Why Does My Labrador Keep Shaking His Head?
Labradors are easy-going and high-energy pet dogs. They make great companions for humans. Labradors also fit well into the position of service dogs due to their gentle temperaments.
Do you already own a Labrador? And are you wondering why does your Labrador keeps shaking its head?
They might keep shaking their heads for a number of reasons. It may be just because of the simple reason that water has got stuck inside its ears. But, don’t take it silly. Keep an eye to know how long this goes on. You should know that Labradors also keep shaking its head in case of more serious conditions like neurological disorders.
But, yes. As the master of a Labrador, you should essentially know why your doggie keeps shaking its head. You should know all the probable reasons and when to take him to the veterinarian.
So, this article is all about the causes that make your Labrador keep shaking his head. We hope it would be a great help to all the Labrador masters out there.
What Are The Reasons For Labradors To Keep Shaking Its Head?
As said earlier, your Labrador may keep shaking its head due to several reasons.
Here we have found out some of the common reasons why Labradors keep shaking its head.
Water stuck inside ears
The Labradors might keep shaking its head if the ears are wet or water is stuck inside.
Dogs usually shake their body along with the head if water has got stuck inside their ears.
Therefore, if your Labrador only shakes its head, the reason could be something else.
However, water usually gets trapped in the ears of your dog while bathing or swimming sessions. So, if you don’t want your doggie to keep shaking its head, you can try not to pour water over its ears while grooming.
Ear infections
Labradors also keep shaking its head on site of an ear infection. You might have many times diagnosed your Labrador with ear infections.
Do you know why Labradors are prone to ear infections?
It is because Labradors possess a floppy ear covering their canals. The floppy ears are hard to clean and have a dark environment where germs and other microbes can easily flourish. And therefore, yeast and fungi infections are very common in Labradors.
You can easily identify yeast and fungal infections by an unpleasant smell that doesn’t let you play with your doggie.
So, ear infections can be one of the reasons for your Labradors to shake their head constantly.
Dirty ears
Dirty ears can also be a reason for your dog’s constant shaking of the head. It usually happens when you have not showered or groomed your Labrador for a pretty long time.
The ears of your doggie would become dirty due to the wax buildup. Therefore, it is recommended to clean your dog’s ear by flushing vegetable oil or with a commercial ear cleaner.
It is essential to clean the wax of your dog’s ear at a regular interval as it would pave the path for infection.
The wax build-up in the ears of your fur friend makes it very uncomfortable and frustrated.
Therefore, first of all, check upon when was the last time you cleaned your Labrador’s ears if you discover it shaking head constantly.
Ear mites
The ear mites are another culprit that makes your dog keep shaking his head. Ear mites can become dangerous when it is left untreated. They will slowly collapse the outer as well as the inner ear canal of your dog.
Even though ear mites only have a very shorter life span, they multiply rapidly. What is more dangerous is that ear mites easily spread into other canines at your home. Therefore, it is better to treat as soon as possible once you identify the cause.
You can confirm ear mites as the culprit if you find your dog scratching ears with its paws along with shaking the head.
Ear hematomas
Hematoma may occur if some insects bite your dog. Your dog might keep shaking its head upon an insect bite and irritations that would make the condition severe.
Severe head-shaking leads to the formation of Hematoma.
Therefore, it is advised to take your doggies to the veterinarian, once you find them constantly shaking the head.
Otitis
The inflammation of your Labrador’s external ear canal is called Otitis. Otitis is a disease always accompanied by redness, swellings, and scaling of the skin.
You can also find an unpleasant smell during the condition of Otitis. Dogs also keep scratching their ears if they are infected with Otitis.
It would be better to seek the advice of a doctor to treat Otitis conditions.
Allergies
Just like humans, dogs would also have to fight allergies. Allergies may be because of a change in the habitat, dog food, or even toys.
The allergies are often accompanied by itchiness, and that can be a reason why your dog keeps shaking its head.
Vasculitis
The inflammation of the blood vessels in the pinna of dogs is known as Vasculitis. And, yes, vasculitis can be a reason for your Labrador to keep shaking his head.
Vasculitis can occur due to several reasons including lifestyle habits, immune disorders, and environmental factors.
The vasculitis is usually followed by pain and itching. Therefore, vasculitis can be a reason for your dog to keep shaking its head.
Hormonal Imbalance
Yes, hormonal imbalances might also trigger your Labrador to keep shaking its head.
An increase or decrease in hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and insulin is accompanied by dryness and itching.
And obviously, dogs might keep shaking their head to fight against the itching.
Some foreign object stuck inside its ears
Your Labrador may also keep shaking its head if some foreign object is stuck inside its ears.
The chances are high for foreign objects like leaves and wooden pieces to be stuck inside the ears of your dogs if it is a notoriously wandering one.
Conclusion
Now it would be much easier for you to identify why does your Labrador keeps shaking its head.
If you find our dog shaking its head, you have to, first of all, identify when it started. Then, keep an eye on how long the shaking continues and how often the dog shakes its head. Also, evaluate the behavioral changes in your dog.
And, you should necessarily take your Labrador to a veterinarian before things worsen.
