You are here:

Ask the Veterinarian/Dog is shaking uncontrollably

Advertisement

Expert: - 1/30/2012


Question
Hi Jana! Sorry to bother you again.

When I brought my dog to the vet they gave me two different medications. (I don't know if you are familiar with these medications) The first one is Metronidazole and the second one is Prednisone. The vet told me to give her one tablet of the Metronidazole every 12 hours for 10 days and she told me to give her 1/2 a tablet of Prednisone every 12 hours for 7 days, then 1/2 a tablet every 24 hours for 7 days, then 1/2 a tablet every other day until gone. So what I do is I give Dixie the pills at 8 am (I have to drop them down her throat because she won’t eat them) and I feed her 1 cup of dog food. I do the same thing at 8 pm. I give Dixie NO treats because I think that may upset her stomach. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyways, the reason that I am sending you this message is because Dixie has been constantly shaking uncontrollably and she seems very tired. I do take her for a walk once a day so that could be why she is so tired but she is always sleeping and she seems depressed and maybe in pain and she never wants anything to do with me. She also has been very very thirsty and hungry. I know that the hunger and thirst are side effects from the medicine but I don't know if the shaking/twitching is a side effect from the medicine. Also should I feed her more often? I feed her every 12 hours. Do you think she is getting to much medicine? Or is the shaking/twitching normal? I am very worried about her and I'm sorry if it's nothing serious just making sure. If it's something serious I will call my vet ASAP.

Thanks!

Answer
The metronidazole could make her shake if she isn't eating enough food. Feed her the amount the bag/cans tell you to feed and a bit more if it helps.

The prednisone will cause the water and eating to increase but it could also cause the shaking.Actually it's more likely to cause the shaking then the Metronidazole is.  

Stick to her schedule of pills but call the vets tomorrow and tell them that she is shaking a LOT. They may have you change the amount of pills or change the schedule.

You are not a bother Kylie. That is what I am here for. Please never hesitate to write me if you have a question. :-)

Ask the Veterinarian

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.