Head Tilt.

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer without seeing Max's ear. However I can give you some of my thoughts.

Usually if there is an ear infection we will see that the ear is red as compared to the other ear. It should also have brown or yellow debris and be quite sore. If you are not seeing these things then a regular ear infection is not as likely.

It is possible that he has an inner ear infection. Usually if this is the case the dog will be not his normal self (possibly off food, lethargic, etc.).

In older dogs we can sometimes have a stroke-like episode called vestibular disease which can cause a head tilt. This would be unusual in a dog of his age though.

A tumor in the brain could cause a head tilt, but again this would be uncommon in a young dog.

If he is bright and alert and eating well it's probably ok to keep an eye on him for now. But, if he is not well or if this problem has been going on for a while then a vet visit is a good idea.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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