There are many reasons why your dog will scratch its ears and shake their head. One of the reasons is that your dog could be scratching their ear or shaking their head as part of dog normal behavior.
If your dog shakes its head once or twice or scratches their ear once or twice, then you have nothing to be concerned about. However, if your dog shakes their head or scratches their ears a lot and vigorously, then there could be an underlying problem.
Ear Infection
If your dog is persistently shaking their head and scratching their ears, the reason could be an ear infection. Bacterial or yeast infection in the ears is a common condition that can make your dog shake their head persistently.
Bacterial and yeast infections of the ear usually affect the skin lining the inside of the ear canals. This is because the shape of the ear canal allows moisture in and traps germs. A good example is Spaniels which have a closed lid over the ear canal which provides a great environment for germs to breed.
If your dog has been shaking their head excessively, check inside the ears for swelling, discharge, or redness. If infected, then the reason why your dog is shaking their head or scratching their ears is to get rid of the discharge from the infection. They also do so to get rid of the itching.
Generally, the symptoms of ear infection are:
Bloody, brown or yellow discharge
Rubbing or pawing at the ear
Redness in the ear
Odor in the ear
If you find your dog has a bacterial or yeast infection, the best course of action is to take your dog to the vet. This is because some ear infections are too deep inside the ears to see visually. At the vet’s clinic, he will thoroughly clean your dog’s ears using a medicated cleanser. This cleanser will help to kill the yeast and bacterial infection.
After the appointment, the vet will give you a prescription ear cleaner and topical medication. This will allow you to treat the infection while at home. If the infection has already affected other areas of the skin, the vet will recommend tablets or injectable medications.
Injecting the drugs ensures they travel in the bloodstream and reach more areas of your dog’s body.
Skin Allergy
Skin allergies are among the most common conditions that lead to head shaking and ear scratching in dogs. Individual dogs can be allergic to ingredients in their food. For example, your dog is allergic to an ingredient in his food. When he consumes the food, his body will misidentify that protein as an invading microorganism.
In turn, his immune system will launch a response against it. The result will be inflammation. This is beneficial in controlling parasitism or infectious disease. In a review of more than 278 cases, researchers found the following ingredients to blame for allergies:
Beef
Dairy
Chicken
Wheat
Lamb
Egg
Corn
Soy
Rice
Pork
Fish
Most food allergies have one of the following symptoms:
Itching – localized to the face or hind end
Gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting or diarrhea
Ear infections
Besides food, you also have triggers in the environment such as dust, mold spores, pollen, or storage mites. Symptoms of allergies include:
Hair loss
Itchy skin
Scratching at the ears
Chewing on the feet
Head shaking
Rubbing at the face
Recurrent ear infections
To diagnose a food allergy, put your dog on a diet containing a single carbohydrate. A good example is potato or rice. You should also include a single source of protein that you’ve never fed your dog such as duck. If your dog eats the food and the symptoms disappear, then the issue was a food allergy.
When it comes to environmental allergies, it’s best to diagnose them through intradermal skin testing. However, the vet may also recommend blood testing for some dogs.
Ear Mite Infestation
Ear mite infestations are usually not as common as ear infections, especially in adult dogs. However, if your dog has an ear mite infestation, it can have similar symptoms to ear infections. You may notice:
Discharge
Swelling
Redness in the ears
Your dog may also shake their head persistently or scratch their ears to relieve the symptoms.
Ear mites in puppies and adult dogs may not be as deadly as heartworms or ticks. However, they can still make life very unpleasant for your dog. These tiny parasites usually feed on oils and wax in the dog’s ear canals. The result is scratching ears or head shaking.
Besides head shaking and ear scratching, you may notice a dark and waxy ear discharge or an unpleasant odor from the ears.
If you think ear mite infestation is the reason for head shaking, take your dog to the vet. Since the mites are very small, the vet will use an otoscope or microscope to spot the infestation. To prevent ear mites in dogs, prevention is better. However, to treat the infestation, the vet will recommend medication.
Besides giving your dog medication, keep your furry friend away from other animals with ear mites. Wash your dog’s toys and bedding in hot water. After washing your dog’s bedding, give it a turn in a tumble dryer. This will get rid of any pesky mites hanging on the fibers.
Grass Seeds
If you live in the countryside and take your dog for walks, it’s common for grass seeds to find their way down the ear canal. This is because the shape of the dog’s canal is vertical and then bends at a 90-degree angle before joining a sideways tube. Due to this design, grass seeds and other stuff can get lodged inside.
If a foreign body like grass seeds finds their way into the dog’s ear canal, take your dog to the vet. The vet will use an otoscope, a handheld torch with a funnel, and magnifying lens. Using a special pair of long-grabbing forceps, the vet will remove the grass seeds and foreign objects in the dog’s ear canal.
However, some dogs may need general anesthetic to allow the examination and removal of grass seeds and other foreign objects. Thanks to sedation, the vet can carry out the examination and removal of grass seeds safely.
After the removal of the foreign objects, the vet will recommend antibiotics and pain medications. This will help combat any bacterial infection and pain.
Water
Besides infections and infestations, your dog may be shaking his head after swimming or bathing. The reason why your dog is shaking their head is that they have water in its ears. To prevent the water from getting into your dog’s ears, use cotton balls. Before bathing your dog, avoid pouring water directly over your dog’s head.
Instead, use a damp washcloth to wash your dog’s head and face. If your dog doesn’t like having cotton balls in their ears while bathing or swimming, ask your vet for recommendations. He will advise you on products that will dry out your dog’s ears afterward.
Avoid spraying or dumping water directly on your dog’s head. Instead, bathe your dog from the neck down and wipe down his ears and face. Water clogging up the dog’s ears can result in an ear infection.
If your dog ends up with an ear infection caused by a bacteria or fungus due to water lodged in the ear, take the dog to your vet for treatment.
Remedies For Itchy Ears
The following are remedies for itchy ears in dogs.
Topical Treatments
You can find a good number of natural commercial products from your local pet supply and health food stores. These topical treatments alter the pH of your dog’s ears helping to combat bacterial and yeast infections. You can prepare a simple ear cleaner at home that will help to correct the pH and kill germs residing there.
All you need is a cup of lukewarm water and two tablespoons of one or more of:
Plantain tincture
Apple cider
Hydrogen peroxide
This mixture is useful in wiping out excess debris from the visible areas of your dog’s ears. You can use the topical treatment routinely or on an as-needed basis. Simply soak a cotton ball and gently wipe out the excess wax and buildup.
When applying the treatment, make sure that you do not push anything into the ear canal. In fact, you should not push anything beyond the visible outer folds of the ear. Doing so can cause painful damage to the delicate parts of the ear.
You also need to avoid Q tips or anything else to poke inside the ear canal. Besides the homemade topical treatment, you can also use calendula lotion or mullein oil. Calendula lotion is an excellent topical treatment that you can apply to the dog ears. Mullein oil is also an excellent treatment for basic ear infections.
Clean Your Dog
Regular cleaning of your dog’s ears is not necessary. In fact, if you leave healthy dog ears alone and not clean them will ensure the right pH level remains. However, some dogs with chronic issues will require occasional cleaning. This helps to remove wax and debris.
If using a specially formulated drying product, you can eliminate excess moisture from the ears. This is important after bathing or taking your dog swimming. If you discover minor amounts of debris in the dog’s ears, use clean and dry cotton balls. This is the best solution for maintaining dog ears that do not have a deep-seated infection or problem.
Remember, when cleaning dog ears, do not attempt to go beyond the visible areas.
Essential Oils
Another home remedy that you can prepare at home to treat your dog’s ear infection is using a combination of essential oils. Basically, you need to dilute distilled water and colloidal silver or green tea. This remedy helps to reduce inflammation and get rid of bacterial and yeast infections.
To prepare the remedy, simply add 5 drops of lavender essential oil, and 5 drops of copaiba essential oil. Then add 5 drops of frankincense essential oil, and 1 tablespoon of colloidal silver. Add the mixture to a 10-ounce spray bottle before topping it off with distilled water or cooled green tea.
Why green tea? It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that can fight the bacterial infections. To treat the infection, spray the mixture on the ear flap and folds, two to three times a day. Repeat until you resolve the ear infection.
Do not forget to clean the waxy debris before applying the home remedy. Doing so will enable you to treat the ear infection faster. After repeated applications and you notice that the infection is not going away, seek the advice of your vet.
Sweet Potato and Fish Diet
A sweet potato and fish diet can help your itchy dog. Experts recommend fish as part of a dog’s diet, especially for those with food allergies. Most dogs with food allergies are allergic to proteins found in dog foods such as beef, chicken, and turkey.
Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can help decrease inflammation in the skin. Sweet potatoes are ideal for dogs with gluten and wheat allergies or sensitivities.
They are rich in carbs that dogs need in their diets. By adding sweet potatoes to your dog’s diet, you ensure they get the right nutrients. If you are planning on switching to the sweet potato and fish diet, we recommend salmon and sweet potatoes. We also recommend buying commercial dog food with sweet potatoes and fish.
Final Thoughts
If your dog shakes their head or scratches their ears, your furry friend could be suffering from an ear infection or infestation. To combat the bacterial and fungi affecting your dog’s ears, we recommend trying some of the home remedies above. Keep in mind that healing takes time. If the infection or infestation persists, seek the advice of your vet.