Why is your dog shaking? | Hippopotamus

Veterinarians often encounter owners who have a question «Why is the dog shaking?». Below are some causes and solutions to reduce tremors in dogs and when it is important to consult a vet.

Cold

If you notice your dog shaking, don’t rush to worry. The causes of tremors, tremors and tremors may not be so terrible. A dog may be shivering because it has short fur, no undercoat, and the outside or inside temperature is low.

Dogs shiver, just like us humans, when they are cold. If you live in an area with a particularly cold climate, it’s worth investing in a jacket or coat for your pup. It’s also very important if you have a small or thin-coated puppy: don’t leave him outside for too long.

In rare cases, if dogs are exposed to the cold for too long, they can develop hypothermia (that is, a condition in which the dog’s body temperature drops below that needed to maintain the body’s metabolism and functioning).

If you notice that your dog is shaking and lethargic, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Stress

A dog may also tremble due to fear or stress. Dogs often tremble and pant (breathe with their tongue hanging out) due to stress or anxiety. If your dog is afraid of fireworks or other loud noises, he may react by shaking when he hears them. It is not uncommon for dogs to feel stressed when unusual and new things happen «in their environment.»

If your dog experiences severe stress due to sounds, we recommend that you consult a veterinarian. Veterinarians can prescribe anti-stress medications for your dog, to be given as needed or before stressful events, especially on New Year’s Eve.

Joy

Sometimes the dog trembles with joy. If you notice your dog shaking when you return from work or after a long period of time away, don’t worry, it’s part of the expression of joy and positive emotions. This is a natural reaction of the dog’s body using excess energy to calm itself.

Illness and pain

If you notice that the dog is shaking not due to stress or low ambient temperature, you should be alarmed. In a common case, the dog trembles due to poisoning, injury, immunodeficiency disorders, viral or other diseases. It is important to consult your veterinarian for these reasons for tremors.

Chills in dogs can appear as a sign of pain. Pain and tremors are usually associated with joint diseases: arthritis. Especially arthritis of the hind legs causes tremors in the hind legs in dogs.

Tremor after physical activity

Dog owners sometimes worry when their pet starts shivering late at night, but there shouldn’t be much concern if you’ve been hiking with your pet during the day, participating in intensive training, or other types of training.

In a common case, the dog may tremble after a lot of physical activity in the evening or the next morning. This happens due to increased muscle innervation, muscle fatigue or the release of «lactic acids», lactates. The dog may tremble due to muscle pain if he is not used to multi-tasking or is rarely very active.

You don’t have to worry if it happens in the first two days after intense sporting activity. You can help your pet with easy walks, but shorter, more frequent walks are better. If your dog is shaking for a long period of time, you should consult a veterinarian.

It is very important to remember that physical activity for the animal must be regular according to its physical capabilities or gradually increase physical activity. Unfortunately, intense physical activities or exercises for an unprepared dog can cause not only tremors, but also serious orthopedic diseases.

The dog trembles during sleep

Sometimes in the veterinary clinic the owners speak with concern about the dog’s tremor during sleep. However, just like humans, dogs dream. A dog may also tremble while dreaming.

When dreaming, dogs not only tremble, but growl and may even bark. The dog’s tremor during sleep can be related to the relaxation of the body and the change in the dog’s sleep phases (from wakefulness to deep sleep and vice versa).

If this occurs without any additional symptoms that may cause concern, there is no need to worry. It is necessary to consult the veterinarian if the animal not only trembles during sleep, but also urinates, defecates or drools. Such sleep disturbances may be symptoms of more serious problems.

The dog trembles after anesthesia

Sometimes, after or before surgeries, tremors are noticed in dogs. This happens because the drugs that cause general anesthesia affect the animals’ thermoregulatory center in the brain. It is more common for a dog to tremble after surgery when trying to wake up from general anesthesia.

The Begemots Veterinary Medical Center offers a method of general anesthesia that affects the thermoregulatory center less: inhalation narcosis. Medicines used during inhalation anesthesia are removed from the body faster and therefore the dog or cat wakes up much faster, so their thermoregulatory center is not affected by the medicine for so long.

When should a dog go to the vet for tremors?

If the tremors last more than an hour and/or are accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, it could be a sign of a serious illness, so your pet should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. It is also important to consult a vet if your dog is trembling and licking, shaking and not eating, starting to have convulsions, vomiting, drooling, having diarrhea and being apathetic.

If your puppy is shivering and it is not due to cold or stress, you should consult a vet. Chills often occur in puppies due to viral diseases, which can be contracted if the puppy is not fully vaccinated or after being infected with a viral disease when immunity has not been formed.

Behemoth vets are always happy to advise all caring owners. By calling or registering online you will receive all the necessary information, which will be provided to you by real veterinary professionals.

Furthermore, at the Begemoto Veterinary Medical Center, if there is a risk of poisoning or illness, your pet will be subjected to targeted and necessary examinations and prescribed treatments. Begemote veterinarians will ensure the happiness and health of pets.