Signs of head trauma in puppies professional#

In some cases, the dog will not display any symptoms. “If your pet has a normal level of consciousness and he’s OK, just a little shocked by what happened,” monitor him for any of the signs listed above, McCue says. The first thing to do in the case of any trauma your dog experiences is to stop whatever activity he/she is involved in and get to a calm, cool place. “It looks like dogs are repeatedly following a train or car passing by very quickly.” If you observe any of these symptoms or other unusual behaviors following a traumatic event, prompt medical attention is strongly recommended. “Owners might pick up on rapid side-to-side or up-and-down movements of the eyes,” he says. “So the animal will look dull or sedated and is not interacting and not responsive to us after a head injury.” Another symptom that requires close attention is abnormal ocular reflexes. “The most common sign we see, just like in people, is a depressed level of consciousness,” explains McCue. “If one is a pinpoint and the other is larger, and the dog has experienced some form of trauma, that’s kind of a red flag that the dog may have a concussion,” Klein says.Įven if your dog’s pupils and movement are normal, there are other signs that he or she may be suffering from a concussion. But subtler signs can include problems balancing or walking, vomiting, or a condition called anisocoria, where pupils are different sizes. The first and most urgent of these is consciousness-if your dog has lost consciousness, there’s no time to waste in getting him medical attention. So you look for tangible things that are apparent.” You can’t ask them what year it is, what their name is, and things like that. Obviously, Klein notes, “you can’t do that with an animal.

Signs of head trauma in puppies professional#

When a human experiences head trauma, a medical professional will initially ask questions to check memory and brain function. Sometimes they’re dropped, and that’s the source of their head trauma,” he says, adding that small dogs can also be more easily injured by roughhousing in the dog park-particularly if they’re tangling with a much bigger dog.Īnother factor to take into account is dog breed: while all dogs can get concussions, Klein warns that dome-headed, toy breeds like Chihuahuas could be more prone to concussion due to open fontanelles or moleras, which are holes in the skull where bones have not fused together. McCue notes that while larger dogs may spend more time outdoors, in dog parks and near roadways, small dogs are equally susceptible to concussions.

Concussions typically result from “blunt injuries,” Klein says, though some are caused by attacks from another animal, when a dog might be shaken or thrown to the ground. Though car accidents are the most frequent cause of concussion, Klein and McCue have seen a range of others, like falling from a porch or deck, colliding with other dogs or trees, getting kicked by large farm animals, or accidentally getting hit with a baseball bat or falling debris. “Especially in an urban area, this is just another reason for folks to keep their animals on leash or somewhat confined and not out or unsupervised around roadways.” John McCue, veterinary specialist in internal medicine and neurology at the Animal Medical Center of New York City. “For dogs, like people, a really common cause of concussion is vehicle accidents,” explains Dr. So what are the signs a dog is suffering a concussion? What can cause it? And what do we do about it? We spoke with a few experts to get the lowdown on concussions in our canine companions. Head injuries in dogs can be less obvious than in humans, however, for the simple reason that dogs can’t talk to us. “All dogs are susceptible, depending on experience.”

Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer with the American Kennel Club and emergency department head emeritus at MedVet Chicago. “Dogs can get concussions because they can get traumatic injury to the brain,” explains Dr.

But any one of us is at risk for a concussion, including our canine friends. Football players, for example, frequently suffer this type of traumatic brain injury. When we hear the term “concussion,” many of us automatically think of athletes.