Why Do Dogs Tremble?

All of us who have dogs at home feel a very special affection for our little furry ones. We love playing with them, asking us for pampering, walking in the park and sharing our day to day. But when they get sick or down, it affects us a lot.

On this occasion we want to talk about tremors in dogs, something very common in them that may not be important, but that can sometimes be related to some ailment or disease. There are also dog breeds that are more prone to tremors. So in this article we are going to help you discover the causes why dogs tremble.

Why do dogs tremble, small breeds

As we said at the beginning, there are some breeds of dogs that are prone to these tremors, it is called “white dog tremor syndrome” and it is called this way, because it affects mainly small white breeds, such as the Maltese or the poodle. But the truth is that it can affect other small breeds such as the Chihuahua.

Tremors usually occur in dogs less than two years old and can appear when they are very excited or exercise. The actual causes are unknown, but after two weeks of corticosteroid treatment, they usually disappear.

Normal reasons why dogs shiver

Because it is older

Some dogs when they get older begin to suffer from tremors, especially in their hind legs. They usually appear when the dog is asleep or simply at rest and do not appear when the dog is in motion. This is due to neurological degeneration, typical of the advanced age of your pets.

The Excitement

Excitement is another reason why dogs tremble. Suddenly we arrive home and our dog receives us all excited, causing tremors and even involuntarily pee. Excitement tremors may also appear, if he is very happy because you have rewarded him, this occurs as a reaction.

Low temperatures

The cold can provoke a response in the dog’s body, especially if it is short-haired or small. If you feel cold, your body will react with tremors, just like humans do when we feel cold. This is a reflex reaction, as the dog is not used to low temperatures.

In this case, you can solve it, putting a hot water bottle on his bed or also sheltering your dog with some clothes.

In situations of stress or fear due to noise, sudden changes, etc., your dog may react with tremors, it is a natural way of responding to a difficult situation for him. If, for example, you know that firecrackers scare him a lot, you can consult your veterinarian to send him some medicine for when a situation of this type occurs.

Diseases and ailments that can cause tremors

So far we have known some normal reasons that cause tremors in dogs, which are not serious at all. But sometimes dogs tremble because they have a disease and the tremors are an indication that something is wrong with your dog’s health.

Hypoglycemia

Low blood sugar is something very common in our dogs, especially if it has been days that he does not eat well, it may be that his sugar is low, then his body begins to shake, that is when it would be convenient for you to take him to the vet and that Check it out and find out why you are not eating and the reason for the tremors.

For some medicine

It may happen that if your dog started a treatment with a drug, it would react, causing your dog to tremble. You should immediately stop the treatment and consult with your veterinarian.

Poisoning

You have to be very careful with dogs, since they are like children, they smell everything and try to eat. But there are foods, or products that are a poison for them. This is the case of chocolate, grapes, etc. If he ingests a product that is harmful to him, he will most likely start shaking, in this case you should go to the vet.

Canine distemper

This disease mainly affects puppies less than one year old and that have not been vaccinated. Symptoms are tremors, with tics and involuntary movements of the head or legs. The situation is complicated if you start to have a fever, produce excessive mucus, and have diarrhea or skin rashes. Then the situation will be serious.