The dog is shocked. Why is the dog trembling

Beginner dog breeders worry when they see symptoms of not-so-healthy reactions in their wards. Trembling is one of them. If the dog's body is shaking in a warm room, and therefore not from the cold, then this is alarming. But is it always worth worrying about this? Let's get the opinion of the experts.

About Natural Causes of Trembling in Dogs

This phenomenon is called a tremor. Trembling is a physiological reaction of the muscles, which is expressed in their contraction. It can be associated with many processes occurring in the dog's body. All causes of tremor are usually divided into natural (physiological) and pathological. The former are not a cause for concern on the part of the owner of the animal.

It is not difficult to guess that most often dogs shiver from the cold.

At the same time, they press their tail to make it warmer, curl up. This phenomenon is more characteristic of small smooth-haired dogs. That is why many of them are dressed in overalls during the cold season to avoid freezing and colds.

The second, no less common cause of tremor in dogs is excitement and fear. Some animals begin to tremble when they hear the sound of a thunderstorm, fireworks, salute. Sometimes dogs can tremble with joy. For example, meeting with the owner after a long separation leads to tremor. It sometimes occurs in a dream, when the animal dreams of something pleasant.

On a hot day, trembling combined with lethargy can indicate that the dog is overheating. In this case, it is recommended to wrap it in a wet sheet and urgently take it to a cool place, away from the rays of the sun.

In rare cases, dogs may tremble and deliberately - to attract the attention of the owner. This is an attempt to get affection from him, communication.

On the pathological causes of trembling

In such cases, the owners really have a reason for concern. Tremor can be observed in violation of electrolyte metabolism, that is, the ratio of magnesium, potassium, calcium in the blood. This condition is especially dangerous in bitches after childbirth. Calcium deficiency during this period in dogs leads to eclampsia. It can end in death or eating offspring if the pet is not urgently administered calcium supplements.

It is possible to establish that the cause of tremor in a male is precisely a violation of electrolyte metabolism, using a biochemical blood test.

It is taken from the dog only on an empty stomach. Another pathological cause of tremor in animals is hypothyroidism. This is a disease of the endocrine system, which is characterized by a deficiency of thyroid hormones. You can identify a dangerous disease, again, with the help of a biochemical blood test.

Trembling in animals can be a symptom of hypoglycemia. The condition is common in diabetic dogs. A drop in blood glucose levels causes a dangerous condition that can develop into a coma.

In older dogs, tremors may be indicative of insulinoma. This is the name of a malignant or benign tumor of the pancreas. And this condition can also be life-threatening for the dog.

Infectious diseases and poisoning in pets at the initial stage can also be accompanied by shuddering or trembling of the body. At home, it is difficult to find out what exactly the dog was poisoned with. Therefore, on walks, you need to carefully monitor your pets and not let them grab any wrappers, explore the trash cans. If the dog not only trembles, but also whines, then this may be evidence of a strong pain reaction, characteristic of the acute stages of infectious diseases. This is how animals behave when they get distemper. It is more characteristic of puppies and young dogs. The disease often ends in death.

Before vaccination, the dog owner should be aware that this procedure sometimes has side effects. Trembling is one of them. Experienced dog breeders in this situation advise the dog to give ½ or ¼ of an antihistamine pill.

Often, tremor in pets is observed after surgical interventions. A weak body cannot cope with normal thermoregulation, or this may be evidence of infection. The latter will be signaled by an increase in body temperature.

So, dogs can tremble for many reasons. Most of them the owners are unable to identify on their own, so do not hesitate to visit the veterinary clinic or call the veterinarian at home.

Before you buy a four-legged pet, you should know that its content in the future may be accompanied by various difficulties and troubles.

Almost all breeds of dogs are subject to various diseases and need proper treatment. If you ignore this, the animal will simply stop developing normally, its natural appetite will disappear, and the general condition will deteriorate significantly.

Caring owners often notice that the dog is trembling, as if she has a chill. This state of affairs cannot be left unattended. Instead, you should show the “patient” to a specialist as soon as possible and determine the cause of this condition yourself. However, if you own a decorative pet such as a Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier, and Chihuahua, then there is little to worry about. Trembling of these creatures is a normal physiological phenomenon.

Causes of chills in dogs

If you notice that your dog is trembling and breathing rapidly, and at the same time it is not a small Chihuahua, but, for example, a large shepherd dog or a Doberman, then you need to respond as quickly as possible. To get started, try to determine the cause that caused the dog to shiver, eliminating the most harmless options, including fever, excitement, fear, feeling cold, and even an allergic reaction. In most cases, the symptoms go away on their own, without your intervention.

So, it is known that representatives of the shorthair group often suffer from shivering due to a natural physiological feature, which is the inability to warm the body after washing. Even if you are sure that the room is warm and the dog is not in danger, the risk of catching a cold is still high. Therefore, in order to avoid such consequences, it is advisable to increase the temperature in the room, as well as wrap the pet in a dry towel or blanket after taking a shower. Do this as quickly as possible, otherwise the four-legged member of the family may get a serious illness, which will not be easy to fight.

To save yourself from having to treat a puppy or an adult dog with immunostimulants, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, it is better to follow the basic rules of washing.

Good prevention of hypothermia is the purchase of special clothing for the animal. You can buy it at any pet store. Also, experts advise thinking about warming the place of sleep, constantly wiping the short coat after long walks, as well as using a hair dryer to dry the wool. If the dog starts shaking on the road, when there is no hair dryer, blanket and ways to raise the temperature, just hold him close to you and warm him with your warmth.

The next cause of severe trembling is not dangerous. It consists in banal fright and a sense of anxiety. It is no secret that representatives of different breeds have a temperamental character, so they can be frightened by any change of scenery, fireworks or thunder. To return the pet to its previous state, it is enough to stroke it, give soothing chamomile tea and take it away from the source of irritation. By the way, chamomile tea acts instantly, so the animal will immediately calm down.

Other possible causes

The above reasons are not too dangerous, with the exception of pain and hypoglycemia, which are accompanied by additional complications. However, there are also factors that can be life-threatening for a pet and lead to its death.

If there are minimal risks of such phenomena, you should quickly contact a specialist. Among the most dangerous diseases are viral ones, including adenovirus or parvovirus enteritis, which affects the nervous system.

Also considered a particular hazard diseases of the cardiovascular system, lungs (for example, various forms of inflammation) and the brain.

If the pet began to vomit and began to shiver, perhaps this is due to exposure to the causative agent of a viral disease. In most cases, this is noticed in the absence of proper vaccination. The most severe viral diseases, which are accompanied by severe trembling, are chronic encephalomyelitis, viral hepatitis, adenovirus and parvovirus enteritis.

Among the key symptoms that are present in hepatitis are impaired coordination of movements, paralysis of the limbs and other nervous phenomena. You must understand that any signs indicating hepatitis oblige you to take your pet to a specialist. A blood test will have to be done to determine the diagnosis. If the fears are confirmed, the dog has indeed contracted viral hepatitis. For treatment, you will have to use immunostimulants, hyperimmune serum or vitamins.

Chills in dogs is not an independent disease, but a concomitant symptom of many quite diverse diseases.

When chilled, the dog trembles as if very cold.

Causes of Chills in Dogs

The causes of chills in dogs are many and varied. It may appear when:

• changes in body temperature (often hypothermia),
• insufficient amount of calcium,
• hypoglycemia (lack of glucose in the blood),
• neurological abnormalities after a recent head injury

Chills can be a symptom of poisoning with chemicals and drugs, a form of convulsive seizure (with trembling of the whole body).

Chills can be caused by respiratory diseases (pneumonia, pleurisy), viral infections (canine distemper), the first days after vaccination, and other diseases. In the end, the dog may simply be frightened and this may make her shiver: in transport, in a crowded place, when examining a veterinarian.

What to do with chills?

The owner can independently provide first aid to the dog with chills. However, it will depend on the reasons that caused the painful condition. If it is known that the dog is frozen, then it must be warmed up: put a heating pad, cover with a blanket.

If, in addition to chills, the animal has an intestinal disorder, vomiting, and there is a suspicion that the dog could have been poisoned by drugs or pesticides, first of all, it needs to wash the stomach and make an enema. If there is reason to suspect that the chills are due to low blood sugar, maple syrup or karo syrup should be rubbed into the dog's gums.

Chills may appear after vaccination. This means that the dog has an allergic reaction and needs to be given an antihistamine - diprazine, diphenhydramine, etc. If the cause of the chill is not clear or obvious, the animal's temperature should be measured. If it exceeds 40 degrees, then this may indicate a viral disease. The dog will need antipyretics.

However, it is better to urgently contact the veterinarian and take tests. At a dangerously high temperature (above 41 degrees), you can give the dog such a cocktail: noshpa, diphenhydramine (or suprastin) and analgin at the rate of: 0.1 mg of each drug per 1 kg of body weight. And give more to drink.

If the animal is shivering all day, while it has diarrhea, vomiting and periodically loses consciousness, this condition can be very dangerous and requires urgent specialized care. In any case, before providing first aid for chills, it is necessary to find out the cause of this condition.

Caring dog owners should not only be alert to changes in their pet's behavior and mood (learn about age-related changes in the dog's body), but they should also pay attention to some physical signals that may be a symptom that something is wrong with their pet. that's not it. And, today we invite you to talk about one of these signals of the canine body. Have you noticed that your dog is… trembling. Oh, do you know why this happens? We offer to learn about the causes of trembling in dogs in our publication. We will also tell in it about how to help a pet ...

Why do dogs tremble

Such a physical condition as trembling, in most cases, is considered a pathology and not a normal phenomenon, which may indicate that trouble has happened to your pet. It is not worth ignoring such a state, but trying to get to the bottom of the cause of the trembling, and finding out why your dog is shaking - it will even be useful. By the way, there are some breeds of dogs, first of all, these are Yorkshire terriers, Pomeranians and Chihuahuas, for which trembling in the body is a normal phenomenon. And, the owners of dogs of such breeds should be aware of this, and not disturb the veterinarian in vain, since for their pets such a condition is not considered a deviation from the norm.

Causes of Trembling in Dogs

If your dog is not a decorative and room breed, but, say, a Labrador (he is one of them) or a shepherd dog, then you should not ignore the fact that it shakes periodically. It is better to try to find out what caused this condition and eliminate this cause. Well, the reason could be…

Cold and hypothermia of the body

If the air temperature is low outside, and you are carried away talking on the phone and do not follow the time of the walk (find out), then dogs, especially small and medium-sized ones, can simply freeze on the street without warm clothes. When they feel cold, their body instinctively begins to shake and shiver, thus trying to speed up the flow of blood through the body in order to avoid hypothermia. If you notice behind your dog that it is literally shaking from the cold, you should not continue walking further. A pet can get sick from hypothermia and you will have to treat it.

For the future, if it’s cold outside and you are planning a long walk, take care of and in which she will feel comfortable and will not shiver from the cold. Another alternative solution to the need for walks in the cold season is to teach the dog to walk on the tray at home. How to do this, and about the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution, you can read.

If the temperature in the room where your pet lives is not high, you can place a heater in order to slightly warm the air in the room. However, we do not recommend leaving an electrical appliance unattended alone with a dog.

You can also insulate the place where your pet sleeps and rests by putting a warm bedding or blanket there.

If you are on the street, and there is no way to get home, and your dog is shaking from the cold, you can warm it up by hugging it to you, or just take it in your arms ...

Excitement and fear

Who said that the feeling of fear is not characteristic of dogs? This is wrong. Dogs, like humans, can experience fear, anxiety, fright, and other related emotions. And, being in such a situation, many of them begin to literally tremble with fear. So, if you raised your voice to your pet and noticed that he was trembling - stop, you are crossing the line, and you risk losing the friendship of your four-legged friend and breaking his psyche. Such a dog will not be able to be faithful and devoted to you, since loyalty and devotion should not be based on a feeling of fear.

If you notice that the dog begins to tremble when meeting with another, larger one, try to nullify their communication and take the pet in your arms. He was simply frightened ...

By the way, the more temperamental your pet, the brighter it will react to fear factors. Therefore, if you know that your pet is cowardly (maybe it's just a self-preservation instinct), try to avoid visiting too crowded places with him, participating in fights, traveling by car (you want to know?), Visiting exhibitions (described here,) and explosion of firecrackers...

If the dog is really worried and you are worried about his nervous system, you can give him a soothing tea, however, before that, we would recommend that you consult your veterinarian about this.

Positive emotions

Not only fear, but also positive emotions can cause trembling in a dog's body. At the sight of her master, whom she has not seen for a long time, she can simply go crazy with happiness, tremble with nervous excitement, dance,. In principle, this is not a bad reason for trembling, but if you are worried that such manifestations undermine the pet’s nervous system, you should immediately reinforce the dog with the “stand” or “down” command ...

Hormones

During periods of sexual activity, dogs of both sexes may tremble intermittently. However, most often, in order for your dog to experience the excitement of such great power, he needs to see the lady of his heart. If you do not plan to practice, and there are no random matings in your plans, in order to protect your pet from such hormonal shocks, it is better to castrate it, and sterilize the bitch.

Pain syndrome

Many dogs, experiencing pain and painful sensations, can tremble, both with the whole body, and trembling can be observed at the site of pain localization. If you notice that your friend has begun to tremble, carefully inspect him for injuries, bites from other animals, and injuries. If you find them, the pet will need to provide first veterinary care, and then be sure to show the specialist.

If trembling in the body is observed in an aged dog, rheumatic pains can be its cause - you cannot remove them, but you can ask the veterinarian to prescribe an anesthetic for the pet - in your power.

Often, with pain in the abdomen and severe intoxication of the body in dogs, pain shock and tremors are observed throughout the body. In this case, the pet should be given a painkiller, but if vomiting and lethargy do not stop, and the trembling increases, it is worth taking it to the veterinarian.

Low blood sugar

With hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, especially for representatives of small and decorative breeds, they experience trembling throughout the body, bouts of lethargy and loss of strength. It is very important to make sure that trembling in the body is not associated with a decrease in blood sugar, otherwise the dog needs emergency help, without which he may become a victim of seizures, and he may die.

Allergy

One of the symptoms of an allergic reaction is trembling in the body. At the same time, if you fed the dog before, or changed its diet, the trembling began after taking the medicine - most likely, you are dealing with an allergy. It is very important to establish the allergen and identify the cause of this condition, since very often the allergen tends to accumulate in the body to a critical level, and this becomes a serious test for the health of the animal. As a first aid for allergies, and to reduce the severity of the attack, the dog can be given antihistamines. Learn about things that can cause an allergic reaction.

Some owners, watching their pets, notice more than once that they are trembling violently for no apparent reason. This state may be accompanied by the excitement of the animal, which does not find a place for itself. In some cases, "strange" trembling signals the development of a dangerous disease.

Tremor is a physiological reaction of the muscles. Under the influence of hormones, they shrink.

Most often this is due to:

1. Fatigue.
2. defensive reaction.
3. defensive reaction.
4. Hunger.
5. sexual activity.

The dog may tremble with fatigue.

There are other reasons for the appearance of trembling.

Physiological triggers

Almost all dogs of small breeds begin to tremble violently when they are afraid. At the same time, they tighten their ears, paws and tail. Especially nervous animals constantly lick and squeal. Sometimes there is involuntary urination.

Spitz often tremble in their sleep!

This condition is most commonly seen in Spitz, Yorkshire Terriers, and Chihuahuas.

• The main cause of nervous trembling is. The dog may begin to shake both in anticipation of punishment and after it. Sometimes small dogs behave this way when their larger counterparts appear on the horizon.
• And also the pet may begin to shake when strong overexcitation . This state is present when the animal, having executed the command, expects to receive a reward. In this case, the dog may whine and dance. This is a good kind of excitement, because the pet experiences pleasant emotions.
• Some dogs tremble to get the owner's attention.. This behavior is common in Dobermans, boxers and other animals that have their tail docked.

Yorkshire Terriers tremble when they are afraid.

What pathologies does this symptom indicate?

Trembling can signal the most serious violations of electrolyte metabolism.

At the same time, the ratio of magnesium and potassium elements is disturbed in the body. This condition is most dangerous for pregnant bitches.

Trembling in the body is dangerous for pregnant dogs.

Reduced blood sugar

This condition is called hypoglycemia.. Symptoms of this disease are found in small dogs. An uncontrollable tremor is combined with a breakdown,.

Hypoglycemia is more common in small breed dogs.

The disease is easily cured. But if the symptoms are not recognized in a timely manner, more serious signs will appear. This can eventually lead to paralysis of the paws, and then to the death of the animal. Other symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

• decreased appetite;
• copious saliva;
• apathy
• hypersomnia.

If the disease is acute, In more severe cases, fainting occurs.

Allergic manifestations

Sometimes the dog begins to tremble violently when switching to a new diet . But this condition is also observed against the background of the use of certain drugs. In this case, it is.

A new diet can trigger trembling.

Other symptoms include itching. The dog begins to itch strongly, fuss. In more complex situations, rashes appear on the skin. You can get rid of unpleasant manifestations by abandoning the allergen product.

If after this the condition of the animal has not changed for the better, you should urgently seek help from a veterinarian.

Cause - poisoning

Another common provocateur of trembling can be. The main symptoms of this condition include:

• vomiting;
• violation of the chair;
• chills;
• apathy
• weakness.

With food poisoning, the dog develops trembling and weakness.

If you suspect poisoning, you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian.

Development of hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism refers to a deficiency of thyroid hormones..

This is a serious pathology that requires the immediate attention of a veterinarian. In order to help the animal, the specialist conducts.

A blood test is required to diagnose the pathology.

Development of eclampsia

Trembling in pregnant bitches may be the cause. Tremor at the same time develops into convulsions. This indicates a malfunction of the central nervous system. This condition is characterized by spasmodic muscle contraction. Loss of consciousness is not observed.

Trembling in pregnant dogs may be due to the development of eclampsia.

Veterinary care should be provided to the dog immediately.

Heatstroke

If the dog is shaking violently and becoming very lethargic, it could be heat stroke. First she needs first aid. To do this, the animal moves to the shade and drink cool water. When the pet becomes better, it will be necessary to show it to the veterinarian.

Heatstroke is most common in bulldogs and other flat-faced breeds. For them, overheating is a very dangerous condition.

Shivering may occur after vaccination.

The main symptoms should include:

• weakness;
• strong trembling;
• lack of appetite.

The dog should be given 1/4 tablet of Suprastin. If the pet does not get better, then this symptom indicates the development of an infectious pathology.

Postoperative period

Tremor may be present after surgery. The main reason is that a weakened body is not able to cope with normal thermoregulation. For this reason, the animal suffers from chills.

Shaking may occur after surgery.

Another reason for this condition is an increase in temperature against the background of infection. Sometimes this is how the body reacts to a particular medication.

Note to owners

Tremor and convulsive twitching of muscles are different conditions.

If on the street or upon returning home, the muscles of the paws of the dog began to twitch sharply and strongly, then the owner should deliver it to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. This symptom may signal strychnine poisoning. Only emergency measures can help save the life of an animal.

The situation looks even more serious when the pet is shaking and whining. This indicates that the animal is suffering from excruciating pain. The reason for this can be anything - from trauma to oncology. Therefore, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed.

Video about the causes of trembling in dogs