My Dog Shakes Its Head a Lot - Causes and Solutions

It's very common for a dog to shake its head just to shake off dirt, scare away insects, or simply because its ears itch. However, when a dog shakes its head constantly, it can be a sign that something is going on.

When a dog rolls around in the grass or on the ground in general, once they get up they usually give themselves a full shake to get rid of any dirt or debris. Along with shaking their body, they also flap their ears, creating a motion accompanied by a sound a bit like a small clap.

This behavior is normal and shouldn't worry us, but if our dog shakes its head insistently and whines or scratches at its ear vigorously, it's very likely our dog needs attention because something's wrong.

We'll explain the steps to follow to figure out why they're shaking their ears so much, and how to fix it. Sometimes these steps will help us solve the problem ourselves, without needing to go to the vet.

My dog shakes its head a lot — what should I do?

If our dog has become fixated on shaking its head, it's because there's a problem causing them pain or discomfort, and as a reflex they shake their head and scratch their ears trying to relieve it. It's also possible they simply tilt their head, as if it were heavier on one side, and walk around with their head tilted (usually the affected side).

The first thing to do is calm our dog down — we'll have them sit or lie down so they stay still while we check the problem. Some dogs just can't stay still; if that's the case, ask someone else to help hold the dog while we examine them.

Once our dog is calm and still, we need to check their ears, both the outer part and the inner part. To do this, place the dog somewhere well lit, so we can easily see into the ear canal. We can also use a small flashlight to light up the ear.

Foreign objects in a dog's ear

It's very common for dogs to run, play, or rub against bushes and grass — they love it. But sometimes a small piece of grass or a twig can end up inside their ear, causing a lot of discomfort. This is usually grass awns in summer, from dried, wheat-like plants.

If there are young children in the family, it's also possible they've put something in the dog's ear. Let's not forget that kids don't always know what they're doing, and often imitate things they see in cartoons.

We should carefully check our dog's inner ear visually — never insert tweezers or cotton swabs. Just take a look inside the ear to see if there's any object causing the dog discomfort.

If there is, we can try to remove it very carefully, as long as it's somewhere accessible. If the object has gone deep into the dog's ear canal, a vet will need to remove the foreign object, since it could be affecting the eardrum and will likely require sedation to remove it.

It's also possible the dog simply went into a river or lake, or we bathed them at home and a bit of water got into their ear. It's normal for them to shake their head trying to get it out.

With the help of some gauze, we can dry the inside of their ear to calm them down. Water is a contributing factor but not a primary cause of ear infections, so something more is needed for that infection to develop.

Insects or parasites in the ear

As hard as it is to believe, mosquitoes can actually be quite bothersome for our dogs. When they land on their head or try to bite them, they cause tickling, irritation, and discomfort. Dogs shake their head to scare off the insects and get them to leave them alone and stop bothering them.

If they have fleas, it's very normal for our dog to shake its head and scratch insistently, trying to get rid of that annoying itch. That said, fleas are usually found not so much around the ears but in the lower back area.

If they have ticks, our dog will feel discomfort from having something stuck to their ear and will try to get rid of it by shaking their head and scratching with their paws.

It's usually enough to carefully check the outer part of the ear, through the fur, to see if there are fleas. Fleas are small dark insects that scurry and jump through the dog's fur. If there are no fleas, we should check the inner part of the dog's ear for ticks.

If we find ticks, we can remove them ourselves: How to remove a tick from my dog, or we can put on a collar, external parasite pill, or spot-on treatment and wait for it to die on its own and fall off, which usually happens about two days after applying the product.

My dog shakes its head and scratches a lot

As surreal as it may sound, dogs can develop a kind of internal bruise inside the ear from excessive scratching or trauma against surfaces from repeated shaking. If a dog bumps its ear, or has an itch and simply scratches a lot, what's known as an aural hematoma can develop.

We should check our dog's ears and feel them with our hands, looking for unusual lumps. Aural hematomas start out small, but can grow considerably within just a few hours, since they fill up with blood.

If our dog has an aural hematoma, we need to see a vet without fail to try to treat it with medication, mainly corticosteroids and draining with a syringe. If that's not possible after a few attempts, surgery will be needed. It'll also be necessary to put an Elizabethan collar on the dog to stop them from scratching, since the more they scratch, the bigger the hematoma will get.

My dog shakes its head and whines from inflammation: Ear infections

An ear infection is inflammation affecting a dog's ear canals, causing significant pain, irritation, and itching. It's completely normal for a dog with an ear infection to shake its head and whine, as well as try to scratch, since the itching and pain an ear infection causes is often unbearable.

To tell if our dog has an ear infection, we'll notice redness on the inner part of the ear. This can be more or less inflamed and is often accompanied by discharge, either dark, waxy, or more yellowish. If the canal is too swollen to see properly, the vet will decide whether to prescribe corticosteroids.

An ear infection can only be cured with the right medication — there are many types of infections that cause ear problems, from fungi and/or bacteria to mites. Only a vet, through the appropriate prior tests, can determine what type of ear infection is present and prescribe the right treatment.

Some food allergies can weaken or overstimulate a dog's immune system, leading to secondary conditions like ear infections. Don't forget that allergies also play an important role in dogs' ear infections.

Although there are plenty of urban legends claiming ear infections can be cured with certain home remedies, don't believe any of it. All you'll manage to do is make the infection worse. See a vet if the problem is an ear infection — don't hesitate, since the animal will be quite uncomfortable.

My dog tilts its head to one side

Unfortunately, a dog shaking its head isn't always due to something simple to fix. Sometimes head tilt (vestibular syndrome) is due to a brain-related problem.

Some brain conditions cause "tics" in dogs that are often mistaken for other issues, downplaying the real problem, which can get worse if not diagnosed in time.

Damage to the brain or cerebellum can affect the animal's balance and cause involuntary movements in the dog, such as constant head tilting or shaking.

Specific veterinary tests will be needed, such as an MRI or CT scan, along with certain blood tests, to determine whether the problem is one of those mentioned. It's impossible to diagnose these nervous system issues without tests like these, and they aren't cheap.

Tips to prevent ear problems in our dog

Although this is common-sense advice, the truth is that with the stress of everyday life we often don't follow it to the letter. With these tips, we'll do as much as possible to prevent our dog from getting infections and/or most other ear problems, helping stop them from shaking their head so much.

1. With the help of gauze and a specific ear-cleaning solution (sold at vet clinics), carefully clean your dog's ears at least once a week.
2. Thoroughly dry the inside of your dog's ears with gauze every time you bathe them, or every time they swim in a river, beach, or lake, so they don't stay damp, since moisture is a factor that makes infections more likely.
3. Use external parasite protection such as anti-parasite collars and/or spot-on treatments. Prevention is our best ally to keep your dog from getting infested.
4. When our dog plays, jumps, or runs through vegetation, bushes, or grain fields, check inside their ears and their paw pads to make sure there's no foreign object stuck in there.
5. If there are young children in your family, teach them to respect the dog. A dog isn't a toy — don't let them treat it like one or play pranks on it. Dogs are living beings that feel just as much as you or I do — respect them.