Head pressing

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For the human practice of affection, see Touching heads.

Head pressing is a veterinary condition characterized by pressing the head against a wall or pushing the face into a corner for no apparent reason.[1] This condition is seen in dogs, cats, cows, horses, and goats. Head pressing is usually a sign of a neurological disorder, especially of the forebrain (e.g., prosencephalon disease),[1] or of toxicity due to liver damage, such as portosystemic shunt and hepatic encephalopathy.[2]

It should be distinguished from bunting, which is a normal behavior found in healthy animals.

Possible causes[]

  • Prosencephalon disease
  • Liver shunt
  • Brain tumor
  • Metabolic disorder (e.g., hyponatremia or hyperatremia)
  • Stroke
  • Infection of the nervous system (rabies, parasites, bacterial, viral or fungal infection)
  • Head trauma[3]

Liver neurotoxicity[]

A liver shunt is a congenital or acquired condition that may lead to toxicity and head pressing. Additional symptoms include drooling and slow maturation early in development. Middle-aged and older animals more commonly suffer from liver cirrhosis than younger animals.[4]

Viral causes[]

Several viruses that cause encephalitis or meningoencephalitis can lead to the neurological sign of head pressing, such as eastern equine encephalitis and bovine herpesvirus 5.[5][6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b de Cardenas, Cecilia (5 November 2008). "Head Pressing in Dogs". petMD. Chewy. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  2. ^ Faerber, Cody W.; Durrant, S. Mario; Fishman Leon, Jane (2004). Canine Medicine and Disease Prevention (5th ed.). Animal Health Publications. ISBN 978-0-9701159-1-1.
  3. ^ "Dogs Who Head Press Should See A Vet ASAP. Recognizing This Behavior Could Save Your Dog's Life". DogHeirs. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Cirrhosis in Dogs". Pet Health Network. IDEXX Laboratories. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  5. ^ Hostetler, Douglas E. (2013). "Nervous System". In McVey, D. Scott; Kennedy, Melissa; Chengappa, M. M. (eds.). Veterinary Microbiology (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. p. 573. ISBN 1-118-65056-5.
  6. ^ Gilberd, Mark (2005). Natural Remedies For Sheep. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-9775330-2-2.


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