A bit on the side

My dog has developed a habit of holding his head to one side. There doesn’t seem to be any problem with his ears so should I take him to the vet?

Head tilt is most commonly caused by some abnormality of those portions of the inner ear, nerves and brain that help the body maintain balance. The middle and inner ear are located within the bones of the skull so you might not see any change in the condition of the external ear canal. The most common causes of head tilt are middle or inner ear infection, or an infection or inflammation of the brain. Some dogs develop a temporary head tilt, sometimes called old dog vestibular disease or idiopathic vestibular disease. The cause is unknown though some vets believe it may be associated with a minor stroke. It can occur quite suddenly and be accompanied by vomiting. In cases of idiopathic vestibular disease the head tilt will normally resolve spontaneously, given time, without treatment.

Brain diseases responsible for balance centre dysfunction include tumours (including cancers), injury, inflammation, stroke and adverse drug reactions. Dogs receiving an antibiotic called metronidazole can develop the condition but will recover within days of stopping medication. Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible because unless your vet determines otherwise, head tilt could be a sign of something more serious. TB