Dogs often tend to shake playfully, mostly when they are stretching themselves or drying themselves off. Sometimes, though, a dog shaking himself can be a sign of a severe medical condition.
If you’re wondering why your dog is trembling even though it isn’t cold outside, here are 8 reasons your dog might be shaking.
Any dog-owner knows what a ‘wet-dog shake’ is. When your furry friend is wet, he will move his body around in a sort of dance. This is your dog’s attempt to dry himself after a bath.
If your dog does the wet dog dance each time after a bath, you have no reason to worry. In fact, if anything, your dog is drying himself, which is good because it prevents him from catching a cold or a more serious illness, such as hypothermia.
However, dogs don’t only shake when they’re wet. They even shake each time they are excited about something. When a dog is in a particularly playful mood, he may jump around, lick you, and shake all the while.
Sometimes, though, your pet’s trembling has nothing to do with him being wet, happy, or excited. In some cases, your pet may be trembling because he feels anxious.
Similar to humans, who often start to tremble when they experience severe anxiety, your pet might also be trembling because he feels extremely anxious.
There are a number of things that can trigger anxiety in dogs. For example, a vet’s appointment and a thunderstorm are two common reasons why dogs experience anxiety.
You need to be very careful if you’re trying to identify whether your pet is shaking because he’s anxious because it’s not always easy to tell this. The best way to check for anxiety in your pup is to look for signs of aggression, such as growling or excessive barking and even biting.
Certain breeds of dogs tend to be more susceptible to anxiety. The situation also does play a major role in whether or not a dog gets triggered. If your dog trembles quite often, it’s possible that he suffers from chronic anxiety. In such cases, there are many behavioral training methods you can adopt to help your dog relax and calm his fears.
If your dog’s anxiety is severe, it’s best to take him to a vet who might even recommend certain anxiety medication.
Excessive shaking can also be the result of a medical condition known as distemper.
Distemper refers to a virus that is characterized by fever, excessive coughing, nasal discharge, tremors, and seizures. This illness most commonly affects puppies who have not properly been vaccinated. Just as in humans, the younger your pet, the more likely it is that he will be affected.
If your pup is exhibiting symptoms of distemper, you need to take him to a vet immediately as the disease can even be fatal if not dealt with on time.
Another, more serious condition that may be responsible for your dog’s trembling is called White Dog Shaker Syndrome.
If your dog suffers from this illness, he may tremble in a manner similar to that induced by anxiety. As a dog parent, you will have to be extra careful and look for signs that your dog is being triggered by something specific (in which case, it may be anxiety), or whether it is a medical condition such as White Dog Shaker Syndrome.
This illness is severe and can affect dogs belonging to all varieties of breeds and all sizes too. If you suspect that your pet is suffering from this disease, you should take him to see a vet at your earliest! Remember, every second wasted is a second your dog comes nearer to a potentially life-threatening situation.
If your pet suffers from Kidney Disease, it’s likely that he may shake more and more as the illness progresses. The more severe the illness, the more likely it is that your pet will shake.
If Kidney Disease in your dog is identified at an earlier stage, you can prevent his condition from worsening. Important signs of kidney disease in your pet to watch out for are that he may seem to be drinking water excessively and also urinating all the time, as a result.
Sometimes, when your dog consumes chocolate or eats a poisonous plant, he may vomit or have diarrhea. In more serious cases, though, he may even begin to tremble. If you suspect that your dog has been poisoned, you should contact the Animal Poison Control Center as soon as possible.
Addison’s disease refers to a disease in which your dog might not have enough cortisol levels in his body.
You need to watch out for signs such as gastrointestinal problems, a lack of appetite, and general lethargy. If your dog is exhibiting these signs along with trembling, he might just be suffering from Addison’s Disease.
The best thing you can do for your dog is to take him to a vet immediately so that he can receive the treatment he needs as early as possible.
As dogs grow older, they become weaker and have a greater chance of catching diseases. In fact, many dogs even face problems with cognitive disorientation as they age.
If your aging dog trembles often, you can work together with a vet to create treatment methods or training sessions for your pet to prevent him from shaking so much or to bring about cognitive clarity.
These were 8 reasons your dog might be shaking. If your dog’s shaking is excessive, remember to take him to a vet as soon as you can because it could be the result of a deadly illness.
by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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