Do you know how cats differ from dogs? A cat allows a person to love himself. And the dog loves you with unconditional love, no matter what. Anyone who decides to have a dog will never feel alone. But be prepared for the fact that your pet will also expect care and attention from you, and at times he will need your help and support.
Every animal is susceptible to all kinds of diseases, and dogs are no exception. Below, let's look at why the dog is trembling, as if chills, what could be the reason for this behavior and when it is necessary to begin to sound the alarm.
Breed addiction
It should immediately be said that dogs of small breeds are much more prone to tremor. The main reason is fear. They can be frightened by a loud knock, a roll of thunder, firecrackers. In such cases, they can not only begin to tremble, but also run away from the owner. Try to avoid such situations in order to keep your pet peace of mind.
If your pet is a larger breed, then you should not immediately panic, try first to understand why the dog is trembling, as if chills. The reasons may be quite natural - we will talk about them below. And also consider situations in which you should immediately seek veterinary care. So…
Natural causes
- The first and most common reason why a dog is trembling, as if chills, is that it has frozen elementarily. This is especially often seen after a shower. It may seem to you that the room is warm enough and the dog has thick hair, but this is not so. After bathing procedures, the animal must be wrapped in a warm, dry towel, and it is desirable to increase the temperature in the room. You can offer him a warm drink. For the same reason, for walking, especially in cold or rainy weather, it is better for the dog to purchase a warm suit or blanket. If your animal is not afraid of loud sounds, then you can quickly warm it with a hairdryer. But do not abuse this method, as the skin of the dog is very delicate and can easily be dried with hot air. Leave this option for extreme situations, when the benefits of this method will be much more than harm.
- Another reason why the dog is trembling, as if chills, may be elementary fear. Even the most fearless dog can quite easily scare a loud sharp sound, especially unexpected. In this case, the dog, like a person, has an increase in adrenaline and stress hormone - cortisol, which is expressed in body tremor. Try to calm your animal with a calm voice and touches. Make him chamomile tea, which acts on the dog almost instantly. And in the future, try to avoid such situations.
- Strong excitement can also cause the dog to tremble, as if chills. Unlike the previous paragraph, this tremor is not caused by fear or fear, but rather, on the contrary. A dog can tremble and dance, waiting for a treat or praise. Such a tremor will pass by itself when the dog calms down.
- Excitement, especially during the rutting season, can also become a reason why the dog is trembling. This is due to hormonal changes in the body and is considered natural. If the tremor is too strong, frequent and uncontrolled, then in such a situation, sterilization or castration of the animal may be indicated.
All these causes of tremor are not dangerous to her health, therefore, they do not require the intervention of a doctor. But there are more serious reasons why the dog is trembling, which should not be ignored, and in some cases you should even consult a specialist immediately.
Hypoglycemia
Small dog breeds quite often suffer from a sharp drop in blood sugar. You can understand this by the following signs: the dog has chills, trembles, listless, there is a loss of strength and general weakness. You must immediately consult a specialist so that he makes an accurate diagnosis. If your dog has confirmed hypoglycemia, then you need to monitor blood sugar levels in the future so as not to miss the moment of diabetes.
In the event that hypoglycemia caused the dog to tremble, you should consult your veterinarian who will give your pet an injection of glucose. Ignoring the disease will lead to the development of a hypoglycemic coma in the dog and death.
Allergy
All kinds of allergic reactions can cause the dog to tremble at home, even in warm weather. If you notice that the trembling began after switching to a new food, vitamins or after taking some medications, then try to temporarily return the old food, completely stop or replace the medication with some kind of analogue and watch the animal. If the trembling disappears, then most likely its cause was an allergy. If it is impossible to cancel some medicine, then consult a specialist - he will prescribe antihistamines or choose another treatment regimen for the disease that excludes allergen intake. In no case do not ignore the allergic reaction, as it can be unpredictable and lead to the most negative consequences.
Heat
Dogs are susceptible to various diseases, including colds. If you notice that the dog has chills, the whole body trembles, the skin is dry and hot, the appetite is gone, then most likely the dog has a fever. It is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible, because the causes of fever can be both an ordinary cold and more serious diseases.
Pain
Pain can also become a reason why the dog is trembling, as if frozen. The animal could be injured during a walk, fight, etc. If the injury is not serious, then do not rush to see a doctor - it is not for nothing that the expression: “Heals like a dog”. The dog’s saliva really has disinfecting properties, and the animal can heal itself by licking the wound. But do not let things run by chance, check the wound to exclude suppuration and the spread of infection.
If there is no visible damage, and the tremor does not pass, then contact a specialist immediately to exclude internal damage to the animal.
Heatstroke
Heat and high air temperature can cause the dog to tremble and often breathe by sticking out its tongue. There are no strong reasons for anxiety if the dog has drinking water and the opportunity to hide in the shade. For dogs with long hair or downy, you can spread a wet towel and periodically moisten it. In addition, it is recommended that such animals be sheared for the summer in order to exclude their heat stroke.
A specialist should be consulted if the dog has become lethargic, does not respond to irritants and does not touch the water. In this case, it is advisable to wrap it in a wet, cool cloth and take it to the clinic as soon as possible.
Encephalomyelitis
Inflammation of the brain or spinal cord in a dog can be either an independent disease, or develop against the background of some other viral or infectious pathology. Very often, such a brain lesion occurs against the background of rabies virus infection.
If you notice that your animal has begun to behave inappropriately, has become apathetic or too affectionate, or, conversely, aggressive, it has seizures that are similar to epileptic, there is weakness in the limbs and a “wobbling” gait, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic. Many viral diseases, including rabies, are dangerous to humans. Namely, rabies can be the reason why the dog's paws tremble.
In any case, encephalomyelitis, no matter what kind of disease develops, is almost always associated with paralysis of the limbs, so the sooner you diagnose the disease, the greater the chance that the animal will survive.
Viral hepatitis
Hepatitis is a very insidious virus that can be transmitted not only through direct contact with an infected animal. It is easy for them to get infected on a walk, since the virus can remain active for a very long time. Usually young animals are susceptible to hepatitis in the first year of life, but cases of illness are known at a later age.
Viral hepatitis can be the reason why the dog is constantly trembling, as it affects primarily the nervous system of the animal. Along with tremor, the dog has a lesion of internal organs and a violation of coordination. Contacting the clinic in such cases is mandatory, and as soon as possible.
Carnivore Plague
Another viral disease that can cause a dog to tremble and eat nothing. Infection occurs through direct contact with a sick animal or through its saliva and blood. Together with tremor, the dog has photophobia, fever, later vomiting and diarrhea may open.
Contacting the clinic is mandatory, as the sooner you seek help, the greater the chance of curing the animal.
Helminthic invasion
Worms cause a dog to want to constantly empty his intestines, and this, in turn, becomes the reason why the dog trembles. In order to exclude this disease, it is necessary to periodically solder the dog with anthelmintic drugs under the supervision of a doctor or according to his indications. If parasites have already wound up, then for the treatment period, try to contact less with the infected animal, since worms easily pass to humans.
Dirofilariasis
Another parasitic disease transmitted to the animal from mosquitoes. Larvae deposited in the animal’s skin migrate to the dog’s heart, causing severe uncontrolled tremor. Dirofilariasis is also accompanied by dry cough, swelling, and heavy frequent breathing. Having noticed these signs, immediately contact a specialist, as without the appropriate treatment the dog will die. Treatment is most often carried out with Ivomek and Filarsen.
Poisoning
Tremor can be observed both in food poisoning, and in case of poisoning with some poisons. Most often accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and apathy. Give the animal caffeine or sunflower oil and contact your veterinarian immediately.
Conclusion
It would seem that such a harmless question is why the dog is trembling and what negative consequences it can have. It is clear that not all possible causes of tremor were listed above, but the most dangerous or common ones were named.
In any case, trembling will not be the only sign of the development of any disease, but it may be the very first of them. In any case, if you notice that your pet is chilling, do not disregard this, even if it would seem that there are no special signs of concern. Watch him for a while so as not to miss the onset of a serious illness.
Most often, tremor is observed in dogs of small breeds, which can begin to tremble for almost any reason. Owners of such dogs have the hardest time, because, getting used to these features of their pet, they can easily miss the onset of the disease.
Never ignore it if you see that along with the tremor, the dog also has some kind of change in character, habits or behavior. As mentioned above, the reasons why the dog is trembling and not eating can be quite banal fear or chills, or deadly diseases.
Be sure to consult a doctor if the dog has the following symptoms at the same time as chills:
- The animal howls, whines, rolls on the floor - everything indicates severe or acute pain.
- Leg cramps.
- Shortness of breath or shortness of breath.
- The dog is listless, sleepy, lethargic.
- The animal cannot swallow.
- Intestinal upsets, vomiting.
- Cough, wheezing, whitish gums.
- Itchy skin.
- Sudden weight loss.
Any of these symptoms may indicate several diseases at once. Only an expert can make an accurate diagnosis, so do not waste time on the advice of well-wishers and help on the Internet, otherwise you may lose the most devoted friend in your life.