What should I do if my dog keeps shaking its head and flicking its ears?

Dog shaking its head and flicking its ears repeatedly may be caused by various reasons, such as ear mite infection, skin disease, itchy skin in a certain part of the head, foreign objects in the ears, or water in the ears that cause discomfort. It is advised to take your dog to a pet hospital for a diagnosis and then treat it accordingly based on the examination results.

Ear mite infection

After being infected with ear mites, dogs will experience severe itching, leading to the symptoms of constantly shaking their heads and flicking their ears. Carefully examine your dog's ears, and if you find black or brown secretions, red spots, hair loss, and a foul smell in the ear canal, your dog may have an ear mite infection. In this case, promptly use pet-specific ear cleaning solutions and ear mite medications.

Note: Ear mites are contagious, so if you have multiple animals at home, isolate the infected dog and thoroughly disinfect the surroundings.

Skin disease infection

If your dog's ears are very clean and they still constantly shake their head and flick their ears, it may be due to a skin disease causing itching on a certain part of the head. Carefully examine your dog's head to see if there are signs of ringworm or hyperkeratosis around the ear tips. If scales appear and your dog frequently scratches itself, it is likely a fungal skin disease caused by yeast, and you should consult a pet doctor for medication treatment.

Foreign object stimulation

If your dog suddenly starts shaking its head and flicking its ears, it may be due to a foreign object in the ear or water in the ear that irritates the ear canal, causing itching. In this case, your dog will constantly shake its head and try to flick out the foreign object or water. You should promptly consult a pet doctor and choose an appropriate method to clean the foreign object or water in your dog's ears.