ear mites, or a foreign body like a grass awn in his ear. Do try to have him seen tomorrow by your veterinarian to diagnose what the problem might be. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.