Why is My Pet Shivering?

Shivering, shaking or trembling can be indicative of an illness, injury, or a medical condition, so it's important that pet owners take this behavior seriously when it occurs in a pet.

According to Dr Michael Levine, DVM, hypoglycemia is among the top causes of shivering and shaking. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, often occurs when a pet has not eaten for a long period of time. It can also be associated with metabolic abnormalities or digestive upset, like vomiting, which prevents a pet from eating properly.

Whatever the cause, hypoglycemia can cause weakness and trembling. One simple fix involves offering maple syrup or honey – a few drops from an eye dropper for a small animal, one teaspoon for a small dog or cat, or two or three teaspoons for a medium or large dog – which can be rubbed on the pet’s gums or licked directly from the spoon or dropper. For larger animals, including livestock, sugar water or maple syrup can be offered. This can be given every six hours until normal eating resumes.

Elevated body temperature or fever is another common cause of shivering and trembling. Both a dog and cat’s normal body temperature is between 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. When a virus, infection or other illness results in an elevated body temperature, a pet can experience chills in much the same way that an ill human would and this leads to shivering and trembling.

“If a fever is present, a visit to the vet is in order. An animal’s condition can turn critical very quickly, so the quicker you can get a diagnosis and begin treatment, the easier and faster the recovery will be,” Dr. Levine explained.

Emotional distress, pain, anxiety and discomfort can also lead to trembling and shivering in many instances.

Shivering is the body’s natural response to pain and discomfort that usually results from an injury or illness. This can be compounded by feelings of anxiety and fear that often result from pain and illness, as an animal is not going to understand why the unfamiliar body sensation is occurring, resulting in fear-triggered shivering.

Fear and anxiety alone can also cause trembling. A nervous, fearful or anxious dog is going to experience physiological responses to these mental states. Muscular tensing and shivering are going to be elements of the body’s natural response.

Shivering and tremoring can also be associated with certain types of seizure. Some common causes of seizure include fever, toxicity, head injury, serious allergic reactions to substances like a medication, diseases like Lyme Disease, and illnesses like distemper, just to name a few.

Shivering can also be symptomatic of a more serious problem like shock, which occurs following trauma or serious illness. Other symptoms of shock include extremities that are cold to the touch, pale gums, weakness and lethargy, along with a fast pulse and heart rate. If shock is suspected, an immediate visit to the vet is necessary, as shock is indicative of potentially deadly situation.

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