shivering in my dog

Question
i noticed that my terrier mut was shivering in her sleep. It starts in her back legs. So I woke her up and then her whole body began to shake. When I touched her back she would shake also.What could be the issue?

Answer
Ashley -

While certainly there are some serious possibilities, it is far more likely that she was having a dream that scared or made her nervous, or she was cold.

Dogs often shiver from excitement too.  My gordon setter shakes so much when it's dinner time that her teeth chatter together.

I wouldn't worry if it happens only once in a while, but if it becomes a frequent event, or your dog is over the age of 10 or has some other medical condition, I would recommend a trip to the vet to rule out anything serious.

Best wishes.

-Beth