Why does a dog whine and tremble, as if with a chill?

Diseases and infections

Trembling in puppies is also caused by a wide range of different infectious diseases (in particular, parvovirus). This is why many respected authors advise to refrain from contact with other dogs (and even from active walks) until the puppy is fully vaccinated.

In any situation, do not take unnecessary risks - if you have any doubts or suspicions, do not look for answers on the Internet, but seek professional advice from a veterinarian. Thus, you will protect your little pet from many problems; It is possible that you will even save his life.

Photo: pixabay.com. From: pets4homes.co.uk

Causes

Spontaneous trembling can occur in dogs both throughout the body and in different parts of it - the head, front and hind legs. For toy breeds such as the Chihuahua or Yorkshire Terrier, this is a natural condition.

But even if the dog is not a small breed, trembling in the hind legs and throughout the body can be caused by external factors that should not cause concern.

Let's look at the main ones.

• Cold . Very often the animal trembles after bathing, even if it has a dense, thick undercoat. Therefore, after washing, it is recommended to wrap your pet in a warm blanket and avoid drafts, since a wet dog always runs the risk of catching a cold.
• Fright. Even courageous and outwardly strong shepherd dogs can be afraid of elementary and familiar things for humans - thunder, festive fireworks, and other unfamiliar animals. The tremor that occurs in these cases should not cause concern to the owner. The only thing he can do for his pet is to protect him from stress factors.
• Excitement. It also manifests itself depending on the situation. For example, a dog saw his owner coming home through the window and is looking forward to the meeting.
• Excitation. Such tremors most often occur during the rutting season in males and estrus in females, and can be avoided by castration or sterilization.
• Allergic reaction. Tremors due to allergies can occur after taking medications or due to a change in diet. In this case, it is recommended to give your pet an antihistamine and eliminate the allergen.
• Pain. This includes discomfort after an insect bite or injury. It is necessary to monitor the sore spot and if the pet’s condition worsens, do not delay a visit to a specialist.

In small breed dogs, a disease such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) often occurs, which is accompanied by tremors of the limbs. With timely diagnosis and proper treatment, it is not dangerous and can be treated with conventional intramuscular glucose injections.

Other causes of seizures may include viral diseases, a list of which is given below.

1. Viral hepatitis. Dogs under the age of 1 year are most often exposed to this disease due to their immature immunity. Infection occurs through contact with a sick animal, and damage occurs to the liver, kidneys, and cornea. Cramps in the hind legs are accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of coordination and even paralysis.
2. Encephalomyelitis. Middle-aged pets are most often affected by the disease. In this case, inflammation of the brain occurs, which is expressed in weakness of the limbs, trembling, and paralysis.
3. Distemper (or canine plague). When infected with distemper, the pet's condition is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes, damage to the skin and central nervous system, limb cramps, and fever. Read: What to do if your dog gets distemper.
4. Parvovirus (hemorrhagic) enteritis. Puppies under the age of 1 year are most susceptible to this disease, and one of its signs is cramps in the hind limbs. A dog can become infected through contact with a sick dog, through contaminated food and soil.

Also, trembling in the limbs can accompany parasitic infections, such as:

• helminthic infestation, in which the pet experiences tremors in its hind legs when defecating;
• Heartworm is a disease that is transmitted through mosquito bites. In addition to trembling, the disease is accompanied by a dry cough, swelling, and rapid breathing.

Other diseases, a symptom of which is trembling of the hind legs and the whole body, may be:

• poisoning;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• spinal cord problems;
• hypothyroidism;
• diabetes.

Read on the topic: what to do if your dog is poisoned.

What symptoms along with trembling should you contact a veterinarian for help?

Trembling (tremor) is a rapid, uncontrolled contraction of the muscles of the limbs or the entire body. The symptom is a consequence of the dog’s painful or emotional state. The cause of trembling may be natural, for example from cold.

Trembling is caused by:

• failure of electrolyte balance in the body;
• intoxication;
• neurological disease;
• allergy;
• hormonal imbalance;
• hypoglycemia;
• infection by parasites or viral infection;
• stress;
• injury;
• a sharp decrease in calcium in puppy dogs;
• overheat.

With an electrolyte imbalance in the body, the ratio of potassium and magnesium levels is disrupted; malnutrition and impaired functioning of the thyroid gland and kidneys can provoke a malfunction. Characteristic symptoms are trembling, low blood pressure, pale mucous membranes, irregular pulse, elevated temperature - the dog tucks its tail and shakes as if frozen, convulsions are possible.

Intoxication is caused by spoiled or unsuitable food for dogs, ingested chemicals, insect bites, and snake bites. Tremors, difficulty breathing, high blood pressure, low or high temperature, copious saliva, and foam from the mouth appear. Diarrhea and vomiting with blood may occur. Coordination is impaired, mucous membranes change color - they turn blue or red.

Epilepsy provokes severe convulsions, the dog sticks out its tongue. Typical symptoms include restlessness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, trembling of the whole body, and fainting. The provocateurs of the disease are head injuries, exposure to an electric discharge, severe intoxication, and a hereditary predisposition to the disease is possible.

Trembling may occur together with typical allergic symptoms (inflammation of the skin, itching, discharge from the eyes, ears, nostrils, frequent bowel movements, etc.).

A lack of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) is manifested by trembling, weakness, rapid heart rate, rapid weight gain, skin diseases, excessive shedding, diarrhea or constipation.

Hypoglycemia causes diabetes; a decrease in glucose levels provokes trembling, weakness, loss of appetite, excessive salivation; in severe cases, convulsions, fainting, and paralysis are possible.

Trembling, along with other symptoms, is caused by infectious and viral diseases. The painful condition is often manifested by fever, stool disturbances, vomiting, and cough. Bladder infections and kidney disease cause frequent (sometimes unsuccessful) urges to go to the toilet, incontinence, and discoloration of urine. When infected with worms, frequent trembling appears, body weight decreases, digestion is disrupted, the stomach increases in volume, and the animal’s mouth smells unpleasant.

Trembling is characteristic of a nervous disorder, when experiencing stress, the dog begins to tremble, this is possible when the usual environment changes, the dog may be restless or apathetic, begins to whine, howl, refuse to eat or demonstrate an unhealthy appetite.

Trauma can lead to neurological pathologies, shock accompanied by trembling, increased breathing, cold extremities, and pale gums are possible.

Trembling in pregnant or whelping bitches is caused by eclampsia - a significant decrease in calcium, leading to a malfunction of nerve cells. The appearance of vomiting, high fever, and breathing problems indicate the need for urgent contact with a veterinarian. Until the mother's health is restored, the puppies are transferred to artificial feeding.

Overheating in dogs occurs in the summer; prolonged exposure to the sun risks heatstroke. A similar effect is possible in dogs left for a long time in closed cars when it is hot outside. In addition to trembling, dogs experience breathing problems and weakness.

Associated symptoms indicating a painful condition:

• high or low body temperature;
• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• changed color of urine;
• allergic reactions;
• change in color of mucous membranes;
• breathing problems;
• change in behavior (aggression, apathy);
• weakness, drowsiness, poor appetite, thirst;
• lack of coordination;
• loss of consciousness.

Any of the listed signs obliges the owner to pay close attention to the health of the pet and promptly contact a veterinarian.

How to help your pet

After giving birth, a cat often breathes with its mouth open

Only after determining the source of the non-standard condition can auxiliary measures begin. Veterinarians emphasize that self-treatment causes more harm than it provides real help. With a pathological form of tremors, professional diagnosis and a full course of therapy are necessary.

At the veterinarian's appointment

If the problem is based on physiological etiology, then the situation can be corrected:

• If the pet is hypothermic, wrap it in a warm blanket and drink broth.
• If it overheats, take it to a cool room and let it lick an ice cube.
• In stressful situations, they talk to the dog in a calm voice, pet him and try in every possible way to calm him down.

To prevent hypothermia, short-haired and miniature breeds need to purchase special clothing designed for the autumn-winter season. Walking is reduced to a minimum, especially in severe frosts.

Important! You should not treat a trembling lower jaw in elderly pets. For them, this condition is within the normal range and does not require auxiliary therapy.

Physiological phenomena

Trembling in dogs, especially small breeds, is a normal physiological phenomenon. The animal stops trembling as soon as the source that provoked this condition disappears. Let's look at the causes of natural tremors in dogs.

Sexual interest

During the mating period, males' sexual interest increases. Under the influence of hormones, the dog begins to shake when he sees a female. A hormonal surge in bitches, in turn, occurs during estrus.

Trembling due to a hormonal surge is not dangerous for animals. You need to wait until the period of attraction to the opposite sex passes. Please note that this phenomenon (we are talking about tremor) is not typical for castrated and sterilized animals.

Cold

One of the most common causes of chills in a dog is hypothermia. If you notice that the dog begins to tuck its tail and tremble, it’s time to end the walk and rush home.

Shivering as a result of hypothermia is possible not only during long walks in winter, but also after swimming. Tremors are most often observed in small or short-haired breeds.

Excitement or delight

According to experienced dog breeders, the dog may begin to tremble and whine in anticipation of something pleasant and exciting. So, seeing the owner after a long separation, the animal will squeal and shake joyfully.

Fear

Dogs, like people, can experience not only positive, but also negative emotions. Fear, nervous overexcitation and stress negatively affect the emotional state of a pet and manifest themselves in the form of chills, whining and a desire to hide.

There are dogs that are afraid of thunder during a thunderstorm, fireworks, sharp bangs and loud noises. Some breeders recommend doing nothing in such a situation and leaving the dog alone, others advise helping the pet overcome its fear.

Today, there are many different methods of raising and training animals that live at home and are not accustomed to the realities of the environment.

What to do

First of all, the owner must assume the cause of the trembling.

• physiological causes are eliminated on their own, or with a little help: cover the pet if it is cold, bring it into a warm place, remove it from the source of fear;
• Some breeds are hyperexcitable and tremble almost constantly from the slightest stimuli. Soothing teas will help cope with tremors due to an unstable nervous system;
• For allergies accompanied by tremors, antihistamines from a regular pharmacy help. They can be given for prevention or with the first manifestations. If the animal has had its food changed or vaccinated, allergy-related trembling can be predicted. You should check with your veterinarian how to react to a possible reaction after vaccination and what dosage of the drug is needed;
• Castration will help equalize the hormonal balance of males and smooth out the manifestations of regular cycles of females. It is recommended to sterilize animals if they are not expected to produce offspring. This has a beneficial effect on the quality and length of life;
• injuries are accompanied by pain and cause the animal to tremble. If it is a bruise, a small wound after a fight, painkillers will help relieve pain and trembling;

If it is suspected that the tremors are caused by a pathological cause, you need to:

• observe the animal: does the condition change, does the trembling go away, do any other manifestations of the disease arise;
• to measure the temperature;
• analyze the behavior of the animal before the symptom: did the dog pick up garbage on the street, how long was it in the sun, what was its diet;
• If you have any doubts, consult a specialist.