Dog & cat health · Vet-reviewed guide

Why Is My Dog Shaking? Anxiety, Cold, or Something Medical

Dogs shake for all sorts of reasons — cold, excitement, fear, or something medical. The context around the shaking usually points you in the right direction.

Quick answer: Dogs shake for many reasons, and while cold, excitement, and anxiety are common and harmless, shaking can also be a sign of a real medical problem, so it is a symptom to think about, and blaming it on nerves is not always the answer.

Normal reasons a dog trembles include being cold, being excited or anticipating something, mild anxiety, or simply shaking off water. But shaking can also signal pain, nausea, low blood sugar, poisoning or exposure to a toxin, kidney disease, a neurological condition, or a specific problem called generalized tremor syndrome. The rule of thumb is to look at the whole picture: a warm, happy dog that trembles briefly with excitement is very different from a dog that is shaking along with vomiting, weakness, hiding, or a wobbly walk. This guide walks through the common and serious causes and the signs that mean you should see a vet, sometimes urgently.

Emergency: Treat shaking as urgent if it comes with vomiting, weakness or collapse, difficulty walking, disorientation, or if your dog may have eaten something toxic. Shaking plus these signs can mean poisoning, low blood sugar, or a neurological emergency, go to a vet now.

Common, usually-harmless reasons

• Cold. Small, thin, and short-coated dogs shiver easily; warm them up and it stops.¹
• Excitement or anticipation. Many dogs tremble with excitement before a walk or meal.
• Anxiety or fear. Trembling during storms, fireworks, or a vet visit. See our dog anxiety guide.
• Shaking off water or a one-off shiver. Normal.

Medical causes to take seriously

Shaking becomes a concern when it is persistent, new, or paired with other signs. Causes that need a vet include:

• Pain. Trembling is a common, easily missed sign of pain.¹
• Poisoning or toxins. Certain foods (like xylitol or chocolate), plants, and chemicals cause tremors, and this is an emergency.
• Low blood sugar, especially in small breeds and puppies.
• Nausea from an upset stomach or illness.
• Kidney disease and other internal illness.
• Neurological conditions, including generalized tremor syndrome and seizures.

How to tell the difference

Look at your dog as a whole. Brief trembling in a warm, bright, playful dog that stops on its own is usually fine.¹ Be concerned, and see a vet, if the shaking is persistent or new, or comes with vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, a wobbly or uncoordinated walk, hiding, loss of appetite, or disorientation. Any chance your dog ate something toxic makes it urgent.

When to see a vet

See a vet promptly for persistent or unexplained shaking, and treat it as an emergency if it comes with vomiting, collapse, difficulty walking, or possible poisoning.¹ Do not give human medicines to try to stop it. If it is anxiety, a vet can confirm that and help; if it is medical, catching it early matters.