Is Shaking A Sign Of Pain In Dogs?
Shaking can be a sign of pain among other reasons. Pain is often exhibited through shaking in the hind legs, common in older dogs who have developed joint pain. Arthritis is one reason for shaking from pain in dogs.
While shaking due to pain isn’t necessarily an emergency situation, it should still be addressed by a veterinarian. Your veterinarian can address your pet’s pain and help you find a solution through therapies of medication.
While pain can be indicated by shaking or trembling, it doesn’t eliminate the possibility your dog could be shaking for another more or less severe reason.
Here are six reasons why your dog might be shaking and when you should see a vet.
1. Anxiety or stress
Hearing loud noises like fireworks or walking through a crowded area can make your dog feel anxious and shaky.
“Fear makes dogs shake the same way it makes humans shake,” says Dr. Sarah Wooten, a veterinarian in private practice.
When dogs are afraid or anxious, a region of their brain called the amygdala responds by dumping adrenaline — the fight or flight hormone — into the bloodstream, Wooten says.
“High levels of adrenaline causes the muscles to twitch uncontrollably, leading to shaking,” Wooten says.
How to help: If your dog is afraid or anxious, you can help by moving them to a place where they feel safe, like indoors or in a crate, and talk to them in a calming voice, says Dr. Carling Matejka, a veterinarian at Trinity Hills Pet Hospital and Fen Vet.
If you cant comfort your dog or get rid of the frightening stimuli, “talk to your veterinarian about behavior training or anxiety medication that may help your pet during times of need,” Matejka says.
2. Pain
Trembling can also be caused by pain from an injury, infection, or chronic illness. “Often, we can see dogs with arthritis or bone cancer show signs of trembling when trying to move,” Matejka says.
Some other common signs that your dog is in pain include:
How to help: If your dog is showing signs of pain, bring them to a vet as soon as possible to determine if they need treatment for an injury or a painful disease like arthritis.
3. Low blood sugar
Also like humans, dogs may get shaky when they have low blood sugar.
“When the blood sugar gets really low, muscles become starved of glucose and cannot contract or relax properly,” Matejka says. This can result in cramping and muscle twitching
There are several reasons why your dog might develop low blood sugar:
Besides shaking, some other signs of low blood sugar in your dog include:
How to help: If your dog shows these signs, its important to take them to see a vet as soon as possible.
“A very simple blood test can see if low blood sugar is the cause of your pets trembles,” Matejka says.
4. Getting older
“Dogs may start to develop shakes as they get older,” Matejka says.
This is because your dogs body cant maintain the same amount of muscle as when they were younger. This muscle weakness can cause your dog to tremble when they walk or move around, Matejka says.
Older dogs also have a harder time regulating their body temperature — this means they may get cold more easily in cold temperatures.
How to help: If you notice your dog shaking when you go outside, try giving them a sweater or spend less time outside during very cold spells.
5. Generalized tremor syndrome (GTS)
Generalized tremor syndrome (GTS), also called shaker syndrome, is an autoimmune condition that often affects small dogs — poodles, Malteses, and West Highland White Terriers are particularly at risk.
Dogs generally develop shaker syndrome around age one or two, and it may show up as tremors across the entire body or in just one area like the head.
The shaking tends to get worse when your dog is excited and is less severe when theyre relaxing or sleeping.
Your veterinarian can diagnose shaker syndrome by conducting blood tests and ruling out other conditions like neurological diseases or distemper.
How to help: If your dog does have shaker syndrome, vets will prescribe steroids like prednisone to suppress an overactive immune system.
6. Canine distemper
Canine distemper is a contagious virus that attacks your dogs respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems.
The distemper virus causes initial symptoms like sneezing or coughing, but if it spreads to your dogs nervous system, it can cause tremors or even seizures, Wooten says.
Some other early signs of distemper include:
According to Matejka, more advanced distemper may show up with symptoms like:
Distemper is included in your dogs routine vaccines — so your dog is much less likely to get sick if theyre up to date on their shots.
How to help: If your dog is showing signs of distemper, bring them to a vet as soon as possible. There is no cure for distemper and the treatment usually involves trying to make the symptoms more comfortable to live with.
1 Your Dog Has Bloat
In humans, bloat isn’t always a big deal. But if your dog has bloat, then it is considered a medical emergency.
Bloat is officially known as gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) or stomach torsion. It is a very painful and stressful malady in which the dog’s stomach twists around itself and becomes twisted at either end.
This blocks blood flow and the escape of gas and other stomach contents, which causes the extreme bloat. GDV can be caused by any number of things, the most common of which include heart failure, internal bleeding, and liver dysfunction.
Besides extreme trembling, a dog with bloat will be restless and unable to lie down. It may be dry heaving, or trying to vomit, though unsuccessfully. Rapid shallow breathing and biting at its stomach are other signs.
If your dog looks bloated at all, then it is recommended that you take it to the nearest emergency vet as soon as possible. If you can, call the veterinarian while you are on your way so that they can be prepared for your dog’s arrival.