Dog shaking head - anal glands need expressing?
Discussion
This has puzzled me today.
For the past few days, maybe up to the past week our Springer Spaniel has started shaking his head briskly quite a few times a day. My initial suspicion was that perhaps he had an ear infection. He wasn't tender around his ears and was happy for me to touch him all around them, they did not appear to be red/inflamed and there was no foul smell coming from them. I carefully tried to clean inside his ears with cotton wool and water/white vinegar solution but they didn't appear to be dirty or have any discharge.
This morning I telephoned the vet and described the situation. She asked me if he had been chewing/licking his feet at all (No). She then asked me when he had last had his anal glands expressed (a long time ago). She then seemed quite confident that this was the cause of him shaking his head and invited us to attend the surgery where they duly performed the procedure for us and were quite confident that this indeed was the cause of the problem.
Can anyone offer me an explanation why a dog with a problem with his bottom would be shaking his ears? The only connection I can see is that A*£e is an anagram of Ears
For the past few days, maybe up to the past week our Springer Spaniel has started shaking his head briskly quite a few times a day. My initial suspicion was that perhaps he had an ear infection. He wasn't tender around his ears and was happy for me to touch him all around them, they did not appear to be red/inflamed and there was no foul smell coming from them. I carefully tried to clean inside his ears with cotton wool and water/white vinegar solution but they didn't appear to be dirty or have any discharge.
This morning I telephoned the vet and described the situation. She asked me if he had been chewing/licking his feet at all (No). She then asked me when he had last had his anal glands expressed (a long time ago). She then seemed quite confident that this was the cause of him shaking his head and invited us to attend the surgery where they duly performed the procedure for us and were quite confident that this indeed was the cause of the problem.
Can anyone offer me an explanation why a dog with a problem with his bottom would be shaking his ears? The only connection I can see is that A*£e is an anagram of Ears
Rh14n said:
This has puzzled me today.
For the past few days, maybe up to the past week our Springer Spaniel has started shaking his head briskly quite a few times a day. My initial suspicion was that perhaps he had an ear infection. He wasn't tender around his ears and was happy for me to touch him all around them, they did not appear to be red/inflamed and there was no foul smell coming from them. I carefully tried to clean inside his ears with cotton wool and water/white vinegar solution but they didn't appear to be dirty or have any discharge.
This morning I telephoned the vet and described the situation. She asked me if he had been chewing/licking his feet at all (No). She then asked me when he had last had his anal glands expressed (a long time ago). She then seemed quite confident that this was the cause of him shaking his head and invited us to attend the surgery where they duly performed the procedure for us and were quite confident that this indeed was the cause of the problem.
Can anyone offer me an explanation why a dog with a problem with his bottom would be shaking his ears? The only connection I can see is that A*£e is an anagram of Ears
Cannot offer an explanation per se.For the past few days, maybe up to the past week our Springer Spaniel has started shaking his head briskly quite a few times a day. My initial suspicion was that perhaps he had an ear infection. He wasn't tender around his ears and was happy for me to touch him all around them, they did not appear to be red/inflamed and there was no foul smell coming from them. I carefully tried to clean inside his ears with cotton wool and water/white vinegar solution but they didn't appear to be dirty or have any discharge.
This morning I telephoned the vet and described the situation. She asked me if he had been chewing/licking his feet at all (No). She then asked me when he had last had his anal glands expressed (a long time ago). She then seemed quite confident that this was the cause of him shaking his head and invited us to attend the surgery where they duly performed the procedure for us and were quite confident that this indeed was the cause of the problem.
Can anyone offer me an explanation why a dog with a problem with his bottom would be shaking his ears? The only connection I can see is that A*£e is an anagram of Ears
My wife has a Springer who when he shakes his head it's usually a grass seed in his ear although the last time the vet pulled out a thistle that looked like a harpoon barb !
He's had his anal glands "squeezed" a few times. As others have said the symptom is usually dragging their butt across the ground and occasionally a bit smelly.
Surely the title of this post should be "Anal glands need expressing? Dog shaking head"
However, head shaking/ear flapping is 99%+ associated with the head and ears, never heard of AGs causing head shake, but nature being as quirky as it is, then there has to be a chance of it, tiny but small.
Keep checking ears for change in redness/smell/thickening of pinna (flap), have a look at the teeth/gums and general skin over head.
Update will be interesting if there is a cause found.
However, head shaking/ear flapping is 99%+ associated with the head and ears, never heard of AGs causing head shake, but nature being as quirky as it is, then there has to be a chance of it, tiny but small.
Keep checking ears for change in redness/smell/thickening of pinna (flap), have a look at the teeth/gums and general skin over head.
Update will be interesting if there is a cause found.
Thevet said:
Surely the title of this post should be "Anal glands need expressing? Dog shaking head"
However, head shaking/ear flapping is 99%+ associated with the head and ears, never heard of AGs causing head shake, but nature being as quirky as it is, then there has to be a chance of it, tiny but small.
Keep checking ears for change in redness/smell/thickening of pinna (flap), have a look at the teeth/gums and general skin over head.
Update will be interesting if there is a cause found.
Thank you for your response. Coincidentally, this morning I've telephoned our vet again as he has continued with the head shaking/ear flapping. Last night I had a good look around his mouth and found this rather ugly looking spot on his inner, upper lip. We've been aware of the mark on his outer lip for a couple of years and have been monitoring that. We're awaiting a call-back from the vet but I'd be interested to hear your views. However, head shaking/ear flapping is 99%+ associated with the head and ears, never heard of AGs causing head shake, but nature being as quirky as it is, then there has to be a chance of it, tiny but small.
Keep checking ears for change in redness/smell/thickening of pinna (flap), have a look at the teeth/gums and general skin over head.
Update will be interesting if there is a cause found.
Thank you TheVet. Latest update: Our vet has seen the photos and thinks that the canine tooth in the picture may be broken and needs extracting. He suggests that's what's irritated and caused the spot on the inner lip. He's issued a 5 day course of Apoquel tablets to hopefully stop the ear-flapping and has asked us to take him in on Tuesday to have the tooth seen to. I'm not so sure that the tooth is broken although it's a bit rough and damaged. We'll take him in on Tuesday as arranged for him to have a proper look at it. I'm just hoping he won't extract it unless it's absolutely necessary ... it's a bit difficult at the moment with the restrictions to be able to speak face to face with the Vet to discuss it properly. 
Apoquel?? Err surely something has been misinterpreted, an immunomodulator for a sore tooth associated with a gum infection. Do not take a tooth out without seeing proof of fracture or root infection. Maybe I'm overreacting but that is not a good course of action without further evidence. Get second opinion before any further intervention.
Thanks for that. I'm no expert but I'm not particularly keen to face the tooth extraction at this time and will try and get another opinion I think. He doesn't seem to be in pain in that area. I was just worried about that spot (panic thinking about cancer etc). Neither you or our vet have suggested that so I don't think there's a great need to rush into anything at this time.
Well, I had another look at Cymro's lip this morning and it's actually much better - the brown spot has gone bar for a small shadow of it. His teeth (although not brilliant) seem ok in that he lets me prod and poke around without any apparent discomfort. He's still shaking his ears occasionally and got another couple of days with the Apoquel which was prescribed to help with that. He seems quite happy in himself and is eating/pooing/weeing quite normally.
I telephoned the vet this morning to cancel tomorrow's 'dental' appointment and will monitor the situation. I think you're right though, I don't have a lot of faith in this particular Vet's practice (we've been with them since moving here three years ago - the only reason we've had to visit has been for annual jabs and a castration). Our previous vet used to thoroughly check out the dogs during their annual visit but these literally just inject them and send us on our way (even our fourteen year old other dog) which I think is a bit poor. They also micro-chipped Cymro during his castration op, despite me informing them that he was already chipped (they said they'd scanned him but couldn't detect the chip, however when they tried again after the event they found it very quickly).
I will be looking out for an alternative practice.
Thank you again Thevet.
I telephoned the vet this morning to cancel tomorrow's 'dental' appointment and will monitor the situation. I think you're right though, I don't have a lot of faith in this particular Vet's practice (we've been with them since moving here three years ago - the only reason we've had to visit has been for annual jabs and a castration). Our previous vet used to thoroughly check out the dogs during their annual visit but these literally just inject them and send us on our way (even our fourteen year old other dog) which I think is a bit poor. They also micro-chipped Cymro during his castration op, despite me informing them that he was already chipped (they said they'd scanned him but couldn't detect the chip, however when they tried again after the event they found it very quickly).
I will be looking out for an alternative practice.
Thank you again Thevet.
Thevet said:
I think you are making a fair decision, but that is disappointing service that has been given, glad the lip and tooth is improving, but I am still not sure what the clinical reasons are for using apoquel in this case.
They said it was to help with the ear-flapping which I assume they thought was being caused by some kind of itch/irritant. Whether that was from his anal glands or another, unidentified source. I don't think I'll be returning there.Rh14n said:
They said it was to help with the ear-flapping which I assume they thought was being caused by some kind of itch/irritant. Whether that was from his anal glands or another, unidentified source. I don't think I'll be returning there.
A friend has just called with his cocker spaniel which is having similar ear problems. Harvey’s breath does smell too, and he needs his anal glands doing frequently. Anyway after a visit to his vet who has said it is possibly Lipfold Pyoderma and the dog would benefit from a Lip Tuck.I don’t know if this is of any use to you.
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff