Head Shaking > Alergies? > Food?

[Dana]

LOVED Dr. Basko's empowerhour on 5/4/20!
I am wondering if there is a food that I can give Murphy that will help the head shaking issue? His ears are warm and moist (not wet). There is 0 discharge and they are very clean.

 

[Dr. Christina]

While I am not well versed in Chinese Food Therapy, Dana, I do know that, like all holistic approaches, the best treatments are tailored to the totality of symptoms. Ten dogs with Murphy's head shaking issues may each need different foods as one may be a "hot" dog, one may be "chilly", one may be yin and another yang, etc.

A deeper question is why does Murphy shake his head if the ears are normal? What triggers the shaking? When does it happen? Does it bother him or is it actually normal for him? Has he always done it?

Those answers may help direct your treatment. I have certainly tried many different food approaches for my many minor health issues - giving each at least 6 months to see what is best. His book is excellent, as is Cheryl Schwartz's 4 paws, 5 directions. And Dr. Basko does consults as well.

Dr. Christina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

I agree with Dr. Christina that the choice of foods needs to be based on the totality of symptoms.

Dr. Basko's email reply to your question said the same thing. Food choice may not be useful for his head shaking.

However, this would be a useful avenue to pursue regarding decreasing allergic triggers and "eating right for his type".

A phone consultation with Dr. Basko could be helpful.

Contact

Contact

www.drbasko.com

 

[Dana]

Thank you Christina & Jeff... I think a consult with Dr. Basko would be very interesting... to answer Christina's questions. Murphy, now 14 months, has been shaking his head mostly in the mornings since I brought him home at 9 weeks. He has stopped the behavior on a few occasions briefly after remedies? It does not seem to bother him, it bothers me
I have read Dr.Schwartz book.

 

[Dana]

Here we are 5 months later and Murphy is still shaking his head excessively... This morning it was so bad that I thought for sure he had a tick which I spent almost an hour looking for... no tick. Today the right ear seems worse. Previously it has been the left ear and occasionally the left elbow itches.
He has also started to have the greenish goo in his eyes again.
His appetite is off. He will no longer eat turkey (add this to the list; no rabbit, fish or pork) He likes duck but often does not finish.
His Behavior is exemplary, his Energy is excellent, his Appetite not so good and his Mood is good. Help please!

 

[lizkunz]

Hi Dana, I started to put Bentonite Clay in my dogs food. Ernie was getting a little itchy. Didn't cause any problems except sometimes he would get some knots. But no noticeable skin issues. I was also trying to detox him. A few weeks in his biting is significantly better. No more knots! I'm hoping there are other benefits. I'm hoping it will be beneficial for the ears. Drs is there any downside to Bentonite Clay? Might this help Murphy?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for the suggestion Liz.

Yes, it could be helpful by supporting his body's own detox process and healing.

However, I don't think supporting his own healing will be enough to help quickly. Maybe over time (years).

But no Liz, there is no downside except for the food palatability issue. He may not eat his food with the clay mixed in.

In a young and vital dog like Murphy I would have expected him to re-balance on his own, stimulated by homeopathy, by now.

Dana, it's a looongshot but there's a blood test you may want to try. That's for sarcoptes scabiei (a kind of mange that can take many forms).

Assuming that's negative, MoringaPet Balance supplement may help his physiologic balance and microbiome:

MoringaPet Balance-Discontinued - HomeVet

MoringaPet™ BALANCE provides nutritional support to all pets using the power of nutrient-dense, full-spectrum Moringa Oleifera. It can help optimize their digestive and immune systems to support your pets’ natural healing mechanisms. Crafted using nutrient-dense superfoods and...

www.homevet.com

One other whacko thought Dana is a negative ion generator. One thing I'm studying is a possible direct effect between negative ions and vitality.

If the negative ions help increase his vitality, improvement of his balance should follow.

Amazon.com: IonPacific ionbox, Negative Ion Generator with Highest Output - Up to 20 Million Negative Ions/Sec, Filterless Mobile Ionizer & Travel Air Purifier USB, Eliminates: Pollutants, Allergens, Mold, Germs: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: IonPacific ionbox, Negative Ion Generator with Highest Output - Up to 20 Million Negative Ions/Sec, Filterless Mobile Ionizer & Travel Air Purifier USB, Eliminates: Pollutants, Allergens, Mold, Germs: Kitchen & Dining

www.amazon.com

One other tool to try is the PEMF of the Assisi Loop (around his head like a halo):

Home - Assisi Animal Health

assisianimalhealth.com

 

[jsqueglia]

Hi Dana,
You are not alone. I too am dealing w/a 1 1/2 yr old Australian Shepherd w/ the elbow itching, head shaking etc..
Last November my American Eskimo started w/itchy elbows, not eating well and started to get itchy from his belly to his feet. I strongly suspected Sarcoptic Mange due to fox activity in close proximity to our house. (Foxes appear to be living elsewhere at this point.) Somewhere in this forum at the time I posted about using an herbal dip called Mite Avenge by Happy Dog Naturals. I treated all 4 dogs several times. No small feat w/ 2 Am. Eskimos and 2 Australian Shepherds. A lot of hair! I did not shave them as Happy Dog suggested.
Fast forward...there was a period of time probably late winter - early summer that all were doing really well.
I also used remedies on all dogs, that were specific to each dog, and remedies that I chose after LOTS of research in the Repertory(s) and the Materia Medica.
The original itchy Eskimo was also given Chinese Herbals by our vet who is very skilled in TCVM. The herbals were given a period of time after the remedy. I did not use both at the same time. He cleared up beautifully and when he is on the herbals...HE EATS!!!
Fast forward again...during the humid summer all dogs started to itch, again primarily belly down to the feet...back to Mite Avenge dips.
There is also a product I found made by Mendota Pet. DERMagic Skin Care lotion. Great for yeasty dogs and Mites etc.
The young Aussie at this point(late summer) was a mess his belly itchy and yeasty( or is mitey??? looking)...I gobbed on the lotion and then bathed w/Neem and sulphur soap followed by Mite Avenge.... 3 or 4 weeks ago the vet gave each of 3 dogs the appropriate Chinese Herbals and we are starting to see less and less itching but the question remains... What are we dealing with??? @Dr.Jeff what is the blood test you mentioned for Sarcoptes scabiei??
I have had dogs my whole life and have NEVER had skin issues or ear issues. Mites and yeast can go hand in hand... I feel like my dogs are pretty balanced overall. I feed raw and a variety of things, probiotics, and I switch up my supplements, monitor any stress in household dynamics and make sure they are exercised, get a lot of sniff time. All dogs have GREAT B.E.A.M. and the 1 Eskimo now back on his herbal is eating super well.
This mornings head shaking bout I did the same thing... I was convinced it was a tick...no tick. I finally itched his ear with a Q-Tip and it seemed to stopped. And like Murphy his ears are spotless! Nothing comes out on the Q-Tip.
I have wondered about molds in my environment as well but having dealt with the Walking dandruff mites several years back I am well aware of mites in general and a mite of some kind has remained in the back of my mind as a cause. This time around I definitely don't have the Walking dandruff mite but I too am stumped.
I apologize for the long post but Dana I wanted you to know that you are not alone. Hoping Dr Jeff can tell us more about the blood test for Sarcoptes scabiei.
Thanks in Advance,
Jackie

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for your great detailed post Jackie!

The Sarcoptes blood test is run through Idexx. It's sensitivity for cases that have gone on for ~5weeks or more.

The test has false positives for dogs with dust mite allergy.

AArchie was exposed to a dog with sarcoptic mange, and his itch level and ear problems increased to 8/10. He itched all the time except when in bed or if he was asleep (thankfully). BTW-better in bed is a useful homeopathic modality.

His first Lyme Sulfur dip decreased his itch to 4/10!

Six of these dips, once/week, along with homeopathy, and immune boosting is very effective.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

@Dana,

How about trying some negative ion therapy for his itchy ears?

You'd do this by holding an IonBox for 30 minutes about 1 foot from both ears (one at a time).

The Technology - IonPacific

ionbox.net

Try this twice/day for a week.

Another possibility is to put the unit near wherever he is sleeping (at anytime).

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Oh, and here's another article discussing more natural sources and health benefits of negative ions:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213340/pdf/ijms-19-02966.pdf

 

[Dana]

Hi Dana,
You are not alone. I too am dealing w/a 1 1/2 yr old Australian Shepherd w/ the elbow itching, head shaking etc..
Last November my American Eskimo started w/itchy elbows, not eating well and started to get itchy from his belly to his feet. I strongly suspected Sarcoptic Mange due to fox activity in close proximity to our house. (Foxes appear to be living elsewhere at this point.) Somewhere in this forum at the time I posted about using an herbal dip called Mite Avenge by Happy Dog Naturals. I treated all 4 dogs several times. No small feat w/ 2 Am. Eskimos and 2 Australian Shepherds. A lot of hair! I did not shave them as Happy Dog suggested.
Fast forward...there was a period of time probably late winter - early summer that all were doing really well.
I also used remedies on all dogs, that were specific to each dog, and remedies that I chose after LOTS of research in the Repertory(s) and the Materia Medica.
The original itchy Eskimo was also given Chinese Herbals by our vet who is very skilled in TCVM. The herbals were given a period of time after the remedy. I did not use both at the same time. He cleared up beautifully and when he is on the herbals...HE EATS!!!
Fast forward again...during the humid summer all dogs started to itch, again primarily belly down to the feet...back to Mite Avenge dips.
There is also a product I found made by Mendota Pet. DERMagic Skin Care lotion. Great for yeasty dogs and Mites etc.
The young Aussie at this point(late summer) was a mess his belly itchy and yeasty( or is mitey??? looking)...I gobbed on the lotion and then bathed w/Neem and sulphur soap followed by Mite Avenge.... 3 or 4 weeks ago the vet gave each of 3 dogs the appropriate Chinese Herbals and we are starting to see less and less itching but the question remains... What are we dealing with??? @Dr.Jeff what is the blood test you mentioned for Sarcoptes scabiei??
I have had dogs my whole life and have NEVER had skin issues or ear issues. Mites and yeast can go hand in hand... I feel like my dogs are pretty balanced overall. I feed raw and a variety of things, probiotics, and I switch up my supplements, monitor any stress in household dynamics and make sure they are exercised, get a lot of sniff time. All dogs have GREAT B.E.A.M. and the 1 Eskimo now back on his herbal is eating super well.
This mornings head shaking bout I did the same thing... I was convinced it was a tick...no tick. I finally itched his ear with a Q-Tip and it seemed to stopped. And like Murphy his ears are spotless! Nothing comes out on the Q-Tip.
I have wondered about molds in my environment as well but having dealt with the Walking dandruff mites several years back I am well aware of mites in general and a mite of some kind has remained in the back of my mind as a cause. This time around I definitely don't have the Walking dandruff mite but I too am stumped.
I apologize for the long post but Dana I wanted you to know that you are not alone. Hoping Dr Jeff can tell us more about the blood test for Sarcoptes scabiei.
Thanks in Advance,
Jackie

Thank you Jackie! one thing that does seem to help a lot (temporarily) is Wondercide Skin Tonic. Dr. Dara recommended it. It spray it on a cotton pad and rub the inside of his ears. He loves it so much that when I bring out the bottle he flops down on his side and will actually flip over when I say "other side"

 

[Dana]

Thanks for the suggestion Liz.

Yes, it could be helpful by supporting his body's own detox process and healing.

However, I don't think supporting his own healing will be enough to help quickly. Maybe over time (years).

But no Liz, there is no downside except for the food palatability issue. He may not eat his food with the clay mixed in.

In a young and vital dog like Murphy I would have expected him to re-balance on his own, stimulated by homeopathy, by now.

Dana, it's a looongshot but there's a blood test you may want to try. That's for sarcoptes scabiei (a kind of mange that can take many forms).

Assuming that's negative, MoringaPet Balance supplement may help his physiologic balance and microbiome:

MoringaPet Balance-Discontinued - HomeVet

MoringaPet™ BALANCE provides nutritional support to all pets using the power of nutrient-dense, full-spectrum Moringa Oleifera. It can help optimize their digestive and immune systems to support your pets’ natural healing mechanisms. Crafted using nutrient-dense superfoods and...

www.homevet.com

One other whacko thought Dana is a negative ion generator. One thing I'm studying is a possible direct effect between negative ions and vitality.

If the negative ions help increase his vitality, improvement of his balance should follow.

Amazon.com: IonPacific ionbox, Negative Ion Generator with Highest Output - Up to 20 Million Negative Ions/Sec, Filterless Mobile Ionizer & Travel Air Purifier USB, Eliminates: Pollutants, Allergens, Mold, Germs: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: IonPacific ionbox, Negative Ion Generator with Highest Output - Up to 20 Million Negative Ions/Sec, Filterless Mobile Ionizer & Travel Air Purifier USB, Eliminates: Pollutants, Allergens, Mold, Germs: Kitchen & Dining

www.amazon.com

One other tool to try is the PEMF of the Assisi Loop (around his head like a halo):

Home - Assisi Animal Health

assisianimalhealth.com

Thank you Dr. Jeff. for some reason I did not see these posts until just now. I did order the MoringaPet Balance - he won't eat it ;(
I just ordered the Ionbox... I will let you know.
The Assisi Loop is VERY expensive! I emailed them to see if they thought it might work... will keep you updated

 

[Dana]

Thanks for the suggestion Liz.

Yes, it could be helpful by supporting his body's own detox process and healing.

However, I don't think supporting his own healing will be enough to help quickly. Maybe over time (years).

But no Liz, there is no downside except for the food palatability issue. He may not eat his food with the clay mixed in.

In a young and vital dog like Murphy I would have expected him to re-balance on his own, stimulated by homeopathy, by now.

Dana, it's a looongshot but there's a blood test you may want to try. That's for sarcoptes scabiei (a kind of mange that can take many forms).

Assuming that's negative, MoringaPet Balance supplement may help his physiologic balance and microbiome:

MoringaPet Balance-Discontinued - HomeVet

MoringaPet™ BALANCE provides nutritional support to all pets using the power of nutrient-dense, full-spectrum Moringa Oleifera. It can help optimize their digestive and immune systems to support your pets’ natural healing mechanisms. Crafted using nutrient-dense superfoods and...

www.homevet.com

One other whacko thought Dana is a negative ion generator. One thing I'm studying is a possible direct effect between negative ions and vitality.

If the negative ions help increase his vitality, improvement of his balance should follow.

Amazon.com: IonPacific ionbox, Negative Ion Generator with Highest Output - Up to 20 Million Negative Ions/Sec, Filterless Mobile Ionizer & Travel Air Purifier USB, Eliminates: Pollutants, Allergens, Mold, Germs: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: IonPacific ionbox, Negative Ion Generator with Highest Output - Up to 20 Million Negative Ions/Sec, Filterless Mobile Ionizer & Travel Air Purifier USB, Eliminates: Pollutants, Allergens, Mold, Germs: Kitchen & Dining

www.amazon.com

One other tool to try is the PEMF of the Assisi Loop (around his head like a halo):

Home - Assisi Animal Health

assisianimalhealth.com

also... I looked into the Nutra Scan test... its $300! the blood test you suggested above... where would I go for that?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Dana, any vet with an Idexx lab account can run a Sarcoptes blood test.

BTW-It will also tell you about dust mite allergies which are another possibility.

If you go for a Nutrascan, Dr. Dodds gives all HA! students a 10% discount if you write that you're a member on the test request form.

 

[Dana]

Here we are 1 year later and Murphy STILL has a "head shaking issue" I would not care so much if it did not seem to really cause him discomfort at times. sooooo... I consulted an animal communicator. Here is what Kate Solisti said:

Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to help determine the cause of Murphy’s head shaking. I hope the information I received will give Dr. Jeff a missing clue so he can find a remedy that gives Murphy relief.
The points again to share with Dr Jeff are:

1. Murphy experiences a feeling like water stuck in his ears when his blood pumps and causes a slight normal swelling during exercise.
2. He shakes his head to alleviate the sensation.
3. It isn’t painful, just uncomfortable and the shaking does often “open” his ear.
4. A change in barometric pressure can trigger the “swelling.”
5. Due to focusing on the sensations in his ear, his other senses, like smell, physical sensations, tastes are even more acute. This makes him a great therapy dog as he easily tunes into those he’s there to support, but it also makes him extremely sensitive to sounds, and even strong emotions around or near him. (I don’t think he’ll go for the Moxxor, as it’s fishy smelling, but here’s the link in case you wish to check it out: PRODUCT - Moxxor I’m also attaching some helpful info about it for dogs. I take it too! (By way of a disclosure, I’m a distributor, so I do get a commission if you order some. So, thank you.) If you do get a bottle, I recommend that you give him one every day for a week and we’ll see how he responds. Right now Moxxor is offering a 10% discount with the code MOX3.

I think that’s all the relevant info.

Remember to ask Dr. Jeff for a referral to an Acupuncturist with who has a Chinese medical background since Murphy’s case is unusual, at least in my experience. It’s possible that acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help address all of the above as well.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Sorry to hear about Murphy's continued head shaking and thanks for the useful info Dana.

Makes sense that a noise or feeling in his ear is causing the head shaking.

How often is it happening? Still mainly in the mornings on waking? In what way do you see him expressing discomfort?

This info. led me to the tinnitus rubric but unfortunately it has almost 500 remedies.

However, maybe you can start reading through these remedies Dana to see what resonates with you (and Murph).

EAR - SENSITIVE: (16) arn. ars. bell. Borx. caps. Cham. ferr-p. Hep. kali-c. Lach. merc. mez. nux-v. petr. phos. tell.

@Dr. Sara, any other thoughts?

 

[Dana]

It is still mostly in the morning which if Kate is correct makes sense as that is when he is most active.
I can tell when it is bad as he walks/runs with his head down and tilted to the side of the ear that most bothers him.
I will look at these remedies. Kate did say that there was no ringing which is what I think of when I think of tinnitus. I was looking through an essential oil app. that I have on my phone. Under "ears" I found "hearing in a tunnel" the recommended oils are "Purification" and "Ravintsara" any thoughts on those?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Let's see if @Dr.Melissa sees your question and has any animalEO recommendations.

@Dr. Jean may also have some great EO ideas.

 

[Dana]

I looked at the remedies you mentioned above. The only one that seems to fit is Arnica. But Arnica led me to Aconitum... "sensation of a drop of water is in the ear" ??
I gave him a JSJ small intestine flow today as it supports "ear tubes", swimmers ear and is good for "neurotic animals". I might be dreaming but he does seem a bit better...