Puppy Shaking His Head/ear Discomfort (Closed Post)

Updated on August 06, 2010
T.B. asks from Staten Island, NY
17 answers

My puppy has been shaking/tilting his head downward and shaking it to the right more than the left. I'm wondering if it might be from one of two things----
#1--After being groomed 2 days ago, I notice his ear hair was plucked and inside was red/raw/irritated. But his didn't do what he's doing until yesterday afternoon.
#2--YEsterday afternoon a neighbor had his pressure washer running right ouside the window where the dog was. It ran loudly for about a half hour my child told me. He was trembling, scared of the sound. He scampering up almost to the top of my head, scratching me up badly (that how freaked out he was).
Which do you think is causing this reaction?
He is also whimpering softly at times and turns his head away from us if we try to touch it or hold his head still to peek inside. I am calling a vet later today when they open and hope they give me an appointment today. But until then, I figured I'd ask. THanks for helping!

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So What Happened?

WOW!!!!You guys are AWESOME!!! Thanks for all the replies. Well, the vet saw my maltese today and there was greenish "gunk" in both his ears (that was not there last night). The vet said he prefers groomers to pluck maltese's ear hair and he feels that the irritation from that made him scratch and he cut both ears due to scratching. Now on Monday night he definately was red inside his ears, but there wasn't any cuts because my husband and I looked to see the redness. The vet also asked if we changed food or gave him anything new this week. Yes to both of those questions. The food is the same company, but they are a new "flavor" and he was picky about it at first and wouldn't go near the plate unless it was moistened with water. The second was we gave him mini Nutra Dent Nylabone treats (2 or 3 of them in the past week. The vet thinks it might also be an allergy. So we have to moniter him and bring him back in a week. The vet RX Mometamax and TrizEDTA as well as 0.15mls of prednisone for a week. Thanks again for all of the responses and thanks for your concern!!!!

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A.F.

answers from New York on

You rpuppy may have an infection in his ear. Do you see anything when you look inside? It is concernign that he is wimpering. i would get him to the vet ASAP so he doesnt have any hearing damage. Good luck

1 mom found this helpful
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L.E.

answers from Chicago on

My best guess as a vet tech is that there is water/dampness in the ear canal. You can use 90 % Alcohol and put a few drops in his ear this will dry up the water as well as soothe the pain from having his ears pulled ( not literally, but having the hair plucked out of his ears)

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J.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hello,
Your dog most likely has ear infection, take him to the vet.

2 moms found this helpful

L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sounds like an ear infection, I agree. Our dog reacted very similarly when she had one. We went ot the vet and he prescribed an antibiotic and topical treatment for the ear.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Topeka on

My guess is either a fungal infection in the ear canal...which could have been a biproduct of the grooming if his ears were left damp. Or it could be ear mites. Either way you need to get him into the vet to be seen...no reason for him to be miserable when either one is a quick fix!!!

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

My dog gets yeast infections in her ears frequently. It causes the same reaction. Hers are caused by allergies, but swimming can aggravate it. If that's what it is you'll get some drops to get rid of the yeast.

1 mom found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

sounds infected or as if something is down in it. vet time!
khairete
S.

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T.W.

answers from New York on

Take him to the vet, he may have ear mites or when he was groomed they could have injured his ears when they "plucked" his ear which they really shouldn't be doing in the first place. I am a breeder of Samoyeds and have had Miniture Poodles, Bichon Frises, Labs, and German Shepherds and when my Poodle or Bichon were groomed they never pulled hair out ot their ears, they did however wash them but nothing went inside. If you take your dog to the vet and find injuries due to the groomer I would seriously fight to make them pay your vet bill. Let me know how you make out.
T.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.N.

answers from Rochester on

Ear infection!Get drops at your vet.

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S.P.

answers from New York on

Vet, for sure.
And speak to those groomers! That should not happen.
S.

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J.P.

answers from Buffalo on

Ear mites. He prob. has ear mites. Your Vet can give you drops to clear it right up!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.G.

answers from Syracuse on

dog needs to see vet--could be area is infected now---also obviously in pain,was hurt at groomer--i would NOT ever go back there-good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.H.

answers from New York on

Ear mites. You might want to take him to the vet quickly to get checked out, so you can get drops for it. In the mean time, clean out his ear with either white vinegar or baby oil. Dont' pour it in the ear. Just moisten a cotton ball with the vengar or baby oil and squeeze out the excess, then wipe the inside of the ears being careful not to go in too deep.

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C.O.

answers from Sacramento on

You have made the best decsision you can make by calling the vet. Have your pup looked at. Without being able to actually look in the ear to analyze the problem, it could be anything from a ruptered ear drum to an ear infection, to a foreign body, to and irritation or infestation. Most of these things would need an intervention; so your call to the vet is the best thing you can do.

Let us know how it works out.

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K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I would take him to the vet , my cat used to do this and she ended up with drops for an irritation in the ear.

1 mom found this helpful
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W.T.

answers from San Diego on

I agree with the ear mites. They are pretty common and get very stirred up if there is any water introduced into the ear.

Reach a finger in gently and see what you can rub out. It may be oily. Stick your nose in there as far as you can and smell. My dogs ears normally smell okay, but with ear mites or an infection they won't smell good.

Also ask your groomer if they put cotton in their ears during grooming. And a good groomer should not leave any marks on a dog....unless they dog was really stressed and they nicked him once. Poor guy!

Poor guy. It's an easy fix. Ear drops from your vet, but they make them miserable!

1 mom found this helpful

A.C.

answers from Jacksonville on

He could have ear mites. If so he will need some ear drops for about a week. If they nicked him or gave him "razor burn" while grooming him, he could just be very irratated. Either way, a trip to the vet is in order. If it turns out to be a result of the grooming, I would def. not take him back. I would also make a complaint so that hopefully another poor little puppy doesn't get "groomed" the same way.

1 mom found this helpful
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