Key Takeaways
- Why Do Dogs Shake Their Heads?
- 9 Reasons Your Dog Keeps Shaking Their Head
- Ear Infection
- Dogs & Puppies
- Dog Behavior
Dogs shaking their noggins is more than a cute waggle. It serves a purpose—and if it happens a lot, something could be amiss.
After loving 19 cats, 11 dogs, and a canary, Tracey married someone allergic to all those creatures. Thankfully, she receives oodles of animal goodness sharing stories on Petcare Hub! When not traveling, teaching yoga, or doing voiceover projects, she's an editorial strategist and developer for print, digital, and multimedia platforms.
- Why Do Dogs Shake Their Heads?
- Causes
- What to Do
- Head Shaking vs. "Shake-Off"
If a dog is shaking their head, there's likely something bothering their ears. Because they lack opposable thumbs, our furry pals have to rely on other ways to scratch an itch or remove something in their ears. Many things can cause head shaking in dogs, and some are more serious than others.
We spoke with a veterinarian to find out why dogs shake their heads. Read on to gain insight into your dog's head shaking and what to do about it.
Why Do Dogs Shake Their Heads?
Dogs typically shake their heads when their head or ears are itchy or uncomfortable, explains Georgina Ushi Phillips, DVM.
"A head shake could be triggered by a bug landing on their head, a little water in the ear after a swim, and everything in between," she says, adding that while dogs can scratch their face or rub their ears with a paw, it's not as efficient as a quick and powerful head shake. However, there might also be some medical reasons for the flipping and flopping.
9 Reasons Your Dog Keeps Shaking Their Head
Brief head shaking is not a concern, but continued shaking may signal a problem. "Head shaking is usually pretty effective, so if you notice your dog shaking their head over and over with only short pauses in between, there's likely an issue, and an exam with your veterinarian is a good idea," Phillips says. Here are some possible conditions that cause dogs to shake their heads continuously.
Ear Infection
Ear infections are pretty common ailments for dogs. Typical causes include moist ears, yeast and bacteria, ear mites, and allergies. Other signs of an infection you might notice:
- Your pup is constantly scratching their ears and shaking their head.
- Inflammation and redness inside their ears.
- A smelly discharge coming from the ears that's usually brown, green, or yellow.
If you notice any of these signs, get prompt treatment to spare your pooch further distress and prevent the issue from escalating. After an exam, your vet will probably recommend some prescription medication.
Earwax Buildup
Another reason why dogs shake their heads is because there's too much earwax, which can be uncomfortable, block airflow, and lead to an infection. If you sniff your pup's ears and notice an odor and brown gunk but no skin irritation or discharge, it's time to clean your dog's ears. If a good cleaning doesn't help, it's time to call the vet.
Dirt or Debris in the Ear
Dogs who spend time outdoors can easily get dirt or other debris in their ears. You can handle this as you do earwax—check for anything that looks or smells wrong, then clean the ears. Contact your vet if the head shaking continues.
Water in the Ear
It's common for dogs to get some water in their ears after a swim or bath, just like you or me. Typically, some head shaking will remove this, but you may need to wipe out their ears to help. Contact your vet if the head shaking continues.
To prevent water from getting into your dog's ears, place a cotton ball just inside the ear opening before swimming or bathing. Be sure to remove the cotton after and towel-dry their ears well.
Foreign Body
Something may have become lodged in your dog's ear canal, such as a bug, grass seeds, or burr. If you can see the object and the ear does not look badly irritated, try to remove it gently. If your dog seems painful or the ear is very inflamed, it's best to let your vet handle it.
Ticks in or around the ears can make your dog feel itchy or uncomfortable. Because they attach themselves to the skin, they are not as easy to remove as bugs and other foreign objects. Use tweezers or a tick tool to remove the tick with care. Contact your vet if you can't get all of the tick out or if you suspect there is one further down the ear canal.
Some of our canine friends suffer from similar allergies as we do, including environmental factors and uncontrolled parasites such as fleas. Dogs can also develop food allergies, although these are more rare.
If your dog keeps shaking his head and displays a range of other symptoms, too, including excessive paw licking, scratching at hot spots, diarrhea, and rashes, it's probably time to schedule allergy testing.
Growth in the Ear
Dogs can develop polyps, cysts, or tumors in the ear, which will become more bothersome as they grow. If you see some kind of growth in the ear or cannot determine another cause, contact your vet.
Neurological disorders
Sometimes dogs shake or tilt their head involuntarily, which might be an indication of neurological disorders. Other symptoms that hint to a more serious health condition include abnormal gait or limping, facial distortion, loss of balance, and crying out in pain.
What To Do If Your Dog Keeps Shaking Their Head
Frequent, ongoing head shaking is a sure sign that something is wrong. If ear cleaning doesn't stop it, contact your veterinarian for advice. Whatever is going on is likely to get worse.
Additionally, constant head shaking can rupture the tiny blood vessels in a dog's ear flap, causing it to fill with blood. This condition is called an aural hematoma and will make a dog's ear flap look like a pillow or water balloon.
Your vet will examine your dog and look into the ear canals. They may take samples of the material in your dog's ears to check for infection. If the vet can determine a cause, they'll prescribe the appropriate medication. This might include ear drops or oral medications. In some cases, your vet may refer you to a specialist for advanced testing and treatment.
Is a Head Shake Different From a "Shake Off"?
Aside from a quick head shake, another thing some dogs do is shake off. "If dogs are shaking their full body, along with their head, then it could be related to something called a 'shake off', which is a technique that dogs use to reset after any kind of tense or stressful situation," Phillips says. This is how they calm themselves and is a normal reaction.
You'll see this often after two canines meet for the first time. Phillips says this initial encounter can make dogs a little anxious, so after the obligatory sniffing, both dogs shake off. You might also notice a vigorous head-to-tail body shake from your pup while playing with other dogs (a form of body language that says, "Hey, let's take a break here!"), after long car rides, or when surrounded by new people.
