Shivering or shaking is one of the ways the dog wants to show us that there is something wrong with it. As an owner, you need to be aware of the causes so you can find the best solution to cover it. Shivering can be one of the ways how your dogs try to communicate with you.
Most people tend to think that shivering is the only way of showing that the dog is cold. When your dog’s temperature is below than 102.5 F, then it might feel cold. This commonly happens during winter.
You can see some tips on winter time guide and how cold is too cold to let your dog walk outside to prevent your dog from shivering due to cold weather. However, being cold is not the only reason the dog shivers or shakes. There are some other reasons why your dog shivers or shakes.
Here are the reasons why the dog shivers and shakes and how to handle those problems. Does your dog shiver? Let’s get to know the 5 reasons why and ways to solve them.
This is one common reason why your dog shivers or shakes. Being fearful or anxious of some things, such as thunders, fireworks, travelling or any change in your environment can easily make your dog shivers.
As an owner experiences fear, then you need to be knowledgeable of these common dog fears that every owner must know. If your dog still experiences mild shivering, you can be present to calm it down by staying near your dog.
However, when your dog experiences severe shivering, then some medications might be needed, such as anti-anxiety medication. You need to consult this medication to your vet.
- Medical or Psychological Problems
Shivering can be caused by pain or illness that your dog experiences. If your dog experiences any pain in its body, then it is important to handle this as soon as possible.
Some serious conditions that lead to shivering are distemper, hypoglycemia, Addison’s disease, some inflammatory brain disease or upset stomach. Be aware of these unknown but deadly dog diseases every dog owner should know before it is too late!
Do research
on any other signs of sickness or injury to make sure whether your dog is
infected by one of those diseases. If your dog also shows some abnormal
behavior or seems different than usual, contact your vet immediately.
If your dog is old, then it might experience more time shivering. Shivering can also be caused by old age. It is common for old dogs to have their leg muscles weakened and as a result then will have tremors.
Besides that, old dogs also tend to have arthritis or joint pain. There are some signs of aging in dogs that can be recognized from the beginning. If you have an old dog, you need to pay attention to these signs.
If you see
your old dog starts to shiver or shake, then contact your vet immediately for
further checking and medication.
Dog is a smart creature as it can learn by observing patterns. If you always hurry to comfort your dog whenever it shivers or shakes, then your dog may learn the pattern that shivering is a good way of getting attention.
Your dog can seek for attention for playing. You can follow these popular tips to-keep-your-dog-happy-playing-indoorsSurprisingly, some dogs even shivers while they try to get food from their owners to get sympathy.
If you find
there is no significant reason of your dog to shiver, then try to ignore it. By
ignoring it, your dog may learn another pattern that shivering does not work
anymore.
Surprisingly, dog shivers when it is too excited or happy. Intense emotion enables it to shiver or shake. This reason of shivering is not dangerous at all, however you need to learn to be a bit ignorant of this behavior.
This behavior can make your dog becomes hyperactive when it is not leashed. So, the best way is to ignore your dog while it shivers because of over excitement and give them reward once it shows calm and relaxed behavior. If you plan to travel with your dog and do not want your dog to disturb you, you can follow these 11 tips to take dog travel safely.
After looking and learning about the 5 reasons why your dog shivers and how to handle them, you might get ideas on how to handle your dog now. Careful observation and attention to every behavior your dog shows is the key to find the best solution to solve the problem. By doing so, you can create comfortable situation, both for you and your dog.