Head Trauma in Dogs
By: Dr. Debra Primovic

Section: Information In-depth

Other medical problems can lead to symptoms similar to those encountered in head trauma. It is important to exclude these conditions before establishing a definite diagnosis. In cases where there is obvious external injury to the skull or bleeding from the ear canal or nostrils, a diagnosis of head trauma is more obvious. In situations where there is no obvious evidence of head trauma, an alternate diagnosis list should be considered. This includes:

Abscess or infection in the brain

Brain tumor

Distemper (a viral disease that can affect the brain)

Drug intoxication

GME (granulomatous meningioencephalitis)

Hypocalcemia (low blood calcium)

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

Inflammatory disease of the brain

Seizure disorder

Toxicosis (pesticides, antifreeze, rat poisons)