Head pressing is exactly what it sounds like: when a dog repeatedly presses its head against a wall or another object for no reason. There are a number of reasons for why a dog might feel a compulsion to press its head against objects, depending on the primary cause that is leading to this symptom. Your veterinarian will perform a physical exam and lab work. He doesn’t actually have to press his head against the wall for it to count as head pressing. Have you ever seen a dog or cat press their head against the wall? Is It Better Than Dehydrated Dog Food. A normally gentle dog may snap and bite at owners and anyone who comes near. Often times, it looks as if the animal has put themselves into “time out.” As adorable as it may be, it is often a sign that there is a serious medical condition that needs to be addressed. It almost always signifies significant illness. He'll press against you to have that tactile feeling of something safe and familiar, and seek comfort with the leader of his pack. If your pet has a neurological disease, it will need immediate treatment in the hope of avoiding permanent damage. Your veterinarian will also include a urine analysis (which may reveal a problem with the metabolic system), and tests for blood lead concentration (which can indicate toxins in the system). Possible causes may be a metabolic disorder, such as hyper or hyponatremia (too much, or too little sodium in the body’s blood plasma), a primary or secondary tumor (meaning a tumor located in the brain vs. a tumor located elsewhere in the body), or an infection of the nervous system, such as rabies or fungal infection. It may seem cute at first, but your dog’s habit of pressing his noggin’ against the wall is actually an alarming health issue. They may rub their eyes on the carpet. If you notice your dog pressing its head against walls, pacing or standing facing a corner for extended periods of time, contact the veterinarian immediately. If your dog is staring at the wall there are a number of possible reasons why, ranging from dog dementia to dog depression. Recognizing head pressing in dogs: Head pressing is a compulsive behavior. A type of abnormal behavior that dogs may display when they are ill is “head pressing.” When the dog stands near a wall or corner, hanging its head low, and not moving, it may be a sign that something is wrong their nervous system, according to Wag Walking. Head pressing is exactly what it sounds like: when a dog repeatedly presses its head against a wall or another object for no reason. It may seem cute at first, but your dog’s habit of pressing his noggin’ against the wall is actually an alarming health issue. Head pressing is a condition characterized by the compulsive act of pressing the head against a wall or other object for no apparent reason. While this may seem adorable to you, it is more often than not a sign of serious health-related concern. This is called “head pressing” and could be a big indicator of a serious underlying medical issue. It should be distinguished … The conditions specifically cause continuous periods of head pressing. Be prepared to give a detailed medical history of your pet, including any medications, surgical procedures, or recent visits at a kennel or pet hotel. If your pet presses it’s head against a wall or an object, it’s time to … Specific diseases require various methods of follow up care; however repeat neurological examinations to monitor progress are generally the main requirement. Causes. Head pressing is one of the biggest red flags that something is wrong. Symptoms and Types. Some will move along the length of a wall or piece of furniture until they reach a corner and become “stuck” with their head pressed against it. What Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food? Pressing the Head Against Objects in Dogs. The conditions specifically cause continuous periods of head pressing. Other causes can includ… If your dog is facing a wall and pressing its head on it, you need to call a vet and tell them what your dog is doing. The cause of head pressing in dogs can vary. Our Black and Tan Coonhound has a liver shunt. It’s called “head pressing” and could indicate a dangerous neurological condition in your dog or cat. Head pressing in dogs doesn’t need to literally mean a “dog head against wall.” The dog may head press into any solid object. Other symptoms that may accompany this include compulsive pacing and circling, changes in learned (trained) behavior, seizures, damaged reflexes, and visual problems. Some dogs become very aggressive as the fluid puts pressure on the brain. Care is dependent on the symptoms that appear and the diagnosis your veterinarian settles on. Our Black and Tan Coonhound has a liver shunt. If a dog is staring at the wall in a corner, its a sign that something could be wrong. “Head pressing is a condition characterized by the compulsive act of pressing the head against a wall or other object for no apparent reason. Other causes can include head trauma, such as from a car accident, or from exposure to toxins, such as lead. According to vet.cornell.edu, there is a wide range of reasons why a dog would be compelled to press its head against a hard surface. Gentle head butts are not the same, however. My Dog Is Staring At The Wall Or Head Pressing. Symptoms and Types. The same holds true for a dog staring at a wall – it could involve a dog staring at nothing. Head pressing in dogs have been observed by many veterinarians and the tests showed that this isn’t just a game your pet loves to play. It’s called “head pressing” and could indicate a dangerous neurological condition in your dog or cat. The act of head pressing is just one sign of prosencephalon disease, in which the forebrain and thalamus parts of the brain are affected. Dogs who are head pressing against a wall or other hard surface may also have a neck injury, disk herniation or brain tumor. This may include mentioning any kn… The act of head pressing is just one sign of prosencephalon disease, in which the forebrain and thalamus parts of the brain are affected. This generally indicates damage to the nervous system, which may result from a number of causes, including prosencephalon disease (in which the forebrain and thalamus parts of the brain are damaged), and some types of toxic poisoning. Head pressing is one of the biggest red flags that something is wrong. Access from your Country was disabled by the administrator. Some will move along the length of a wall or piece of furniture until they reach a corner and become “stuck” with their head pressed against … Pet owners who notice this behavior should immediately schedule a visit with a local veterinarian. www.dogster.com/dog-health-care/head-pressing-in-dogs, Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/83.0.4103.116 Safari/537.36. Head pressing is when your dog stands near a wall or in a corner, hanging his head low and not moving. When he has a "spell" he walks in circles, presses his head into the corner, and can't get comfortable. It kind of looks adorable, but it isn’t something that should be taken lightly. In addition to a dog pressing its head against a wall, a pet owner will observe the dog walking in circles, display vision problems, or forget learned behavior. According to the PetMD website, head pressing is defined as “the compulsive act of pressing the head against a wall or other object for no apparent reason.” Pressing the Head Against Objects in Dogs. Once recovered, dogs are back to normal, although some may retain a head tilt. Other symptoms that may accompany this include compulsive pacing and circling, changes in learned (trained) behavior, seizures, damaged reflexes, and visual problems. Head Pressing in Dogs – Meaning You might have noticed your four-legged pal pressing his head against stable objects (say, a wall). Head pressing is a veterinary condition characterized by pressing the head against a wall or pushing the face into a corner for no apparent reason. The head pressing is often the most notable behavior, but the pet might also show compulsive pacing, circling, changes in trained behavior, and even have seizures. Some pet parents even assume such behaviors to be a friendly head butt and overlook the issue. You should seek medical care for your pet right away to determine the cause of the head-pressing behavior. When he has a "spell" he walks in circles, presses his head into the corner, and can't get comfortable. The term “head pressing” is actually pretty descriptive—the affected pet stands close to a wall or other hard surface (furniture, the corner, etc) and literally presses the top of her head against it. The act of head pressing is just one sign of prosencephalon disease, in which the forebrain and thalamus parts of the brain are affected. A dog that falls asleep leaning their head against the wall is once more not a symptom of head pressing, and the head pressing tends to be repeated, prolonged, and a very active activity on the part of the dog, performed when they are awake and so, deliberately working their muscles to do it. Many dogs will press their head against walls or the floor hoping to relieve some of the pressure. All our pets have bizarre habits, but if you notice your little friend pressing its head against walls or other hard objects, it could indicate serious mental distress. It kind of looks adorable, but it isn’t something that should be taken lightly. The pet might even walk into a corner and seemingly not know how to get out. Read more for diagnosis and causes . The behavior is common in dogs and cats, but can also happen to cows, horses, and goats, among others. Head pressing is an alarming behavior and if you see your dog behaving this way it's important to see a vet immediately. Knowing that this is a neurological problem allows you to take quick action and possibly save your dog’s life. It is unfortunate dogs cannot tell us their head hurts, so instead, they might rub their head or hold their head against the wall, furniture, or even you for no apparent reason at all. The dog may become very inactive and refuse to participate in favorite activities. According to Pet MD, head pressing is "a condition characterized by the compulsive act of pressing the head against a wall or other object for no apparent reason." Remember that the tell-tale sign of a health problem is abnormal behavior. Cases of head pressing are always serious and require Veterinary attention; head pressing may be caused by infection, trauma, liver disease, poisoning, metabolic diseases, parasites, blood glucose imbalance among other causes. Love Me Some dogs are just snuggle-craving babies, and aren't suffering from any anxiety or feeling that they need to dominate you when they lean against you. Other likely tests are blood pressure measurements to test for high blood pressure, and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brain. If your dog walked over to a wall, pressed his head up against it and just stood there without moving, you might pass it off as a random oddity or your dog just being silly. | iHeartRadio However, head pressing in dogs is an unusual compulsive behavior that signals that something is physically wrong with your pup. Head pressing is typically a sign that something isn’t right with your dog’s nervous system. There are a number of reasons for why a dog might feel a compulsion to press its head against objects, depending on the primary cause that is leading to this symptom. But a dog head pressing … Gentle head butts are not the same, however. Be sure to let the veterinarian know if you suspect poisoning. Severe clinical signs will require hospitalization and immediate treatment. Some of these symptoms may lead to lesions, for example, sores on the feet as a result of compulsive pacing, or injuries to the face and head as a result of pressing the head against a surface for long periods of time. You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health, the onset of symptoms, and possible incidents that might have preceded this condition. The act of head pressing is just one sign of prosencephalon disease, in which the forebrain and thalamus parts of the brain are affected. The dog will push his or her head against an object for an extended period of time, or over and over again. This can happen in both farm animals and household pets like cats and dogs, and if you see your pet doing it, it could be a sign that something is seriously wrong. It would be best to have Bimbi examined by his Veterinarian for a neurological examination and possibly some blood tests. This condition can affect dogs of any breed or age-range. Head pressing is usually a sign of a neurological disorder, especially of the forebrain, or of toxicity due to liver damage, such as portosystemic shunt and hepatic encephalopathy. Different causes require different treatment, and no drugs or therapies should be administered until a diagnosis has been reached. Head pressing could be a sign of brain diseases, toxic poisoning, tumors, or strokes, according to Dog Heirs. If his head pressing is determined to be metabolic, it could be hyper or hyponatremia, which is a condition that means he is either lacking or has excess sodium in his blood. Low or high levels of sodium in the blood, a head injury, toxicity, or rabies are common causes of head pressing in dogs. Head pressing could be a sign of brain diseases, toxic poisoning, tumors, or strokes, according to Dog Heirs. Head pressing is a veterinary condition characterized by pressing the head against a wall or pushing the face into a corner for no apparent reason. “Head pressing is a condition characterized by the compulsive act of pressing the head against a wall or other object for no apparent reason“ – petMD There are many conditions that can cause this to happen but the most widely recognized is hepatic encephalopathy. Head pressing is when an animal presses it’s face up against or close to a wall, other hard surface, or in a corner while standing perfectly still. This behaviour of the dog indicates that there is a problem with his nervous system which means a disease or an injury. Head pressing in dogs have been observed by many veterinarians and the tests showed that this isn’t just a game your pet loves to play. A dog may start pressing its head against objects for prolonged periods of time if it has too much or too little sodium in its bloodstream, conditions known respectively as hyper or hyponatremia. Possible causes may be a metabolic disorder, such as hyper or hyponatremia (too much, or too little sodium in the body’s blood plasma), a primary or secondary tumor (meaning a tumor located in the brain vs. a tumor located elsewhere in the body), or an infection of the nervous system, such as rabies or fungal infection. It might look silly, but it's actually a sign of a very big problem. Recognizing head pressing in dogs: Head pressing is a compulsive behavior. Have you ever seen a dog or cat press their head against the wall? This condition is seen in dogs, cats, cows, horses, and goats. If your dog walked over to a wall, pressed his head up against it and just stood there without moving, you might pass it off as a random oddity … Causes. The dog will push his or her head against an object for an extended period of time, or over and over again. It can be a metabolic or neurological illness that is causing your dog to randomly walk up to a wall and push his head against it. One primary diagnostic procedure in cases of head pressing includes a fundic examination of the retina and other structures in the back of the eye, which may indicate infectious or inflammatory diseases, as well as irregularities in the brain. If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue. 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