Is your canine companion trembling frequently? Although shivering in dogs might be induced by something as simple as cold weather, it may be an indicator of a health problem as well.
Most canines demonstrate signs of trembling when experiencing powerful emotions like excitement, anxiety, or fear. However, some of these creatures shiver when going through insufferable pain that might be caused by a disease, injury, or old age.
The following guide explains the main causes of tremors in dogs.
Cold weather
The most obvious cause of trembling in canines is being cold due to the exposure to chilly weather. Some breeds, such as Greyhounds, are more susceptible to the cold weather because of their thin coats, while smaller breeds like Chihuahuas feel colder than the larger ones owing to their low weight and insufficient body insulation.
Keep in mind that rainy weather has an even greater effect on dogs since humidity makes them feel much colder. Shaking is a response of canines to the chilly weather conditions, as it results from their bodies’ effort to increase body temperature, thus minimizing the risk of hypothermia. Read more about the primary causes and prevention of low body temperature in canines. Whenever your furry companion feels cold, make sure you warm him up by using a blanket or move its bed close to the fireplace.
Excitement
Dog trembling can be induced by strong emotions, such as excitement, especially in overly hyperactive canines. Your fluffy companion is likely to start shaking every time it feels happy and excited while playing with you, accompanied by jumping around or licking your face and hands.
Additionally, there’s nothing wrong with these happy shakes, as it’s just the normal way in which these pets express their feelings. Canines’ emotions are believed to be so intense that trembling is the only method for their manifestation. Although this kind of behavior can be safely ignored, pet parents are advised to impede overexcitement by introducing behavioral training techniques. Consequently, you’ll need to reward your companion for calming down and completely ignore its overexcited behavior.
Stress and anxiety
Another common cause of dog shivering is anxiety and stress, which is most frequent in canines suffering from general anxiety. These pets start trembling when being exposed to situations, people, and sounds out of their comfort zone. For instance, your furry companion is likely to feel anxious when taken to the vet, when coming in contact with an unfamiliar visitor, or being exposed to noisy sounds like thunderstorms.
Moreover, dogs have a surprising ability to recognize stress and anxiety in their owners, thus imitating their behavior. Therefore, it’s important to restrain your emotions in their presence whenever possible by remaining calm even in stressful situations. Also, some breeds have a genetic predisposition to anxiety. In such cases, pet parents are advised to use special dog training methods and to administer appropriate medications, prescribed by a veterinarian.
Pain
Overwhelming pain is yet another common cause of tremors, which might be induced either by a severe medical condition or an injury. For instance, shivering is likely to result from experiencing hypoglycemia, distemper, or Addison’s disease. Naturally, dogs might tremble when suffering from neck and abdominal pain as well.
Furthermore, small breeds of dogs are prone to developing Generalized Tremor Syndrome, which causes excessive and constant trembling in these furry creatures. Anyhow, this syndrome might also be experienced by larger breeds of canines, thus requiring owners to contact the vet as soon as they notice signs of excessive shivering.
Old age
Ultimately, shaking is common in elderly dogs whose leg muscles weaken as they age. Apart from physical weakness, these tremors may be caused by cognitive deterioration, which is typical for senior pets.
Since the aging process is unavoidable, there’s no way for pet parents to eliminate such trembling in canines. However, you can try various remedies to ease their discomfort. Make sure you visit the following link, https://www.holistapet.com/why-is-my-dog-shaking/, to check out some beneficial treatments for shaking in dogs. You should also have your companion checked by its veterinarian.
Conclusion
Make sure you determine the exact cause of trembling, as it’s the only way to help your canine friend!
