Although it is difficult to verify that a dog suffers migraines, animals share with us many conditions and among them are that dogs can have headaches, which can be a symptom of several pathologies.
A dog can’t tell us that his head hurts, but he does feel pain. We can observe your behavior for signs of pain or discomfort to know if it can be related to your head.
If you have repeatedly observed signs that correspond to a headache, The best thing to do is go to the vet to find out what is causing this pain. in your pet
Can dogs have headaches like humans?
It is thought that like dogs – and other animals – suffer from the same diseases as humans, which cause headaches, dogs can also suffer.
When our head hurts, we have symptoms other than pain. These signs seem to occur also in dogs:
- Photophobia and phonophobia. Sensitivity to lights and sounds.
- They narrow their eyes.
- They are silent.
- Hyperreactivity. They overreact when you touch them, especially on the head or neck.
- They are more irritable and scary.
- They shake their heads a lot and keep it low. They can stick their heads to a wall as if to relieve the pressure.
- They hide.
- They can vomit.
- Apathy.
- Little coordinated movements or clumsy
Pain is something more subjective. It depends on each individual, but in each animal species there are certain behaviors (postures, gestures, sounds …) that indicate pain. Surely if you live with an animal for a long time you can identify when it suffers pain.
Pathologies that cause this symptom
Certain diseases and diseases present with headaches or similar symptoms, which does not necessarily mean that if you think your dog has a headache, he may be suffering from some of these problems:
- Encephalitis. It is the inflammation of the brain and is due to an infection; It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or certain protozoa.
- Granulomatous meningoencephalitis. It is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system and can be fatal.
- Brain tumors.
- Sinus infections
- Glaucoma.
- Epilepsy.
These diseases can cause more or less regular headaches, but it is also believed in the possibility of suffering small headaches or migraines associated with stress, neck pulls, head or neck bumps, allergies, hormonal changes, prolonged fasting, intense physical activity, heat stroke, dental problems, bone …
If you suspect headaches, go to the vet
As you have seen, the headache can hide very serious pathologies, so It is recommended that if you have been observing apparent signs of headache for a while, go to the veterinarian to perform a thorough examination of your dog.
In the vet they can do several tests to rule out diseases: rapid tests, blood tests, x-rays to rule out injuries or a neurological exam, among others.
It is very useful to be able to provide information related to the headache so that the veterinarian can make a reliable diagnosis. For example: when did the symptoms begin? How often does the dog have a headache? Have you suffered a blow recently?
If the origin of the headache is in a disease, it is best to treat it as soon as possible. If, on the contrary, it is not the product of any disease, but something environmental or trauma, finding out the cause will eliminate the symptom.
Sometimes headache triggers are environmental: food, chemicals, sources of stress … and just find them and eliminate them so that the pain disappears.
Dogs may have headaches, even if they are not as obvious as in humans. If you suspect this, it is best to act quickly before the problem gets worse.
When people feel pain, it is easy to identify it. In a dog it is more difficult. In a dog it is not easy to express that the dog is sore Read more “