There are various reasons that cause your dog to stick his tongue out and shake. These reasons may include colds, seizures, external stimuli, infections, pain etc. In this article, I am going to address some of the reasons causing your dog to stick his tongue out and shake. So let’s get started.
Stimulants
Some sort of stimulant can be a potential reason for your dog to stick his tongue out and shake. Probably your dog has consumed it or heard something very unpleasant noise. In normal circumstances, once the effect of the stimulant ends, your dog becomes normal once again.
However, keep an eye on your dog’s behaviour if any changes you feel. Moreover, the change in behaviour can be connected to your canine’s medical history. Therefore, it is better to consult your vet and tell him about the changes you notice in your canine.
Old Age
It is very natural for dogs to gain strange behaviour as they get old. And one of those strange behaviours is a dog sticking his tongue out and shaking. Moreover, there is no exact treatment for this reason. However, according to drugs.com, Dasuquin, Rimadyl, and Deramaxx can help to lessen the problem and maintain health.
Dental Disease
- Inflammation of soft mouth tissues – stomatitis
- Inflammation of the tongue – Glossitis
- Lips inflammation – Cheilitis
- Inflammation of the gums – Gingivitis
These can be reasons for your canine to stick his tongue out and shake. Other dental diseases that may bother your dog include-
- Mouth ulcers
- Consuming foreign bodies
- Metabolic disease
- Viral infection
- Bacterial infection
- Exposure to toxic chemicals or plants
- Immune-mediated disease
Fear or Stress
A stressed canine can experience sticking its tongue out and shaking. You need to understand the root cause of stress or fear and remove it. Moreover, fear or stress can be caused by other animals or loud noises.
Seizures
It can be one of the worst things for your doggo. Therefore, make sure that your canine is on the ground if he is getting a seizure. Moreover, if your canine is sticking his tongue out and shaking due to a seizure, he has no control over himself and may even bite you if you pull his tongue.
This illness can also lead to an increase in your canine’s body temperature. In such a situation, apply a wet and cold towel to your dog to bring the body temperature down.
Do not take seizures lightly. This is because they may indicate something even more serious happening in body parts like the heart, kidney, or liver. Therefore, you need to consult the vet as soon as you find your dog having seizures. The vet will run some tests to find the seriousness and prescribe medicines accordingly.
Infections
Infections can make your dog stick out his tongue and shake due to a high fever. The infections can be fungal, bacterial, or viral. Moreover, depending upon the cause of the infection, the canine may show other symptoms as well.
Dreaming
If your canine is sticking his tongue out and shaking, but seems asleep, then there is nothing to worry about. It is very natural for your canine to do this when he is in a very deep sleep. If your canine is doing this in large episodes, you can ensure it is just sleeping and dreaming and not having a seizure by waking him up.
You can do this by calling out his name or dropping something on the floor. If he wakes up, then he is just having a dream. However, if your canine is not hearing you and does not wake up then there is a high possibility that he is having a seizure.
Shock
If your canine is in shock, he may stick his tongue out and shake. AWRC says that this shock can be caused by various factors like an accident or trauma.
Pain
Pain is the potential reason for your canine to stick his tongue out and shake. Moreover, he may be experiencing too much pain because of various reasons. In such cases, it is better to take your canine to the vet. The vet will inspect and determine the problem and tell you the proper treatment.
Depending on the seriousness of the situation, the vet will suggest medication that may include muscle relaxants, anti inflammatory drugs, etc.
Poisoning
Consuming poisonous things can cause your canine to stick his tongue out and shake. Other symptoms include seizures, collapse, and vomiting.
There are many poisonous things that you need to avoid feeding your dog. This includes chocolate, alcohol, rat poison, human drugs, particular plants, garlic, and onion.
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar can cause your canine to stick his tongue out and shake. It is known as Hypoglycemia. It is not very serious and can be cured by giving maple syrup or honey to your canine. Place honey under your canine’s tongue. It will enter the blood much faster.
What to Do if My Dog is Sticking its Tongue out and Shaking?
Here are a few thing to do if your dog is sticking its tongue out and shaking-
- Consult your vet immediately
- Keep your canine relaxed and warm
- Try to provide more mental and physical activities
- Avoid particular foods that may act as stimulants for the canine
Why Is My Dog Acting Weird And Trembling?
Some of the reasons for your canine to act weird and tremble are-
- Excitement
- Cold
- Pain
- Old age
- Seeking attention
- Illness
- Anxiety
- Stress
Should I Be Worried If My Dog Is Shaking?
Shaking with other alarming symptoms must be looked at by the vet immediately. Even if it is a false alarm, shaking for a long period and combined with other symptoms like vomiting can indicate certain severe medical conditions.
What are the signs of poisoning in a dog?
Signs of poisoning in dogs
- Agitation
- Diarrhoea
- Convulsions
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Kidney failure
- Heart problems
What Are The Symptoms Of A Dog With Distemper?
The infected canines will form a white discharge in their eyes. Afterwards, they may develop nasal discharge, fever, lethargy, vomiting, reduced appetite, and coughing.
What Does A Seizure Look Like In A Dog?
Symptoms of seizures in dogs include-
- Muscle twitching
- Stiffening
- Collapsing
- Loss of consciousness
- Jerking
- Drooling
- Tongue chewing
- Foaming from the mouth
- Chomping
Moreover, canines can fall to one side and make paddling motions with their hands and legs. Sometimes, they may even pee or poop during the seizures.
How Do I Comfort My Dog When Shaking?
Here are 5 ways to comfort your dog when shaking-
- Massage
- Light physical touch
- Exercising
- Calming coats or t-shirts
- Music therapy
Why Is My Dog Looking Around Frantically And Shaking?
Your canine is anxious or stressed. Stress, anxiety, and fear can cause your canine to shake and behave in a certain way that is not normal. The common triggers for stress include huge environmental changes, fireworks, or physical harm.
What Does A Silent Seizure Look Like In A Dog?
Silent seizure is also known as Absence seizure or Petit Mal. As its name suggests, this type of seizure displays nothing but loss of consciousness for a few seconds. Canines with silent seizures may tremble, drool, arch the back, have trouble standing, or shake their head.
Why Is My Dog Acting Like He’s Drunk?
Potential causes of this issue may include-
- Intoxication
- Ear infection
- Tumours
- Stroke
- Inflammatory diseases
- Idiopathic vestibular disease
In Conclusion
If your canine sticks his tongue out and shakes more frequently, then it can be some external factor or genetics.
Canines like pugs have brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome genetically. This is a condition where the dog always sticks out his tongue because of the shortened airways and flat face. Some canines may have macroglossia. This is a condition where the canine develops a larger tongue that does not fit in his mouth.
Other things that contribute to dogs sticking tongue out and shaking include pain, seizure, emotional changes, coal, poisoning, infections, etc.
I hope you enjoyed the article. I will be back with more interesting and informative pieces of writing. Till then, stay connected. Thank you.