Senior Australian Shepherd Pressing Head on Wall: Neurological Concern?
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Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats, 5 dogs, and garden!
The Question
I've noticed Sadie standing in the corner of the room pressing her forehead against the wall for several minutes at a time. She's done this 4 times today. She also seems a bit disoriented and walked past her food bowl like she didn't see it this morning. Is this something neurological? Should I bring her in urgently?
Quick Info about Sadie
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Andrea, Yes, this does sound like a neurological issue, and at Sadie’s age, I’m afraid my number one concern would be a brain tumor. Head pressing usually indicates a problem of the forebrain, and you need to get Sadie to the vet urgently. There are other causes of head pressing, including inflammatory conditions, toxins, and metabolic disorders, and the sooner she is evaluated, the better. If at any stage you’d like to talk to a vet for more advice, you can head to Pangovet.com to make an online appointment, but for now, Sadie needs to be examined. Good luck, Dr Karyn