Dog Shaking: Understanding the Possible Triggers
Dec 12,2024 | puaintapets
Dogs may shake for various reasons, ranging from harmless excitement to serious medical issues. As a responsible pet owner, it’s crucial to understand why your dog is shaking to ensure their safety and well-being. This guide covers common causes of shaking in dogs, symptoms to watch for, and actionable solutions.
Why Is My Dog Shaking?
Shivering in dogs can be caused by a number of reasons:
I. Physiological factors
- Cold
If a dog is in an environment with a low temperature, it may shiver to generate heat to maintain its body temperature. For example, small or short-haired dogs are more likely to shiver due to insufficient warmth during the cold winter months.
- Pain
Dogs will shiver when they are in pain due to an injury or illness to a part of their body. For example, broken bones, arthritis, dental problems, or diseases of internal organs (such as a stomach ache) can cause a dog to shiver in pain.
- Fatigue
Shivering may occur when a dog's muscles are fatigued after excessive exercise. This is a self-regulatory mechanism of the body, just as a person's leg muscles may tremble slightly after strenuous exercise.
- Hypoglycemia
Puppies or some small dogs are more prone to hypoglycemia. If the dog has not eaten for a long time, the blood sugar level decreases, which may lead to shivering, weakness, depression and other symptoms.
II. Psychological factors
- Fear and anxiety
A dog will feel fear and anxiety when confronted with unfamiliar environments, sounds, or other things that frighten it, thus shivering. For example, when hearing firecrackers, going to the veterinary hospital for the first time or encountering strange animals of large size.
- Excitement
Some dogs will also shiver when they are extremely excited, such as when they see their owner coming home or when they are about to go for a walk.
III. Disease Factors
- Neurological Diseases
Neurological disorders like epilepsy can cause your dog's body to shake involuntarily. This shaking is usually intermittent and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of consciousness and convulsions.
Also Read: Feline Neurological Disorders
- Poisoning
If a dog accidentally ingests a poisonous substance, such as chocolate or rat poison, the reaction to poisoning may include shivering, along with other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing.
If your dog continues to shiver or is accompanied by other abnormal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and confusion, it is recommended that you take him to a veterinarian promptly in order to determine the exact cause and treat him accordingly.
How to Relieve Your Dog's Shaking?
I. Physiological factors triggering shivering relief methods
( I ) Cold-induced shivering
- Adjust the environment temperature
If your dog is shivering in a cold environment, you should immediately move it to a warm room. You can turn on the air conditioner, electric heater and other devices to raise the indoor temperature. It is better to keep the indoor temperature at 22 - 25℃.
For dogs that are outdoors, a dog house sheltered from the wind can be provided and thick blankets or hay can be placed inside the dog house for added warmth.
- Measures to increase warmth
Dress your dog in an appropriate pet sweater or coat. When choosing clothing, make sure it's the right size and won't restrict your dog's movement, and that the material is preferably soft, breathable and warm cotton.
For small or elderly dogs that are particularly afraid of the cold, you can use pet-specific heating pads, but pay attention to temperature regulation to prevent scalding the dog.
(II) Pain-induced shivering
- Determine the source of pain and treat it
Take your dog to a veterinarian, who will determine the source of the pain through a detailed physical examination, such as palpation, X-ray and blood tests.
If it is a trauma, such as a fracture, surgery or external fixation treatment may be required. If the pain is caused by a disease, such as arthritis, the veterinarian may prescribe painkillers, anti-inflammatory medication or physical therapy, such as laser treatment.
- Provide a comfortable resting environment
Prepare a soft, clean and quiet resting place for your dog, such as laying thick mats inside the kennel. If the dog has mobility problems, you can place food and water in a place within its easy reach to reduce the pain caused by the dog's movement.
(III) Shivering caused by fatigue
- Allow your dog to rest sufficiently
Create a quiet and comfortable resting environment for your dog to avoid disturbance. You can place your dog in a relatively independent, warm and dimly lit room so that it can rest in peace.
Limit your dog's activity and do not take it for strenuous exercise for a period of time after it has become fatigued. Generally speaking, small dogs need to rest for 1 - 2 hours after fatigue and large dogs may need 2 - 3 hours to recover.
( IV) Shivering triggered by low blood sugar
- Replenish sugar
As soon as possible, feed your dog some food with high sugar content and easy to digest, such as glucose water (mix glucose powder with water at the ratio of 1:10), honey (1 - 2 spoons for small dogs, 3 - 4 spoons for large dogs), etc.
After replenishing the sugar, then provide the dog with some regular food, such as dog food or canned food, to maintain the stability of blood sugar.
II. Relief of shivering triggered by psychological factors
( I ) Shivering caused by fear or anxiety
- Create a safe space
When your dog is in a state of fear or anxiety, place it in a familiar, quiet, relatively enclosed space, such as a small room or kennel where it usually sleeps. Place familiar toys, blankets and other items in this space to make your dog feel safe.
- Appeasement and Companionship
The owner should accompany the dog, talk to it in a gentle, calm tone of voice, and gently stroke the dog's head, neck, back and other parts of the body. The stroking should be moderate and slow.
If the dog is particularly afraid of certain sounds or things, such as the sound of firecrackers, you can try to cover it up with some sounds, such as playing soothing music or turning on the TV and turning the volume to moderate to distract the dog's attention.
(II) Shaking caused by excitement
- Help your dog to calm down
When your dog is shaking due to excitement, you can help it calm down by training it with some simple commands. For example, ask your dog to sit or lie down and then give it a small snack as a reward.
Avoid over-stimulating your dog, such as reducing sudden movements or loud shouting. If you are excited because you are about to go out for a walk, for example, you can delay your departure for a short while so that your dog can calm down a bit first.
III. Relief of shivering caused by disease factors
( I )Shivering caused by neurological diseases
- Follow the veterinarian's treatment program
If your dog is diagnosed with a neurological disorder, such as epilepsy, follow your veterinarian's treatment plan to the letter. Antiepileptic drugs are usually used and given to the dog in the prescribed dosage and at the prescribed time.
Take your dog for regular review and the doctor will adjust the medication dosage or treatment plan according to your dog's condition.
- Provide a safe living environment
To avoid injury to your dog during an attack, clean or place items in your home that may pose a danger to your dog. For example, store away sharp objects to avoid your dog from bumping and getting injured during convulsions.
(II) Shivering triggered by poisoning
- Emergency treatment and medical attention
If you suspect that your dog has been poisoned, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison emergency center immediately. If the source of the poisoning can be identified, some emergency treatment can be attempted. For example, in case of accidental ingestion of rat poison, you can feed your dog some activated charcoal (in the dosage recommended by your veterinarian) to adsorb the toxin before seeking medical attention.
Take your dog to the hospital as soon as possible for treatment such as gastric lavage and detoxification, and take care of your dog during the treatment according to the doctor's instructions, such as controlling the diet and observing the symptoms.
Related: Should I Be Worried If My Dog Is Shaking
When to See a Veterinarian
You should contact your vet if:
- Shaking is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy.
- Your dog appears in pain or has trouble walking.
- Trembling persists for an extended period.
FAQs
Should I be worried if my dog is shaking?
If the dog is shivering because it was briefly in a cold environment, such as just coming indoors from a cold outdoor area, in this case, the dog stops shivering very quickly as long as it is provided with warmth (e.g., blankets, heaters, etc.) and there is usually no need for undue concern.
A dog may shiver with excitement when it sees its owner getting ready to take it for a walk or bring out its favorite treat or toy. This shivering is usually accompanied by positive signals such as wagging tails and cheerful expressions, and is also a normal physiological reaction that does not need to be worried.
However, if the dog's shivering is accompanied by an elevated body temperature, it may be infected with a disease, such as canine distemper or poliovirus. In this case, the dog may also have symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. You need to take your dog to the vet immediately. If the shivering develops into convulsions, or if the dog becomes unconscious or behaves abnormally, it may be a critical condition such as brain disease or severe poisoning, and must be taken to a doctor immediately.
Conclusion
Understanding why your dog is shaking is essential for their well-being. Whether it’s due to cold, excitement, or a medical condition, identifying the cause ensures you can take appropriate action. Keep an eye on symptoms, consult your veterinarian when needed, and provide a safe, loving environment for your furry companion.
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