Why is my dog shaking? Is he sick?
If your dog trembles, it does not necessarily mean that he is sick. Shaking can have many causes and occurs more frequently in some breeds than others. By observing your dog closely, you can tell if he will calm down on his own or if you need to see a vet.
It is only understandable if you are worried because your dog sometimes suddenly shakes. Hopefully, he is not sick? But there is not always a reason to worry. Often a dog shakes for entirely different reasons, such as tension. By looking closely, you can see quite quickly if everything is in the green zone or if he is sick and in pain after all.
Age and emotions: Harmless reasons for trembling in dogs
The reasons why a dog trembles are similar to those in humans. With age, for example, two- and four-legged friends alike become a little “rickety.” However, this is usually not bad, but just part of the old life.
Intense emotional excitement also sets the body in motion. Fear can be a reason, but your dog sometimes also trembles with joy because he knows something great is about to happen, and he can hardly wait with excitement.
Dog trembles after exercise and during sleep
Even after an intensive play session or extensive romping around, trembling can often be observed because the muscles sometimes need a while to relax again after the effort entirely.
Even at rest, your dog is still moving unconsciously. Together with slightly twitching feet, trembling while sleeping, for example, can indicate that the quadruped is currently dreaming intensively.
Some dog breeds tend to tremble.
Breed alone can sometimes explain why your dog trembles more often: small dogs not only freeze more quickly but are often also under greater tension because the world seems more threatening to them due to their stature.
Terriers, in particular, which were initially bred for hunting, are under almost constant stress. Trembling can be a form of coping with inner tension.
Dog trembles for attention
A phenomenon also often observed in small dogs: trembling as a learned behavior. Suppose the little pelt-nose is immediately showered with attention, petting, and perhaps even comfort treats as soon as master notices that his darling is suddenly trembling. In that case, it will not take long for the dog to learn that trembling is rewarded.
This does not make him chronically ill. Of course, this does not mean that you should not take it seriously when your dog trembles.
Summary of harmless reasons why your dog trembles
● advanced age
● excitement
● muscle tremors after exertion
● dreaming
● Freezing
● tension
● learned behavior
Dangerous causes: Diseases and Co.
Although trembling doesn’t mean that your pet is sick, there are still dangerous circumstances or stressful circumstances for your dog that lead to it. At the top of the list is stress. In the short term, it’s not a problem. However, for long-term stress, you need to act and address stress causes to protect your animal companion’s health.
If your dog is in constant pain, that can also cause him to shake. Moreover, any discomfort always brings more stress to the animal.
If a dog is involved in an accident, it is in shock afterward, often accompanied by severe trembling – much like in humans. Sometimes it is too low blood sugar that causes the trembling.
This can happen during extraordinary stress, but it must not become the rule, as it quickly becomes life-threatening for the four-legged friend. In addition, there are some diseases whose symptoms include tremors. Among them are:
● distemper
Shaker syndrome
● Kidney failure
Brain disease
● Epilepsy
● Gastric torsion
● Poisoning
What to look for when your dog trembles
First, it is essential to distinguish between tremors and seizures. Even a dog shaking very badly still has complete control of his body can make eye contact and be responsive. If a dog has an attack, it loses control of its body, does not respond to you, and usually visibly twitches its limbs.
Seizures are never healthy and must be cleared by a veterinarian. To assess whether your cold-billed dog’s trembling is concerning, you should observe him closely. Watch for any other symptoms besides the unusual tremors, such as:
● Diarrhea
● Vomiting
● Limping
● Yelping and whimpering
● Apathy
If your dog shows any of these signs, you should see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your pet is not well and may even be life-threateningly ill. Some conditions, such as poisoning or kidney failure, need to be treated quickly to avoid fatality.
If your pet shakes regularly and does not otherwise appear to be physically ill, be very aware of when the shaking occurs. For example, certain people or situations trigger unpleasant stress tremors. Once you have identified the problem, you can solve it.
