Course 10 · Ears · Lesson 10 of 12

What should you do if a dog shakes its head constantly?

Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026 · About 5 minutes · General information only. This lesson does not diagnose or treat any condition.

If a dog shakes its head constantly, stop home ear cleaning, keep the dog comfortable, and seek veterinary advice promptly. Constant head shaking is a sign that something is wrong in or around the ear, such as irritation, infection, a foreign object, injury, or a problem deeper in the ear, and it needs professional examination, not a deeper clean or a home remedy. A single, gentle shake after bathing or after an ear check can be normal, as the dog clears water or debris from the outer ear. Repeated, forceful or constant shaking, especially with scratching, head tilt, pain or discharge, is different, and it should be treated as a warning sign that needs assessment without delay.

How do you tell normal shaking from constant shaking?

Normal shaking is occasional, brief and gentle, often after water, after a check, or when the dog wakes up, and the dog then settles, plays and behaves normally. Constant shaking is frequent, forceful and repeated, often with the head thrown to one side, the ear scratched with a paw, the head rubbed on furniture or the floor, or the dog holding its head tilted. Watch for how often shaking happens, how long it lasts, whether one side is favoured, and whether it is accompanied by scratching, whining, pain, discharge, smell or a change in balance. Note the pattern, including when it started, whether it followed bathing, swimming, a walk in long grass, or a grooming session, and whether it is getting worse. That history helps the vet judge urgency and cause, and it is more useful than trying to clean the ear to see if shaking stops.

What should you do at home while waiting for help?

At home, do not clean the ear, do not insert anything, do not apply a cleaner, oil or home remedy, and do not try to look deep into the canal. Keep the dog calm and comfortable, prevent vigorous scratching as far as you can by supervision and distraction, and keep the ear dry. Check the outer ear gently, only if the dog will let you, looking for an obvious foreign object on the surface, a sore, swelling or discharge, without pressing or probing. If you see a foreign object on the outer ear, do not pull it if it is embedded or in the canal entrance, and tell the vet what you saw. Keep the dog from swimming or bathing until the vet advises, and keep a note of shaking frequency, head tilt, balance, appetite and behaviour. If the dog is distressed, in severe pain, has a head tilt or balance problem, or the shaking is very forceful, seek urgent veterinary advice.

What causes constant head shaking?

Constant head shaking can be caused by many different problems, and the cause cannot be judged at home. It can accompany infection, inflammation, allergy related ear disease, a foreign object such as a grass seed, a build up of wax or debris, an injury, a polyp or growth, or a deeper ear problem affecting balance. It can also follow water in the ear, a product used in the ear, or a grooming procedure that irritated the canal. Because the causes differ, and the treatments differ, a vet examination, with proper lighting and equipment, and sometimes further tests, is needed to decide. Do not assume the cause is wax, do not assume a cleaner will fix it, and do not use a previous ear treatment, a leftover product, or another dog treatment, because the wrong product in an ear with a damaged eardrum or a foreign object can cause serious harm. A vet can examine safely, remove a foreign object if present, and advise on treatment and follow up.

What will a vet assessment involve?

A vet assessment will usually involve a history, a look at the outer ear and, where possible, a look into the canal with an otoscope, a check for pain, swelling and discharge, and a discussion of bathing, swimming, allergies and previous ear problems. The vet may need to examine a distressed dog with gentle handling, and may advise sedation for a thorough examination if the ear is very painful or a foreign object is suspected. The vet may take a sample, prescribe treatment, or advise on cleaning, drying and follow up, with directions specific to that dog and that ear. Follow those directions exactly, ask the vet to demonstrate any home treatment, and do not resume general home cleaning until the vet advises it. A vet assessment is not a failure of home care. It is the correct next step when home care finds a warning sign, and it protects the ear from further damage.

What should you note about head shaking?

Note these points before you contact a vet, so the history is clear:

1. When shaking started, and whether it is getting more frequent.
2. Which side is favoured, and whether the head tilts.
3. Scratching, discharge, smell, pain or balance problems.
4. What happened just before, such as bathing, swimming or a walk.
5. Whether the dog can settle, eat and rest between episodes.

Stop and get help: when is head shaking urgent?

Head shaking is urgent when it is constant and forceful, when it is accompanied by head tilt, loss of balance, circling, severe pain, bleeding, discharge, swelling, a foreign object, or a dog that cannot settle, eat or rest. Seek urgent veterinary advice in those cases, and do not wait for a routine appointment. Tell the vet the signs are urgent, how long they have been present, and how the dog is behaving, so the vet can judge priority. While waiting, keep the dog safe, calm and supervised, prevent injury from falling or scratching, and do not clean or treat the ear. Constant head shaking is the ear asking for help in the clearest way a dog can, and prompt veterinary assessment, with the ear left alone meanwhile, is the kindest and safest response.

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