What’s the difference between a shiver and a shake? Not much, except that a shaking dog can mean more than pain or minor irritation. A shivering dog obviously feels cold, while a shaking dog may wobble from too much weight and fun. But in most respects shivering and shaking in dogs arise from the same reasons.
Common causes why dogs shake
There are light and serious reasons why dogs shake. For all dog aficionados, the not so serious causes don’t lead to panic, but the major ones hit them as though a member of the family is gravely sick.
1. Physical pain. This can mean a cut, wound, and blister on your pet dog’s skin. When your dog doesn’t stay put, it’ll likely hurt itself out there. Sometimes it comes home with a broken leg because it has met a car accident on the street.
A deeper kind of pain is one that’s caused by separation or trauma. Puppies are more prone to emotional trauma caused by early separation from their mothers. Grown-up dogs feel the same when they’re abandoned by their masters. This lasts for a long time and may leave a permanent wound in your pet dog’s feelings.
2. Cold. As you bathe your dog it shakes and whines, especially if it’s not used to bathing. But when you dog shakes for no observable reason, you need to take the matter to the vet. It could be your dog is in a state of shock or trauma. There’s no hard and fast rule on general shaking. Some breed of dogs are prone to shaking while some are not.
3. Fear and anxiety. Even fierce and cruel dogs meet their match. That’s when they start shaking. Also, dogs shake when they are faced by something greater than their fear—something they can’t lay a paw on. Shaking is their body’s response to various forms of stress. You can’t do anything about this most times as shaking is a natural dog instinct. However, you can train them how to respond positively by recognizing “Take it easy” gestures and sounds. Make your voice sound like a “voice prompt” that your dog can easily pick up so it doesn’t end up reacting in a confused way.
4. Epilepsy. Epilepsy catches up with your dog somewhere down the road. This is brought on by an abnormality in your dog’s nervous system, or may stem from somewhere deeper–you can’t trouble-shoot this on your own. Epileptic fits are known to be fatal even to humans. Your vet is the best person to treat this.
5. Old age. Long-lived dogs are subject to uncontrollable body movements, particularly around the neck and head area. When your dog is past its average lifespan, it usually exhibits many of the symptoms of human old age: slow movements, general weakness, loss of appetite, falling fur, less vigorous barking and whining, and unruly body movements. Some dogs are known to live past their 20s.
6. Viral infection. Dog flu is typically caused by parvo and kennel cough. This brings your dog to short episodes of coughing and shaking.
Minor causes of shaking are treatable—it’s the serious ones that need professional attention. But be careful with minor shaking, however. If it’s caused by kennel cough, you can catch it, too.
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