If your dog ever does this, take them to the vet immediately
If your dog ever compulsively presses their head against the wall or any object for no apparent reason, take them to the vet immediately! Head pressing almost always signifies a medical condition and can affect dogs of any breed or age-range.
What is the cause of head pressing?
It generally indicates damage to the nervous system, which may result from a number of causes.
What are the illnesses that causes this behaviour?
There are a number of reasons for why a dog might feel compelled to head pressing and depends on the primary cause, which includes:
- Prosencephalon disease (in which the forebrain and thalamus parts of the brain are damaged)
- Hepatic encephalopathy, a condition that occurs in pets with liver disease.
- Hydrocephalus (water on the brain)
- Tumours in the brain
- Hyper or hyponatremia (too much, or too little sodium in the body’s blood plasma)
- Strokes or vascular accidents in the brain
- Head trauma
- Infection of the nervous system, such as rabies or fungal infection
- Toxic poisoning, such as lead poising
What other symptoms should you look out for?
While it depends on the underlying cause for head pressing, other symptoms will likely be apparent. Keep a look out for:
- Compulsive pacing and circling
- Irregular reflexes
- Weight loss
- Increased urination
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Changes in behaviour
Is this preventable?
Not specifically as many of the conditions that lead to head pressing are the luck of the draw. Keeping your pet happy and healthy with a balanced diet, exercise and up-to-date vaccines is the best course of action.
Is this fatal?
This is highly variable depending on the underlying cause but if you see your dog consistently head pressing, they should be seen by the vet in the same day. Be careful not to confuse head pressing with affectionate head butting or your pooch lying against a wall. Head pressing is an obvious effort to press their heads to firm, stationary objects like a wall or furniture.
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