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Animal Health – General (Expert Forum)
Head Spasms
Answered by
Kimberly Coyner, D.V.M., DACVD - Veterinary Dermatology
Dermatology Clinic for Animals
This forum is for general pet health questions, such as questions about medications, parasites, vaccines, infectious diseases, breed specific and genetic problems.
Head Spasms
by MRB628, Oct 19, 2009 03:49PM
Type of Animal
:
Bulldog
Age of Animal
:
1 1/2 years old
Sex of Animal
:
Male
Breed of Animal
:
English Bulldog
Last date your pet was examined by a vet?
:
October 06, 2009
City
:
Phoenix
State/Province
:
AZ
Country
:
USA
Other pertinent test results
:
The vet did nothing. My dog will wake up from sleep shaking his head, not like a regular head shake more like spasms. The doctor gave him predisone and pretty much said nothing wrong. Now he has blisters in one of his ears, I think they are blisters. I do not know what is wrong with him.
Doctor's Answer
by Kimberly Coyner, D.V.M., DACVD, Oct 19, 2009 10:41PM
, Oct 19, 2009 10:41PMTo: MRB628
Head shaking can indicate neurologic disease such as brain inflammation or infection. Valley Fever is a fungal infection common in AZ that can infect the brain. Bulldogs are also a breed that can develop a poorly understood disorder called head bobbing, but this is diagnosed by ruling out other more serious diseases. I recommend getting the behavior on video to help the veterinarian with further diagnosis and therapy; additionally a referral to the veterinary neurologist (www.vetneuro.com) is in order if bloodwork and Valley Fever testing are all normal.
Good luck,
Kimberly Coyner, DVM DACVD
www.dermvetvegas.com
Good luck,
Kimberly Coyner, DVM DACVD
www.dermvetvegas.com
Member Comments (2)
by Kimberly Coyner, D.V.M., DACVD, Oct 19, 2009 10:44PM
, Oct 19, 2009 10:44PMTo: MRB628
Typically ear mites cause itchy ear with dark granular ear discharge. An ear infection causes itchy, swollen, painful and smelly ears with discharge/pus; if an external ear infection descends into the middle ear then this can affect balance. hearing and pupil size. With the symptoms you are describing, I am more suspicious of a brain disorder, but an ear infection can be ruled out by otoscopic examination and microscopic analysis of any ear discharge.
