Shivering/Shaking while sleeping

by Estelle Siegel
(NJ)

I have a 13 month old Papillon that is small for his breed, weighing in at 4.5lbs. I noticed today that all of a sudden he is shaking and shivering while he was sleeping.

He has never done this before. This is also the first time I've had him while the weather is beginning to get chilly. Is this something I should worry about?


Hi Estelle
It's difficult to say for sure what's going on with your pup, but I would recommend that you have your veterinarian take a look at him to make sure that there's no health issue.

It could be that your pup is cold, but it would need to be fairly chilly where he is to make him shiver. Shock, a fever, anxiety, stress or illness can cause shivering and shaking, and only your veterinarian can really determine the exact cause.

If your puppy seems happy, healthy and active when awake and is eating, drinking and eliminating normally, chances are this isn't anything serious, at least at this point. But it's always better to be safe than sorry so have your vet examine your pup.

Best of luck, hope he's doing much better soon.