Trembling in Dogs — Why Dogs Shiver and Shake
What causes shivering or trembling in dogs?
Trembling can be a natural response to various emotional states and environments but can sometimes help indicate the presence of an underlying health issue. Shaking in dogs can occur in any part of the body and at any age. The causes for this symptom can be divided into behavioral and physical conditions. It can be difficult to distinguish from a seizure, but unlike a seizure, consciousness is present, and certain symptoms do not appear. Shaking and trembling can pass independently and quickly, but if it lasts for a long time or other abnormal symptoms occur together, you should consult a veterinarian.
Why is my dog shivering?
There are many causes of trembling and shivering in dogs. It may simply be a temporary phenomenon, but if it persists, it may indicate a health problem or a medical condition.
The following is a list of emotional causes for trembling in dogs:
⦁ Emotional factors (excitement, anxiety and fear, stress)
Dogs may experience tremors due to emotional factors. Some dogs show signs of tremors when they are happy or excited. Trembling can also occur in situations of fear, anxiety, or stress.
⦁ Cold temperature
As in humans, shivering is a physiological response to increase the body’s internal temperature when it is cold.
⦁ Muscle weakness
Tremors may occur in weakened muscles, such as in older dogs.
⦁ Old age
As dogs age, conditions such as arthritis and joint pain are common, which could result in shivering symptoms.
⦁ Pain
Tremors may be caused by pain caused by a wound, infection, or chronic disease. Other signs of pain include panting, excessive licking, crying, and loss of appetite.
⦁ Nausea
As in humans, tremors can occur when you feel nausea caused by motion sickness, medications, etc.
⦁ Ingestion of toxic substances
Toxic substances can cause shivering. Chocolate, cigarettes, and chewing gum (which contains xylitol) are toxic to dogs and can cause tremors if ingested.
⦁ Seizure disorders
In certain disorders, sudden jerking and shaking can be a symptom that may appear before an episode.
Certain disorders, such as the following can also cause trembling:
⦁ Canine distemper virus
The canine distemper virus attacks a dog’s respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems, causing problems. Tremors may occur at this time as part of a nervous system problem.
⦁ Generalized tremor syndrome (GTS)
GTS, also called shaker syndrome, is a disease that mainly affects small dogs. It is a disease in which the tremor is not severe when sleeping or resting, but the symptoms persist when excited or active.
⦁ Low blood sugar
Just like humans, dogs can develop trembling symptoms with low blood sugar. In a hypoglycemic state, glucose is not delivered to the muscles, making it difficult to move and causing tremors. Other signs of low blood sugar include loss of appetite and energy.
⦁ Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease)
In Addison’s disease, the secretion of a hormone called cortisol from the adrenal cortex is reduced. Cortisol is involved in glucose production in the liver, which lowers it, resulting in low blood sugar. In addition, overall blood pressure may decrease, and energy may decrease, resulting in tremors.
⦁ Chronic kidney failure
A buildup of toxins in the blood can cause trembling.
Symptoms you should pay attention to if your dog trembles and shakes often
This is a list of symptoms that may accompany trembling symptoms in Dogs:
⦁ Loss of appetite and energy may occur together.
⦁ In the case of shivering caused by the canine distemper virus, digestive symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and eye discharge may increase.
⦁ In case of tremors due to hypoglycemia, seizures may occur together.
⦁ An increase or decrease in drinking water and urination may accompany tremors due to chronic renal failure.
When is shivering and shaking in dogs dangerous?
If the cause of your dog’s shivering is the ambient temperature or environmental factors that can cause stress or excitement, it may be a temporary phenomenon. Trembling can have multiple causes, so it’s a good idea to consult your veterinarian if you cannot identify any external cause or suspect something is wrong internally. To determine the risk of symptoms, the frequency of the trembling episodes, the presence of pain, and gait abnormalities should be considered.
When should I take my dog to the vet for shaking or shivering?
Trembling can be caused by serious conditions such as poisoning, kidney disease, or injury. If the dog is shaking, it is recommended to keep a close eye on it and visit the hospital if any other clinical symptoms, such as vomiting, loss of energy, loss of appetite, unresponsiveness, etc., accompany trembling behavior.
The following are symptoms that should alert a visit to the vet:
⦁ Limping
⦁ Drooling
⦁ Diarrhea
⦁ Vomiting
⦁ Difficulty breathing
Home treatment for dogs that is often shivering or shaking
If you can identify an external cause for your dog’s trembling behavior, the first thing is to remove those stimuli from your pet’s gaze and environment. For instance, if the behavior is in response to the cold, clothes and blankets to help create a warmer environment may help. Removing anxiety-inducing factors in loud or stressful environments can help reduce trembling behavior. Excessive excitement can be countered with more low-intensity activities and exercises, such as walking. If nothing works and no other external factors seem to contribute to your dog’s behavior, a visit to the vet is necessary to determine the cause.
How are trembling and shaking symptoms in dogs diagnosed at the vet?
If you come to the hospital with your dog’s shaking symptoms, the veterinarian may ask you a few questions to determine the cause. Based on the guardian’s answer, additional tests can be determined and performed for an accurate diagnosis.
Here are some questions you can expect to answer to help diagnose trembling in your dog:
⦁ When did the tremor start?
⦁ Are vaccines and internal/external repellent management conducted regularly?
⦁ Have you ever eaten anything toxic, such as chocolate or chewing gum?
⦁ Are there any other abnormal symptoms besides tremors?
The following additional tests may be performed to confirm a diagnosis:
⦁ Blood test
A blood test is conducted to check for infection or problems with other organs. Blood sugar is also measured if deemed necessary.
⦁ Neurological examination
A neurological examination is performed to determine if there is a problem with the nervous system. The function of the cranial nerves and spinal nerves is checked to see if they are normal and whether there is a response to postural response or pain.
⦁ MRI scan
If the cause of the tremor is determined to be a nervous system problem, an MRI scan is taken after anesthesia to determine the exact shape and location of the lesion.
How are shivering and trembling symptoms treated in dogs?
Based on the diagnosis, treatment can be administered and catered to your dog’s health and condition. CDV requires supportive treatment with antibiotics, physical therapy, and fluid therapy. GTS may require corticosteroids. Idiopathic or unexplained trembling is treated with steroids. A veterinarian may suggest surgical intervention if shaking is due to nervous system abnormalities. If the treatment response is positive, the doses will gradually decrease and be managed to help reduce the side effects of certain medications.
How to prevent shivering and shaking symptoms in dogs
Since there are many causes of dog tremors, it is not easy to prevent all of them. However, if you pay attention to your pet’s surroundings or lifestyle, you may be able to prevent some of them. You can help manage their body temperature through clothes when going out in cold weather. A calm and comfortable environment can help pets with trembling symptoms due to stress, fear, and anxiety. Shaking due to hypoglycemia requires paying attention to your pet’s nutritional intake and ensuring the correct amount of food is provided to prevent a spike. Shivering due to muscle weakness in older dogs is a natural aging phenomenon, but you can help through periodic low-intensity exercises.
Check Trembling Symptoms with the Buddydoc Symptom Checker!
If it is difficult to accurately determine the severity of the symptom, you can use the Buddydoc symptom checker to help you! The self-symptom checker service will ask questions about your pet’s symptoms and can take anywhere from 2–5 minutes to receive a pet triage result. Each answer you provide has a triage value and is calculated in the end result page to help you make a better decision for your pet’s health. The result page provides a level of risk to your pet’s health, veterinarian advice, possible diagnoses, and recommended examinations when visiting the hospital.
