Dogs Head Pressing Is A Medical Emergency

If you see your cat or dog do this, it’s not trying to be cute or funny. This is called “head pressing” and is usually a sign of a critical medical condition.

When a dog or cat owner initially sees this behavior, they may not know how to interpret it. At first, without knowledge of the potential underlying meaning of Head Pressing, the owner may be inclined to think that their precious friend is just being silly, or playful. That is usually not the case, and that is why it is so critical to be able to recognize this behavior for what it is. So the question is, what conditions could this potentially indicate? The answer isn’t a simple one, but here are some of the potential causes of Head Pressing:

1. Tumors located near the skull and brain of the animal.
2. Toxins being introduced into the system (Lead, for example).
3. A Metabolic disorder.
4. Acute Head Trauma.
5. Stroke.
6. Prosencephalon Disease (An Illness That Affects The Brain).

From the severity of these potential causes, you can see why it is incredibly crucial to get your animal to a Veterinarian immediately. Most of these causes affect the animal neurologically. That being said, while head pressing may be one of the most blatant symptoms, a pet owner should also be aware of other behaviors that could indicate these serious underlying issues, such as:

1. Walking In Circles
2. Pacing Around Anxiously and Aimlessly
3. Seizures
4. Irregular Reflexes
5. Visual Impairment

Please keep all of these symptoms in mind, and never try to diagnose your pet yourself. Seek professional attention. This is yet another reason to ensure the you have Pet Insurance. Having Pet Insurance can often greatly reduce the amount of out of pocket expense that you will incur in trying to treat your pet. Additionally, having the insurance will also make it easier to make the decision to have the tests performed without having to consider the financial ramifications. Not that we like putting a price on our pet, but it is comforting to know that there is a financial cushion if an emergency occurs.