If your dog is shaking, you may be worried and wish to know why. This may be an indication of anxiety, feeling cold, or could indicate that something is wrong with your pet’s health. Some breeds of dogs tend to shake more than others, hence adding confusion on the part of dog owners regarding shaking in dogs.
The main reasons why your dog is shaking include.
Although you may not know why your dog is shaking, the difference between anxiety and shivering – which can be related to issues such as pain. If your pet behaves abnormally, you should pay attention to its behaviour. Shaking is a symptom of bigger problems, and you will be able to see other symptoms in most cases once you start observing your pet closely.
Six reasons why your dog is Shaking:
1. COLD
Like people, dogs can get cold even with their fur coats. If the animals stay outside for too long in a cold environment and cannot get inside, then they start shaking. Smaller dogs are more likely to be chilled in the cold than big ones, but any size dog can get too cool if they spend time outdoors when temperatures are not very high. Dogs can wear jackets and dog booties when playing in the snow or cold; however, dogs should be kept inside for a short time during very cold weather.
2. PAIN
Dogs that are in pain can shake as an indication of the painfulness they feel. These animals may also be sluggish, appear uninterested in food or water, and seem sickly. When your pet stops eating and drinking, even if the shaking is mild, you must consider taking it immediately to visit your veterinarian.
3. FEVER
Dogs, too, can get fevers just like human beings. Some diseases or pain disorders may result in a fever that makes your dog feel chilled and thus begin to shake. Usually, only extremely high fevers result in shivering, which is often a sign of an emergency problem that may require immediate attention from the vet.
4. STRESS AND ANXIETY
Dogs that are stressed, afraid or nervous can also shake. This can be associated with a new environment, relocation to another place, or even coming across different animals in the dog park. Stunning is not a medical condition, which can be demonstrated by the fact that fearful dogs shake often but are still healthy. You can still visit a vet to get help with your dog’s anxiety, as some drugs keep animals from being so upset when their surroundings change.
5. EXCITEMENT
Dogs can also shake in extreme excitement. This is more prevalent among hunting dogs but can occur to any excited dog. The greater the enthusiasm of a dog, the more it is shaking. It might make them believe that their pet is ill when, in fact, they need to be left with the opportunity to discharge some anxiety through play or exercise.
6. OLD AGE
As dogs grow old, some will develop tremors or weakness. This can be related to weak joints, arthritic pain, or old age. Your vet can assist you in determining and treating the symptoms of old age; however, tremors may be part of ageing for some dogs. This symptom also tends to be more prevalent in some breeds than others, implying that you may have to prepare for this as part of your dog’s ageing.
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Your Dog Is Stressed Or Anxious
Your dog can also shake and behave abnormally due to fear, stress or anxiety. Usually, stress tremors are triggered by fireworks or big environmental changes; also, a fear of physical harm can be considered as one of the triggers.
The signs of stress-induced shaking include an arched back, a tail between hind legs and hiding in a small space while whimpering.
If your dog is anxious, you should consult a veterinarian. Your veterinarian can prescribe anti-anxiety medication you may administer to your pet when it is known that something stressful will happen.
HOW TO TREAT SHAKING IN DOGS
However, you may not know what to do if your dog is shaking. In most cases, a visit to the vet is advisable just so that health conditions that may be responsible for your dog’s pain or anxiety can be ruled out. If your dog shakes because of excitement only, exercise and proper management of its environment greatly help with this behaviour. Some medication given by a vet may also be useful to fearful or high-drive animals suffering from anxious feelings.
Shaking may also be a predisposition to more severe conditions related to seizures, so you might have your vet check on the dog’s shaking as it could be an indicator of an impending seizure. If your pet is unconscious, you can’t get their attention when they are surprised or start to show other signs such as vomitusurprisedoea and urinating urination themselves, please diarrhoea veterinarian; pleasure serious and requires immediate treatment.