My dog is shaking...why??

[BigBlock]

I have a 12 year old beagle/basset hound mix. A few weeks ago I noticed he was shaking, like he was really cold. (but he was in the house) A short time later he was also drooling. He went to bed on his own and the next morning he seemed better, but wouldn't get up. That afternoon he got up and seemed perfectly healthy.

Well, now a few weeks later he seems to be doing it again. He was shaking a little bit earlier tonight, but isn't anymore. He's just laying down now and refuses to get up or eat. He's not sleeping either, just laying down, and he never does that.

Anybody have any idea what might be wrong? Is there anything I can do to help him? I really can't afford to take him to the vet right now.

 

[smkie]

sounds like a vet trip..and i wouldn't wait. Could be many things from a seizure to pain response..let us know too...in my community the humane society has a not for profit vet clinic. I couldn't have my dogs if it wasn't for them for i could never afford a regular vet. That is one reason i take my donation to the arts unleashed so seriously. It is a bit of a drive about 20 minutes but worth every second. An office call is 5 dollars and payment arrangements can be made. i hope you can find something like this in your town or nearby town.

 

[Rubylove]

If you can't afford to take him to the vet, perhaps one nearby would let you work out a payment plan? Ours does, and he is wonderful. We seem to spend every second day there lately and he's put us on a plan.

Unfortunately, having a pet means going to the vet sometimes, and paying for it is part of pet ownership.

I'm sure you don't want your dog to be suffering, and if he won't get up or eat, he likely is. He could well be in pain, too, but dogs have a very high pain tolerance so we don't even know about it until it is so severe they can't hide it.

But your dog needs a vet, and it is your responsibility to take him. I know you don't want him to suffer.

 

[BigBlock]

He does not seem to be in any pain at all. Whenever he does hurt he's always very grumpy and will try to bite if you get near whatever hurts, and he's not doing any of that now. He also walks fine whenever he does get up.

If he was clearly in pain then yes, he would be at a vet for sure, but that's just not something I can do simply because he looks a little sick. If he gets alot worse, then yes, he'll go to the vet. I don't go to the doctor unless I'm dying either. I don't know of any non profit vets around here but I'll look. He is also VERY anti social and it would be extremely stressfull to him to go to a vet. As of now he's not nearly as bad as he was last time, and last time he recovered just fine. I'm mainly worried about the fact that this seems to be a recurring problem.

 

[smkie]

mary shakes when she is in pain. She once jumped the fence to chase away some teenagers in the yard next door. She had very large breasts at the time for she was nursing a litter of 8 and caught her breast on the prong of the fence ripping open a 4 inch hole that couldn't be stitched. i would have to cover the injury with my hands letting only the nipple be exposed so a pup could nurse the teat. The milk had to be drained or she would have developed mastitis to add to her injury. It hurt a great deal and shake is what she did..to this day when she sees a bottle of hydrogen peroxide she will lower her head ..(i had to wash the wound and redress after the puppy nursed) shaking is an indication of a couple things besides being cold..one is a seizure..the other is pain.

 

[Rubylove]

If he was clearly in pain then yes, he would be at a vet for sure, but that's just not something I can do simply because he looks a little sick. If he gets alot worse, then yes, he'll go to the vet. I don't go to the doctor unless I'm dying either.

Like I said before, you would have no way to tell if he was `clearly in pain' because he is a dog and you are a human, and he cannot communicate this to you in any way. Human responses to pain and dog responses to pain are different. But if you want to take that chance, then of course that is your choice.

I certainly hope this is not an indication of something worse that cannot be fixed later when you decide that it is finally time to take him to the vet. A stitch in time...so they say. Of course, down the track it will likely be 20 times more expensive, and so you will not be able to afford it then, either, and your dog could die, after having suffered for a few months before it happens.

I don't mean to be narky but I just cannot stand to think of an animal that could be suffering and not being examined, by an owner who is supposed to love and take care of it. Our pets are our responsibility, and cannot take care of themselves when they get sick. We make their choices for them, and we have to make the right choices. Of course the choice IS yours, but you did come here for advice, and none of us are vets, so we can only give the advice we think is right for you.

 

[BigBlock]

I have known him for 12 years. I can tell when he is in pain. Dogs do not just lay there quietly when they are in pain. They whine, they growl, they bark, they bite, they bleed, they limp, etc. Just like people, it is normal for animals to get sick from time to time. Most people do not run to the vet every time their animal has a hiccup. He does not look very bad right now. I would love to take him to the vet but that is simply not possible right now for a variety of reasons, especially at midnight.

 

[Rubylove]

I have known him for 12 years. I can tell when he is in pain. Dogs do not just lay there quietly when they are in pain. They whine, they growl, they bark, they bite, they bleed, they limp, etc. Just like people, it is normal for animals to get sick from time to time. Most people do not run to the vet every time their animal has a hiccup. He does not look very bad right now. I would love to take him to the vet but that is simply not possible right now for a variety of reasons, especially at midnight.

LOL! Midnight probably wouldn't help.....I'm in Australia so it's afternoon here!

Just keep an eye on him for the next few days - actually, dogs do very often lie there (and cats, too) very still when they are in pain - they tend to retreat and not want to be disturbed - so you need to watch him for other, more obvious signs, too, which I'm sure you are doing.

If he won't eat, it's very important to get some fluids into him, even if you have to feed him with a syringe. They can become dehydrated incredibly quickly, so it's important that he is at least drinking something. Will he eat nothing at all, or can he be tempted by different foods - treats or something he especially likes? Also, what do his eyes look like - are they clear or cloudy? Does he have a wet nose? And have a look at his gums, they should be pink and plump, NOT red and NOT white.

Also, and I think this is important - is he a dog that wags his tail whenever you go near him? And if so, is he trying to wag it now? If he can, I think it's a good sign, if he can't, I'd really watch him closely.

And I agree, running off to the vet for every little thing is a bit over the top and expensive, too. But your dog as you said, doesn't just have a hiccup, he won't get up or eat - and being off food is a very important warning sign. As I said, just keep an eye on him and if he recovers this time like last time, perhaps that will give you the opportunity to save up for if and when it happens again.

 

[BigBlock]

Will he eat nothing at all, or can he be tempted by different foods - treats or something he especially likes? Also, what do his eyes look like - are they clear or cloudy? Does he have a wet nose? And have a look at his gums, they should be pink and plump, NOT red and NOT white.

Also, and I think this is important - is he a dog that wags his tail whenever you go near him? And if so, is he trying to wag it now? If he can, I think it's a good sign, if he can't, I'd really watch him closely.

He won't eat anything at all, though it hasn't been very long, he ate breakfast fine this morning. His eyes look perfectly clear and normal, his nose is dry, and his gums look fine. He doesn't normally wag his tail, but he will "shake hands" when I ask him and he likes to do that all the time.

 

[Rubylove]

He won't eat anything at all, though it hasn't been very long, he ate breakfast fine this morning. His eyes look perfectly clear and normal, his nose is dry, and his gums look fine. He doesn't normally wag his tail, but he will "shake hands" when I ask him and he likes to do that all the time.

Good. He should have a wet nose - try and get those fluids into him asap, or he will dehydrate, sounds like he is a bit already. A dry nose can also be a sign of fever, so make sure he is not too hot, and as I said, just keep a close eye. Too high a fever can cause seizures.

 

[BigBlock]

He doesn't seem to be interested in any water either. I put a bowl next to him and tried to give him some with an eye dropper, but he just turned away. No sign of a fever though...

 

[Rubylove]

He NEEDS fluids - this is vitally important. You must force them into him - hold his head and squeeze them down his throat with the dropper. Really, it is vital.

 

[Boxer*Mom]

A lot of clinincs have what is called a Care Credit Plan. You apply for it before you start treatment, it just takes a few minutes. I think sometimes you can pay as little as $10 a month. It's not through the vet, it's through a service, kind of like a credit card.

With that said, if you call and ask what is wrong after you explain the symptoms, they might tell you a few different things that could be wrong, but it is impossible to diagnose anything over the phone so they will want you to come in. You should go. This could be anything from neurological to organ system problems.

 

[Rubylove]

A lot of clinincs have what is called a Care Credit Plan. You apply for it before you start treatment, it just takes a few minutes. I think sometimes you can pay as little as $10 a month. It's not through the vet, it's through a service, kind of like a credit card.

That's what we did with our Ruby. She was showing signs of heart problems, and needed an ultrasound to diagnose, which was $320. We filled out a direct debit authority with them, and they will deduct our salary the amount we chose, on the dates we chose. So awesome, we got Ruby the help she needed without letting her suffer anymore, and we can pay it off as we can afford it. I was rapt.

 

[jxxlxxs]

Most people do not run to the vet every time their animal has a hiccup.

LoL thatd be me right there... i swear they get sick of me calling and asking a million questions every time one of them does something a little strange...

does anyone know of any message boards like this one, but for cats??

 

[smkie]

i have no money to spare right now..owe the gas company and need to get that caught up but fact is mary's eye is irritated and can not wait any longer. so go today we will and i will find someway to make up the difference. You make a promise..an oath to a dog when you bring it into your home to provide everything they need and no never neglect or let them suffer.Dehydration is no joke..if you pinch the skin up and it stays then there is iminant peril there. kidneys will shut down and your dog will die. A vet can do a subconentious (sp?) iv by putting a needle attached to a bag of saline solutine directly under the skin and allowing a bubble of water to form there. It is absorbed by the body helping eleviate the danger of dehydration while treatment is made. If your dog cannot drink your going to lose him if you do not seek immediant treatment.
AS to the hiccup comment..that just makes me mad. My parrot died from a poisoning..the very first sign was a distant unfocused look to his eyes..i called the vet and said it just didnt' seem right..he said call him back the next day..by that time he was flying into the walls and having grandmal seizures...if i had caught Bronki's cancer early without just assuming it was another respitory infection maybe he would be here with me today. THey ran 3 rounds of antibiotics without him getting better before the did a lung x-ray.
I have about a hundred more examples that i am just reeling to type out but i wont. If a dog changes ANY BEHAVIOR that seems odd there is a reason to check it out..early detection is the number one best chance of saving your friend..not just pet..your family member..you made them one by bringing them into your home...grrrr i better go i am annoyed as heck

 

[Rubylove]

i have no money to spare right now..owe the gas company and need to get that caught up but fact is mary's eye is irritated and can not wait any longer. so go today we will and i will find someway to make up the difference. You make a promise..an oath to a dog when you bring it into your home to provide everything they need and no never neglect or let them suffer.Dehydration is no joke..if you pinch the skin up and it stays then there is iminant peril there. kidneys will shut down and your dog will die. A vet can do a subconentious (sp?) iv by putting a needle attached to a bag of saline solutine directly under the skin and allowing a bubble of water to form there. It is absorbed by the body helping eleviate the danger of dehydration while treatment is made. If your dog cannot drink your going to lose him if you do not seek immediant treatment.
AS to the hiccup comment..that just makes me mad. My parrot died from a poisoning..the very first sign was a distant unfocused look to his eyes..i called the vet and said it just didnt' seem right..he said call him back the next day..by that time he was flying into the walls and having grandmal seizures...if i had caught Bronki's cancer early without just assuming it was another respitory infection maybe he would be here with me today. THey ran 3 rounds of antibiotics without him getting better before the did a lung x-ray.
I have about a hundred more examples that i am just reeling to type out but i wont. If a dog changes ANY BEHAVIOR that seems odd there is a reason to check it out..early detection is the number one best chance of saving your friend..not just pet..your family member..you made them one by bringing them into your home...grrrr i better go i am annoyed as heck

Well said.

 

[bubbatd]

Are his gums pink ??

 

[Rubylove]

Are his gums pink ??

I have a feeling we may have lost this one, Bubba. Didn't like the advice and wanted a free quick fix, not to properly look after the poor dog.

 

[Zoom]

It sounds like a seizure to me, which does need to be diagnosed by a vet.