Head pressing

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

• Bovine malignant catarrhal fever
• Canine brain tumors

References

1. 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 978-1-118-65056-1.
6. Gilberd, Mark (2005). Natural Remedies For Sheep. Mark Gilberd. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-9775330-2-2.