Why Does My Corgi Shake, Tremor, and Shiver?

So, you’re wondering why your corgi shakes and quivers.

Maybe even nonstop!

In this post, we’ll cover these topics:

• The reason behind shaking
• Why your corgi shakes
• Possible triggers causing him to tremble
• When to see a vet
• And more

Sound good? Let’s examine your corgi.

What is wrong when your dog is shaking?

There are a few reasons why your corgi may shake or tremble.

Some of the reasons aren’t that serious, but others qualify for a visit to the vet for an office visit.

Here are some common reasons why your corgi may be shaking.

Your corgi is cold

Being cold is one of the most common reasons why your dog may shake in his boots (well, dog booties).

Cold weather or sudden temperature drops may trigger your dog to start shaking to generate heat. This is called shivering. And I know you know that.

Shivering burns calories by doing micro exercises within the muscles.

This helps produce heat and makes your corgi warm up. If your corgi is in a cold area or it’s a cold day or night, he may shiver. This is normal if the cold temperatures are temporary.

But if your dog is ill or has a condition, you should consider keeping him warm by using clothing.

Or just wrapping him in a doggy blanket.

However, if you’re in a cold environment (other states, AC on, or just the frozen food aisle at the store), shivering is expected and should pose no danger to healthy dogs.

Some dogs have dual coats (like corgis) which let them handle cold temperatures easily.

But dogs with single coats will be much more difficult to keep warm and you should be careful.

He’s nervous or scared

Dogs that have been conditioned to a negative experience may start to shiver or tremble when they expect something negative to happen.

Things like going to the vet, getting a bath, or even vacuuming can make your dog start to tremble.

Loud noises like fireworks, pots and pans, and strangers may make your dog shiver in place.

Your dog may also start to shake when he’s exposed to new environments he’s not used to (airports, being around new people, being in someone else’s house, etc.)

Proper association may help make your corgi accustomed to new environments.

Remember that all types of stimuli may make him scared- sounds, sigts, scents, and touch.

This is expected and should be nothing surprising.

But if your dog starts panicking, consider giving him treats to make him calm down and associate the experience with a positive time.

But don’t appease to your dog- if you try to calm him down each time he’s scared, he’ll never learn. This may also build separation anxiety.

He has a fever

If your corgi has a fever, this is in response to bacterial problems or poisoning.

Fever can be a symptom of sickness or recent medications or vaccinations.

You may also find the high temperatures paired with vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, hot ears and nose, or even sneezing/coughing/reverse sneezing. It’s important to get your dog checked out by the vet if you’re not expecting any of these symptoms.

Constant shaking could be a sign of high body temperatures, which signals that there are other problems.

Your dog should have a temperature of 39.2C (102.5F) at the high end. Anything higher may be a sign of illness in your corgi.

Your dog may be in pain

If your dog is shaking, he may be suffering from pain.

Dogs are VERY good at hiding their pain, so don’t always expect your dog to cry or whine when he’s hurt. They’re good at sucking it up and moving on.

However, sometimes the pain is too much for them to bear and they may end up shaking. If you notice your corig’s rear legs are shaking, you may want to get him to the vet for an exam.

This could be a sign of a hip or joint problem.

Your corgi may be tired

This is especially true for corgi puppies. If your dog has been playing all day, he may start to tremble in place.

Puppies need multiple naps throughout the day. Their schedules are literally to eat, drink, potty, play, potty, sleep, repeat.

If your corgi hasn’t had the time to rest, he may start sitting around more often, shaking his legs, or start whining for no reason.

These are all signs that your corgi may be tired and needs to take a nap.

Bring him to his x-pen and let him sleep. You may find that he runs right into his dog bed.

He could have a disease

If your corgi trembles suddenly out of nowhere and it doesn’t stop after a day or two, there could be a disease that’s starting to surface.

Distemper

Trembling is a symptom of distemper.

You’ll want to pay attention to any other symptoms paired with the shaking and then schedule an appointment ASAP.

Tell your vet everything you’ve noticed, changes in weight, and changes in diet.

Distemper is caused by a canine virus that frequently happens to puppies and adolescent corgis that are still undergoing vaccination.

Tremors are a common symptom of distemper, along with eye or nose discharge, fever, coughing, or changes in diet.

This is a serious disease and your dog needs vet attention urgently.

Generalized tremor syndrome

Generalized tremor syndrome (GTS) is usually exhibited in dogs between 9 months and 24 months of age.

GTS can be treated with corticosteroids and commonly causes tremors due to steroid responses. It’s also called steroid responsive tremor syndrome or white shaker dog syndrome.

This is because it was first found in west highland terriers and maltese dogs.

But it can occur in corgis also.

He could be poisoned

Dog poisoning may make your dog shiver and shake.

Depending on what he ate, this can make your corgi shake uncontrollably. If he ingested something that’s poisonous to corgis, then tremors may be a side effect of this.

Common foods like chocolate, xylitol, garlic, onions, tobacco, and avocado are toxic. He may also have eaten toxic chemicals like snail bait, rat poison, or roach tablets.

The symptoms will vary and often include depression, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, confusion, seizures, weakness, and more.

You need to seek urgent care for your corgi or contact the Animal Poison Control Center.

Your corgi could be nauseous

Nausea will cause your corgi to shake in place.

Similar to humans, dogs can become dizzy from motion sickness (car, plane, and boat rides). They can also get nauseous from eating the wrong foods or allergies.

Dog tremors may be a sign that he’s nauseous, especially when paired with listlessness, swallowing nonstop, drooling, yawning, omitting, throwing up, or disorientation, or hiding.

Get vet attention ASAP or call the animal poison control center.

He could be having a seizure

Corgis who have seizures due to epilepsy, which can affect dogs just like humans.

Flashing lights, repeated lights, strobe lights, and other sources of triggers can make your dog shake, collapse, twitch, faint, or drool.

He may also chew his tongue, chomp on nothing, or foam at the mouth.

They often will fall over and start trying to “run” or paddle on his side (like he’s having a dream).

Medications can often resolve seizures such as potassium bromide, keppra, or phenobarbital.

He just got a shower

If you bathe your dog, you’ll notice that he’ll start shaking during the bath and afterwards when you towel him up.

This could be because he’s scared, he hates baths, he’s cold, or he’s just drying off. This also applies when he’s wet from the rain, sprinklers, or any other sources of excess water.

When he gets wet, he’ll start shaking to stay warm and dry off. This will help him prevent hypothermia.

Simply shaking can dry up over 70% of water from their body!

Nervousness from the water can also make him tremble.

Being scared of water is normal for most dogs, and this can cause his legs to tremble.

There’s nothing to really do about this- it’s normal!

Your corgi’s excited

If your corgi’s expecting something positive to happen soon, he may start shaking uncontrollably.

He may even urinate a bit just to show how excited he really is.

This may happen before feeding, play time, training sessions, or even just seeing your face.

Your dog’s mirroring you

Some people say that dogs mirror their owners.

And this means that if you’re scared, nervous, shaking, or whatever else, your dog may pick up on this and do the same.

This is especially true for smarter dogs, and corgis are no exception.

Your dog’s stressed

Similar to becoming nervous, your dog may start shaking during periods of stress. Stress and anxiety usually go hand in hand.

So if your dog’s expecting a trip to the vet, fireworks, alarms, loud noises, or even just being put into his carrier, he may start shaking and trembling.

These stressors are stressful because your corgi has associated negative association with them.

You should repair the trauma by using treats, food, or just show your dog that only good things happen when the stimuli occurs.

Your dog may even start treling when he’s expecting to be punished for soiling the carpet, chewing the furniture, or eating your sandwich. Quivering should be no surprise.

Why do my corgis back legs shake?

The back leg shaking can be any combination of the above.

Your corgi may be tired, in need of a nap, scared, or excited. Look for other signals paired with the shaking to see if you can diagnose the reason behind it. If not, consult your vet.

Additionally, if your corgi has been workign his rear legs, they may be shaking due to strenous exercise (such as the “sit pretty” command).

It can also be a sign of aging or hip/join problems.

Again, check to see if the trembling comes with any other symptoms to determine if it’s worth an exam.

Further reading

Here are some references you may find useful:

• My dog shakes and pants in terror during a bath -The Star
• My dog is shivering : DogCare – Reddit
• [Help] Is my shaking dog stressed? : dogs – Reddit

Did you find out why your corgi shakes?

Now you have some clues as to why Fido can’t stop quivering.

Depending on the stimuli and triggers that’s making him tremble, you’ll have to assess the situation and see. If it’s related to a disease, disorder, or persists, consult a vet.

However, if it’s something obvious (being in a cold place, seeing the vet, or maybe even being excited), you have nothing to worry about. False alarm.

If you have any questions, leave a comment.

Or if you found this article to be helpful, consider telling a friend!

Thanks for reading.