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Why Is My Dog Shaking? Common Causes of Trembling in Dogs

Is It Normal for Dogs to Shake?

Shaking or trembling can be normal in dogs. For example, a dog may tremble with excitement or shiver when they’re cold.

In some cases, however, shaking is a sign of a medical issue. If your dog’s shakiness is persistent, intense, newly occurring, or accompanied by other concerning symptoms like lethargy or vomiting, it’s worth contacting your veterinarian.

Here, you’ll learn about the top 10 causes of shaking in dogs, both those that are normal and those that are more concerning.

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Top 10 Dog Shaking Reasons

Keep in mind as you review these causes that trembling in dogs can occur for far more than 10 reasons. If you have any concerns about your dog’s shakiness or aren’t sure as to the cause, we always recommend contacting your veterinarian.

Cold/Chilly Environments

A dog shivering and shaking when they’re in a chilly environment is doing this for the same reason people do—to warm themselves up. You may notice your dog trembling when it’s cold outside, especially if you have a small, short-haired, neonatal, or senior dog. It’s also common in dogs who are wet after a shower or a rainstorm.

Anxiety or Stress

Anxiety or stress are common causes of trembling. Triggers may include thunderstorms, fireworks, vet visits, car rides, being left alone, and more. The shaking might also be accompanied by excessive whining or barking, panting, pacing, and destructiveness.

Excitement or Anticipation

Some dogs will tremble or shake when they’re extremely excited, such as when they’re anticipating a pup cup at the drive thru. This is temporary and harmless. In fact, sometimes it’s just cute.

Pain or Injury

Dogs who are injured or in pain might tremble because of increased stress hormones, muscle tension following an injury, and other issues like fever. If your dog is limping, stiff, hiding, reacting to being touched or picked up, or has an obvious injury, they should see a veterinarian.

Nausea or Motion Sickness

Some dogs will shake when they’re nauseous. Motion sickness is a common cause of nausea in dogs, especially during car rides, but certain illnesses or dietary issues can also cause nausea. Nausea is often accompanied by excessive drooling or vomiting.

Toxin Exposure or Poisoning

Some toxins can cause tremors or even seizures. Examples of toxins that might be responsible for your dog’s shaking include chocolate, xylitol (sugar substitute), certain rodenticides, amphetamines, and certain mushrooms.

Toxin ingestion is an emergency. You need to call your veterinarian or a poison control helpline.

Seizure Activity or Neurological Conditions

There are a wide range of conditions that cause seizures in dogs, as well as neurological conditions that might make your dog shaky. Examples include epilepsy, meningoencephalitis, hepatic encephalopathy from liver disease, and brain tumors.

Generalized (grand mal) seizures are the easiest to recognize. Your dog will collapse, lose consciousness, stiffen, and rhythmically jerk. You may notice them paddling their legs or chomping their jaws.

Focal seizures are less dramatic. You may notice facial twitching on one side, jerking one limb, or other repetitive head movements, but your dog usually stays conscious.

If you’re concerned about neurological issues, you should also look for incoordination, head tilt, or abnormal eye movements.

Cushing’s Disease

While shakiness or trembling is not always the most prominent sign, Cushing’s disease is a common endocrine disorder that can cause your dog to shake. Dogs with Cushing’s can experience shakiness due to muscle weakness and electrolyte imbalances. Common signs to watch for include excessive thirst and urination, a pot-bellied appearance, thinning skin, and hair loss.

Generalized Tremor Syndrome (GTS)

Generalized tremor syndrome is sometimes called shaker syndrome. The dog’s entire body will shake, sometimes getting worse when the dog is excited. It’s more common in small, white dogs like Maltese and West Highland White Terriers. The syndrome is usually treated with steroids, though it’s possible for shakiness to recur once the steroids are stopped.

Cognitive Dysfunction

A senior dog with cognitive dysfunction (dog dementia) may also tremble. This often ties into anxiety that the senior dog may feel due to confusion and restlessness. Other signs include nighttime wandering, forgetting previously learned commands, having accidents in the house, and pacing.

Dog Shaking and Panting: What Does It Mean?

If your dog is both shaking and panting, they’re uncomfortable. This can be because of pain, anxiety, heat stress, or toxin ingestion. You can also see trembling and panting together in dogs with Cushing’s disease.

Your dog’s shaking and panting may or may not be urgent. For example, if your dog started shaking and panting after a loud firework went off, you should try to soothe them at home first. However, if your dog ate chocolate earlier in the day, you need to contact a veterinarian or pet poison control helpline immediately. If your dog shows other symptoms, such as reluctance to move or loss of appetite, this is another instance in which you should contact a veterinarian.

Dog Shaking and Lethargic: When to Worry

You should always consider shaking and lethargy together to be a red flag. This could be an indication that your pet has a fever or is sick, has an internal injury that’s causing blood loss or other issues, has ingested a toxin, or may have recently experienced a seizure. We recommend immediate veterinary attention.

My Dog Is Shaking but Not Cold: What Else Could It Be?

Being cold is only one of the reasons your dog could shake. Remember—dogs can shake due to emotional triggers (fear, anxiety, excitement), pain, illness, and neurologic conditions. If your dog isn’t cold, we’d encourage you to consider the context and any other symptoms your dog may have.

Dog Shaking from Anxiety: What It Looks Like and How to Help

It is common for dogs to tremble when they are experiencing severe anxiety or fear. Usually, the shaking will be accompanied by other signs of anxiety, such as:

When anxiety is severe enough to cause trembling and other signs, you should identify situational triggers. Once you’ve identified these triggers, you can work to either avoid them or desensitize your pup to them. Potential triggers to consider include:

Utilize the following tips for managing canine anxiety:

When to Call the Vet About Shaking

You should contact a veterinarian immediately if your dog’s shaking is sudden and intense (e.g., seizure activity) or accompanied by any of the following clinical signs:

If you are concerned that your pet may have ingested something toxic, such as chocolate, you should contact your veterinarian or a pet poison helpline. Please note that pet poison helplines usually charge a consultation fee. If your dog has consumed illicit drugs or your medications, we’d encourage you to be honest with the veterinarian so that they can provide treatment for your pet. It’s not the veterinarian’s role to report humans for drug consumption.

If your pup has chronic shaking with no clear cause, contact your veterinarian for a regular appointment.

What to Expect at the Vet

The veterinarian will first want to determine what is causing your dog’s shakiness. The first thing they’ll do after getting the pet's history from you is a physical examination. They’ll take your pet’s vitals and look them over for any signs of what’s causing the shakiness.

Diagnostics they may recommend include:

Don’t Ignore the Shakes—But Don’t Panic Either

Shaking can range from harmless to life-threatening, so it’s important that you pay attention to the context of the shakes, the duration of the trembling, and any accompanying symptoms. If you are concerned or have any doubts, it’s always okay to contact your veterinarian for reassurance or an evaluation. While trembling and shakiness can certainly be frightening, we encourage you to remain calm and take informed action to ensure your pet’s symptoms are managed.