It is very concerning to see your Australian Shepherd shaking. Occasional shaking can be brushed off as not meaning anything, however, there is a reason why they’re shaking.
Read on to learn more about what causes Australian Shepherd shaking and what you can do about it.
Table of Contents
Why Is My Australian Shepherd Shaking?
Australian Shepherd shaking occurs due to various reasons including excitement, anxiety, being cold, underlying health conditions, poisoning, old age, and pain. Shaking is usually not an emergency but it should not be ignored because it can be a sign of a serious underlying condition.
Signs of Australian Shepherd Shaking
The shaking can be in the limbs or the whole body which can also be unpredictable for an unspecified time. The signs include:
- Shaking when they try to move or walk
- Shaking in the limbs while they are resting
- Increased anxiousness when involved in any task that requires movement
- Episodes of the whole body shaking
- Consistent twitching that occurs when sleeping
- Difficulty in completion of simple tasks such as jumping or climbing stairs
- Australian Shepherd puppy’s front legs shaking
Reasons Behind Australian Shepherd Shaking
The common reasons for Australian Shepherd shaking are:
Anxiety
Anxiety can make an Australian Shepherd shake. This is a common body reaction caused by a trigger.
Anxiety can be caused by environmental stimuli such as loud noises, and exposure to new people and animals. When your Australian Shepherd is exposed to these, they experience extreme anxiety and their body naturally responds by shaking.
Shaking of the body or limbs is also one of the signs of separation anxiety in an Australian Shepherd.
Excitement
An Australian Shepherd will shake due to extreme excitement. Excitement can come about around mealtime when they see food. They can be overjoyed during meal time and you might notice shaking.
Shaking can also occur when they’re excited to see you. This is a normal and natural body reaction when they are filled with joy.
Feeling cold
When an Australian Shepherd feels cold, its body will shake. This is also a natural and normal reaction of the body in response to the cold which helps to regenerate body heat to keep warm.
You will also notice this when your Australian Shepherd sleeps while temperatures are low. Their body will shake while they’re sleeping.
Old age
Old age is a factor that can cause an Australian Shepherd’s body or limbs to shake. This is because there is atrophy of muscles which is the degeneration of muscles due to aging and reduced physical activity.
Atrophy of muscles is progressive and is common in aging dogs, dogs that don’t get enough exercise as well as sick dogs.
This is noticeable by observation of tremors in their legs, especially the hind legs and hips which affect how they walk.
Diseases such as myositis and degenerative myelopathy can also cause atrophy of muscles causing shaking.
Poisoning
Ingestion of poisonous or toxic substances can cause an Aussie to have a reaction that leads to shaking in addition to other symptoms.
Toxic substances include household cleaning products, antifreeze, xylitol, and even chocolate.
These are substances that your dog should not have access to because of the risk of poisoning when ingested.
Pain
An Australian Shepherd in pain due to injury or disease will also experience shaking of their body as a physical response.
Injuries such as fractures of the limbs or illness that they may be suffering can cause extreme pain which causes them to shake.
Underlying health condition
An underlying health condition in an Australian Shepherd can result in shaking as one of the symptoms.
Diseases that can cause shaking of the limbs or the body of an Australian Shepherd include:
- Cerebellar degeneration
- Low blood sugar
- Ear problems
- Addison’s disease
- Generalized Tremor Syndrome
- Seizures
- Distemper
- Nausea
- Liver and kidney disease
See Also: Australian Shepherd throwing up: Why and and when to worry
Australian Shepherd shaking while breathing fast
When an Australian Shepherd is shaking while breathing fast, this indicates that its airway is constricted or there is a tracheal collapse. The shaking happens when an Australian Shepherd cannot keep their airway open.
This can happen due to injury, or during excessive panting which causes an Australian Shepherd to be under extreme discomfort, stress, and pain.
Seek medical attention immediately when you notice your Australian Shepherd is shaking while breathing fast because this is a serious condition.
What should I do if my Australian Shepherd is shaking?
When you observe your Australian Shepherd shaking, take note of its behavior, when the shaking happens, and also if there are other additional symptoms.
This will inform you of the best action to take and also have information that will be helpful when you contact your veterinarian. The following includes the first steps to take:
Remove the environmental stimuli
The shaking of an Australian Shepherd can sometimes be a normal body reaction due to environmental stimuli which does not require medical attention. The solution is to address the trigger.
The shaking of an Australian Shepherd can be due to environmental stimuli such as loud noise. To calm your dog and prevent them from physically reacting to this, remove them from exposure to these triggers.
If the home environment has a source of loud noise, move your Australian Shepherd to an area in your home that is quiet.
Also, limit the interaction of your dog with new people and animals if these are sources of their anxiety.
Keep them warm
Observe your dog for signs that they might be feeling cold. This includes shaking or shivering, being hunched over with tucked tail to keep warm, lifting paws off the ground, and excessive whining or barking.
If your Australian Shepherd is shaking because of feeling cold, provide a warm environment for them to keep them warm.
Behavior training
Australian Shepherd separation anxiety is a behavior problem that can be managed through dedicated training, desensitization exercises, and behavior modification to help calm them.
Medication may be recommended by your veterinarian in extreme cases.
When to Seek Help
As an Australian Shepherd owner, it is important to recognize the reasons behind your dog’s shaking.
Some reasons are not critical compared to others and can be addressed easily, however, being able to differentiate between harmless shaking from an emergency is important.
If the shaking is not due to excitement, cold or environmental stressors, it’s probably time to see a veterinarian.
Seek medical attention when:
- Shaking is accompanied by other symptoms: Shaking that is accompanied by other symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, excessive panting, drooling, weakness, anxiety, or limping should always be taken seriously. These symptoms indicate that a serious medical condition could be the cause of the shaking and that medical attention is required.
- Poisoning: If the shaking is due to poisoning and you have determined or suspect that your dog has ingested a toxic substance, this needs immediate medical attention. All poisoning cases should be addressed by the nearest pet emergency center or your veterinarian.
- Continuous shaking: Contact your veterinarian immediately when you notice that the shaking lasts for several minutes. Seizures and other serious health conditions have this presentation.
- Frequent episodes occur: If the shaking occurs frequently over some time, seek medical attention.
- Shaking interferes with your dog’s daily life: Shaking may prevent your dog from engaging in daily activities such as playing, eating, or sleeping. If they also look distressed due to the shaking, seek medical attention.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the shaking, whether behavioral, environmental, or due to medical reasons.
Many of the diseases that cause shaking of the limbs or body are treatable therefore the veterinarian will provide the necessary treatment and at-home management.
Conclusion
Australian Shepherd shaking might seem normal but also it can be because of a serious underlying health problem.
It is important to monitor your Australian Shepherd to notice when this happens and if they have other symptoms besides the shaking.
This will inform you on the actions to take and also when to seek medical attention so that your Australian Shepherd is examined to determine the underlying reason.
The sooner your dog is treated the better for them and the results if an underlying health condition is the cause of the shaking.