Head pressing
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
[edit | edit source]- 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
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]References
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