Witnessing your Maltipoo shaking can be incredibly worrying, especially if it’s a new thing. With this article, we set out to explore just why your pooch may be shaking and ways this can possibly be reduced. If you are worried your dog is cold or sick and are feeling a little helpless watching them quiver, we hope to set your mind at rest. Read on to learn more about this particular behavior in dogs.
There is a multitude of reasons why your Maltipoo may be shaking. More serious conditions include White Shaker Syndrome, food poisoning, illness, or low blood sugar. However, it is not uncommon for them to shake when excited, scared, cold, or tired which are perfectly normal dog behaviors.
It can be hard to identify why your Maltipoo is shaking but most of the time it’s down to a common and non-serious reason. There are, however, some grave reasons behind dog shaking which need to be kept in mind and professional advice sought when appropriate.
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White Shaker Syndrome
You may have heard of this condition, particularly if you researched Maltipoos before choosing one. This disease affects mostly small pure white breeds but there have been confirmed cases in other colors too. Dogs affected by Shaker Syndrome typically display symptoms anywhere between 6 months to 3 years. The average tends to be around a year old.
There is still much to learn about this condition, including why small white breeds are mainly affected. At the time of writing (December 2020) it is believed to be linked to autoimmunity. This illness causes dogs to have tremors over their entire bodies and once they start, tremors will worsen over the next few days. They tend to intensify when the dog is active or excited, symptoms will lessen when the dog is resting and calm
If you suspect your Maltipoo has White Shaker Syndrome and the above symptoms fit with what’s going on, then you need to seek advice from your vet ASAP. This condition is diagnosed by excluding all other possible reasons for the shaking. Treatment for this illness includes doses of steroids which usually start as a high dose then this will decrease over a period of time.
The outlook for White Shaker Syndrome is quite positive and your dog can still live a full happy life. Some dogs may experience problems related to this illness such as vision issues, but the steroid will usually stop the shaking within a few weeks. Once they stop the steroids will gradually be reduced but they will likely remain on a low dose for life.
Other Possible Causes for Your Maltipoo Shaking
If you are confident that White Shaker Syndrome is not the problem and/or it has been ruled out, then it’s time to learn of other potential causes for your dog to be shaking. Some still may be potentially serious but some are pretty normal dog behaviors.
- Excitement – Dogs often tremble or full-on shake when they get excited. They may be anticipating a walk, a play in the garden, or see an exciting human coming their way!
- Nervous or Scared – When dogs get scared or anxious, they may start to shake and quiver. Fireworks, thunderstorms, or loud bangs are all possible triggers to a dog’s shaking.
- Cold – Your dog may simply be feeling the cold. Smaller dogs do tend to feel temperature drops more so than larger breeds, but it does depend on their fur type too. Dog coats and jumpers can be useful for dogs both indoors and outside if the weather is very cold.
- Low Blood Sugar – This can be potentially serious and can occur in Maltipoo puppies, particularly toy and teacup breeds. It occurs when their glucose levels dip below normal levels and can cause unconsciousness and even death. There will usually be more symptoms to accompany this including having no energy and not being themselves.
- Food Poisoning – Your dog may have eaten something it shouldn’t have either indoors or during its daily walk. If your dog is sick or has diarrhea and starts salivating from the mouth, it’s time to take it straight to the vet.
- Tiredness – Does the shaking occur when your dog has just woken up? It’s their body’s way of waking up and regulating their body temperature.
- Dreaming – Seeing a dog shake while dreaming can be a little alarming as a new dog owner. Sometimes the shaking can be intense and include eyes flickering and lots of strange noises. It’s nothing to worry about though and twitching is normal in deep periods of sleep. He’s probably chasing cats.
- Seizures – Your dog may be suffering from seizures. These can vary in severity. Check with your vet to discount this possibility if you are at all worried.
Dogs sometimes shake as a reaction to pain so it’s usually always worth getting them checked over if the shaking is frequent. They may feel poorly, have had a reaction to something or something may be going on inside their body.
Why Do Maltipoos Shake Their Heads?
Does your Maltipoo shake their head a lot? This may have always been the case or it may be fairly new behavior. Either way, there are a few reasons as to why your dog may be doing this.
Chances are your dog is displaying perfectly normal doggy behavior and it’s nothing to worry about. Dogs often shake their heads when they get up from resting, after a play, or after having a cuddle. Often, it’s a dog’s way of resetting, much like we stretch when we get up.
Sometimes dogs will shake their head if they have an itch they can’t reach with their paw, such as inside the ears. If they are shaking it frequently, they may have something in the ear or a slight infection.
It’s worth having a look for any signs of infection such as an unpleasant smell or red inflammation. Your vet can help with treatment if the ear is blocked or infected. The cause could be down to mites or allergies which should be easily treated.
Head tremors are another condition in dogs that can cause head shaking to occur. Research is still ongoing into this illness, but it’s thought it could be hereditary, caused by trauma to the head, or perhaps kidney disorders. It’s not common in Maltipoos so this is unlikely to be the cause of your dog’s head shaking.
Dogs also shake their heads and whole bodies when they are wet. It’s their way of shaking off excess water to stop them from getting cold. Wetness on dog fur feels quite unnatural to them and can feel quite heavy so they are keen to expel as much of it as they can. This is the case at bath time or when out walking in the rain which is often why we dog owners end up the wetter of the two!
In Conclusion
Although watching your dog shake can be a little concerning it’s often for a very minor reason and shouldn’t cause any alarm. Often, it’s the dog’s way of coming round after relaxing or to relieve an itch or irritation. They may also shake when excited or scared and while this can be bizarre to watch it’s perfectly normal.
There are some potentially more serious reasons for shaking such as White Shaker Syndrome so it’s definitely worth a professional opinion if you are at all worried.
