All dogs shake their heads at some point, whether it be after a swim, when they’re excited, or after a good scratch, however if your dog is shaking their head more than you expect then there may be an underlying cause, such as an infection or something stuck down there! When they have these problems the excessive head shaking will often be accompanied by them scratching at their ears much more than usual, or rubbing them along the floor or furniture. There are a number of causes for this, so let’s dig into what you might find in your dog’s ears, and what you can do about it!
What are the causes of head shaking in dogs?
Head shaking can be a normal behaviour in dogs, whether they have a small itch, are a little bit soggy, or are just excited and having some fun, however there are a number of health problems that can be related to head shaking.
Ear infections
Some dogs are very prone to getting ear infections, whether it be a Spaniel with long drooping ears that provides the perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to multiply, or a dog with skin allergies that are flaring up. When an ear infection sets in, the increase in growth of bacteria or yeast will cause inflammation and itchiness in the ear, resulting in your dog shaking their head a lot, and also scratching much more than usual.
Something stuck in their ear
Whilst this is an uncommon cause for head shaking in dogs, it is something that does happen from time to time. Most commonly it will be something like a grass seed or part of a plant, especially after running through fields with long grass – these can be very irritating so if your dog suddenly becomes extremely irritated with their ear then this might be why!
Fleas or mites
Fleas and mites can cause generalised itching all over the body, however one of the signs of this may be your dog scratching around their ears and shaking their head, particularly if they have ear mites! If your dog is not fully up to date with their parasite control then this may be something that is going on.
What will I see if my dog has an ear infection?
If your dog is suffering with an ear infection then the first thing you will notice will be increased itching and head shaking, however if you are unsure as to what is going on then there are more clues you can look for.
If you lift your dogs ear and look inside their ear canal you will be able to check for more signs of infection and inflammation. If you lift your dog’s ear and are confronted with an awful smell you should be very suspicious of an infection, as when there is an overgrowth of bacteria or yeast they produce a characteristic ‘yeasty’ smell. Usually in conjunction with the smell there is an overproduction of ear wax, so if your dog’s ear is full with a dark brown wax or pus-like discharge (often thick and yellow), then you can almost be sure of an ear infection. Sometimes if the infection is severe, the skin in and around your dog’s ear canal will become red and inflamed, and in severe cases it may even become ulcerated.
If there is a lot of inflammation relating to an ear infection then it can also become painful, so if your dog winces or squeals when you touch around their ear then that is another indicator that something may be going on.
What are the possible consequences of an ear infection?
Whilst pain, smell, and discharge are common consequences of an ear infection, there are also more serious complications that can arise if not treated properly.
The ear drum is a natural barrier between the outer ear (our ear canals) and the middle and inner ear (the part of our ears inside the skull where hearing occurs and balance is maintained). In severe ear infections the ear drum can become damaged and infection can spill over into the middle ear. This is problematic because it is extremely painful, causes problems with hearing, and can affect your dog’s balance. Often when this happens your dog will start to exhibit a ‘head tilt’, where they will hold one ear lower than the other, and they may also lose their balance or fall over when trying to walk. In extreme cases, if the infection cannot be resolved or the damage is too severe then your dog may lose their hearing in the ear, however this is a very rare occurrence.
How can ear infections in dogs be treated?
Luckily for us, most of the time we find an ear infection early it can be treated after a quick examination with your local veterinarian, usually using an ear cleaner and some medicated drops.
When you take your dog to your local veterinarian they will most likely check inside your dog’s ear, looking for evidence of discharge, inflammation, and also checking that the ear drum is intact, as this will determine which medications should or should not be used. In a lot of cases they will also take a sample from your dog’s ear and look at this under the microscope in order to work out what kind of infection your dog has, for example which kind of bacteria or yeast. If they see ‘rod’ shaped bacteria, which are more difficult to treat and often are resistant to many of the antibiotics we use, then they may suggest sending off a sample to the lab so the infection can be treated effectively.
If your local veterinarian recommends using an ear cleaner to help treat the infection, this should be used to totally fill the ear canal so that it helps remove as much of the discharge as possible before you use the medicated drops, by doing this it means they can work more effectively and act to reduce inflammation in the skin as well as kill the yeast and bacteria. Some treatments should not be used with an ear cleaner, and if the ear drum has been damaged then you may need to use a specific type of cleaner to prevent causing your dog’s ear further damage, so check with your local veterinarian before you start.
Using medicated drops is the main method of treating ear infections, and these usually contain a steroid to help reduce inflammation within the skin, making the ear more comfortable and less swollen which in turn makes it easier to clean and medicate, an anti fungal to kill off any yeast, and an antibiotic to kill off any bacteria. Some of the medicated drops are what we call ‘depot’ treatments, where a large amount is instilled into the ear on one or two occasions and then left to work, with no cleaning required in between.
If there is a major issue with the ear as a result of the infection, such as a damaged ear drum or a very painful ear, then different treatment options may be needed, such as medications in a tablet form to start treating the problem without interfering with the ear, or an ear flush under general anaesthetic so that the delicate structures in the middle ear are not damaged further by the incorrect treatment.
All these methods of treatment are very dependent on the type of infection your dog has and if the ear has been damaged at all, so it is essential that your local veterinarian advises you on treatment before you interfere with a possibly infected ear.
If there is something stuck inside of your dog’s ear that is causing irritation or providing a source of infection, it may be that they need to be sedated or have a general anaesthetic so that the offending foreign body can be removed and the rest of the ear flushed out, and usually after this happens your local veterinarian will recommend a course of medicated ear drops to clear out any remaining infection.
How can I prevent future ear infections?
The single best method of preventing future ear infections is maintenance cleaning, as preventing the build up of yeast or bacteria will reduce inflammation in your pet’s ear, and will make your pet’s ear an inhospitable environment for infection to grow.
Maintenance ear cleaning will vary depending on how prone your pet is to ear issues, if they do any activities that mean their ears are more prone to getting infections, and if your pet is on any long term medications that work to prevent further infections (this is usually if they have a severe underlying allergy).
If your pet has recently had an ear infection treated, the main way I approach maintenance cleaning is to gradually reduce the frequency until you find a level that keeps your pet’s ear nice and clean, without over-cleaning and causing the ear to become sore as a result. Generally I would recommend cleaning your pet’s ears twice a week using the technique discussed earlier – filling the ear canal with the cleaner, massaging the ear, and wiping out the excess discharge. If you are cleaning your pet’s ears twice a week and each time there is no visible discharge or signs of inflammation or infection, then I would recommend reducing to once a week. If you are continuing to clean once a week and there is no discharge or sign of infection, then you can continue to extend the length of time between cleaning until you are getting a small amount of discharge out of your pet’s ears, but not seeing any signs of infection. This length of time will vary for all dogs, with some of them requiring cleaning as much as once every one to two weeks, and some requiring ear cleaning every one to two months.
If your pet likes to go swimming, rolling in the mud, or running through fields with long grass, then cleaning your pet’s ears more frequently may be a good idea, as these are the sorts of activities that predispose them to ear infections. Cleaning their ears once or twice a week if they are doing these activities every day is a good idea, and if they are always coming back clean then you can reduce this. If your pet does any of these activities as a one off then you can clean their ears afterwards to reduce the chance of infection.
Severe allergies or recurrent ear infections may make maintaining a healthy ear a challenge, and so for pets with these issues you should closely follow the guidance of your local veterinarian, as cleaning and medicating regimes are the best way to resolve theses issues, but can sometimes be very complicated!
If you are concerned your pet has an ear infection or is in pain with their ears when you clean them, it is important that you consult with your local veterinarian to ensure that cleaning your pet’s ears is a safe and appropriate plan, and that you are not missing an underlying issue that may be making things worse. Similarly, if you are cleaning your pet’s ears and there are large amounts of discharge present that are not clearing, despite frequent cleaning, then it is very likely your pet has an ear infection and will require additional treatment to resolve this.
