My dog shakes head, licks paws, scratches face. Should I worry?

Oh dear, poor Deja! Head shaking in dogs occurs most commonly due to an ear infection (which is often the result of underlying allergies). Similarly, licking and itching can occur due to allergies, the onset of a skin infection, due to external parasites (fleas or mites), or endocrine issues (hypothyroidism is one example). Deja's increased water intake could be due to a number of other issues, including a urinary tract infection, kidney disease, diabetes, a pyometra (uterine infection), or Cushing's disease, among others. At this point, it would be best to take Deja to her vet for further evaluation. Her vet will be able to perform a physical exam, evaluate any ear discharge under a microscope, and perform blood testing to get to the bottom of these issues. In order to decide how to treat Deja, you first need to determine the cause of her itching and increased water consumption. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry that Jax is having this issue. My recommendation is that you take him to a vet as soon as possible for an exam. Unfortunately his symptoms are too vague for me to pinpoint what may be the underlying cause of his illness. He could certainly have an ear infection or a foreign body inside his ear canal. He could also have a problem with the nerve(s) that run through the ear and innervate the head/mouth/tongue. He needs to have an exam in person by a vet so you can get to the bottom of his issue and so he can get the proper treatment. There is nothing I can recommend you do other than that at this stage with just the information you provided. Hope this helps to give you some direction. Best wishes.

The tuffed hair is interesting and the fact that he is restless. I would be suspicious of fleas, skin mites or perhaps allergies causing him to be itchy and that's why he won;t settle down. I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian to get the most accurate and fastest diagnosis. They can also provide medication like Apoquel or Cytopoint to help with itching quickly. I hope this helps.

It’s possible his anal glands are full/uncomfortable. If they are bulging on either side of his anus when you palapate from the outside, then that definitely could be the case. I recommend bringing him to your vet for a rectal exam/anal gland expression and to check his ears. He likely will need and ear cleaner and a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal/antiyeast ointment such as otomax/kometamax/posatex if he has an ear infection. A few days of an allergy medication called Apoquel may help as well. Good luck!

I am sorry to hear about Alfie! Shaking and inability to sit still/get comfortable easily can be a sign of pain/discomfort so I would recommend a visit to his veterinarian for an exam. It is possible he could have some musculoskeletal pain, pain from the anal glands, or pain/irritation of the skin if his itching issue hasn't been treated. The vet can perform a good physical examination on him to help determine what is causing his discomfort and treat it appropriately.

I can understand being worried about Buddy. It sounds like there are a few things going on with him. Constantly licking his paws could be due to something such as allergies, an injury, infection, parasites, anxiety, or even boredom. The heavy panting could be due to heat, pain, or a severe medical problem like heart disease. I'm not sure how old he is, but heart disease can be a common problem in older dogs, and when the heart isn't pumping properly due to heart disease, it leads to fluid build up in the lungs, consequently leading to panting. Without seeing him in person, I can't say what is going on for sure with him, but I agree it does sound worrying. I think it's best you have him seen by a vet now for a health check to be safe. Best of luck.

It sounds like your dog should be seen by a vet for a thorough examination to determine the cause. I am concerned that he looks like he is ready to pass out so please call your vet or go to an emergency clinic. It could be caused by pain, parasites, metabolic/endocrine disease, infection, etc. and your vet can do a workup to diagnose and then determine what treatment is needed.