Seeing your dog shaking and throwing up is frightening, especially when the symptoms appear suddenly. Your dog might be dealing with gastrointestinal distress, motion sickness, low blood sugar, a painful injury, or even toxin ingestion from spoiled food, household chemicals, or a sugar substitute like xylitol. In more severe cases, shaking and vomiting may signal serious medical emergencies such as canine distemper, liver disease, Addison’s disease, or a blocked stomach.
This guide uses trusted veterinary sources like the Merck Veterinary Manual and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine to help you identify risks and protect your pet’s health.
What Is Vomiting and Shaking?
Understanding these two physical symptoms helps you spot danger faster. Vomiting is when your dog forcefully brings up food or fluid from the stomach. You may see undigested food, foam, bile, or even blood. Dogs vomiting once is not always serious—but vomiting with shaking should never be ignored.
Shaking in dogs can be mild, such as trembling from loud noises or separation anxiety. But sudden shaking may signal:
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Severe pain
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A medical emergency
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A neurological problem
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Low blood sugar
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Exposure to harmful substances
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Fear or stress
Top 10 Reasons Your Dog Might Be Shaking and Throwing Up
When a dog is shaking and throwing up at the same time, it usually means the body is under real stress. Vomiting alone can be mild, but shaking and vomiting together often point to something more serious—pain, poisoning, illness, or a whole-body reaction. Knowing why this happens helps every pet owner protect their dog’s life and get the right help fast.
1. Stomach Upset or Gastrointestinal Distress
Dogs often eat things they shouldn’t—spoiled food, garbage, or new treats. This can irritate the stomach and cause vomiting shaking at the same time. Mild cases improve with rest and a bland diet, but repeated vomiting is a sign to call your vet.
2. Pain or Injury in Dogs
A painful injury—such as a sprain, internal pain, or even swallowing something sharp—can cause trembling and vomiting. Dogs often hide pain, so shaking dog + vomiting may be the first sign of an injury. If you can’t find a cause, visit the vet immediately.
3. Motion Sickness and Stress
Dogs, especially smaller dogs, may get nauseous during car rides. Motion sickness causes vomiting, while stress from the ride may trigger shaking. Loud noises, new environments, and separation anxiety can add to the problem.
4. Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
Hypoglycemia is common in puppies and small dog breeds. When blood sugar drops, the dog may show sudden shaking, weakness, vomiting, or collapse. This is a serious condition that requires immediate care.
5. Toxin Exposure or Poisoning
If a dog eats a toxic substance—like a sugar substitute (xylitol), rat poison, household chemicals, harmful substances, or contaminated plants—vomiting and shaking appear fast.
6. Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis happens when the pancreas becomes inflamed, often after eating fatty food. Dogs show vomiting, belly pain, trembling, and lethargy. This condition is common in senior dogs and can be severe without fast veterinary care.
7. Gastrointestinal Obstruction (Foreign Body)
A dog that swallows toys, socks, bones, or other items may have a blocked stomach or intestines. Symptoms include vomiting undigested food, restlessness, shaking, and abdominal pain.
8. Infections Like Canine Distemper (Especially in Unvaccinated Dogs)
Unvaccinated dogs are at risk for canine distemper, a virus that affects the nervous system and stomach. Signs include fever, shaking, vomiting, and neurological symptoms. The CDC warns that distemper spreads easily and can be deadly without emergency care.
9. Neurological or Tremor Disorders
Conditions like generalized tremor syndrome and white shaker dog syndrome often affect breeds such as West Highland White Terriers. Dogs may have full body tremors along with nausea or vomiting.
10. Organ or Hormonal Disease (Liver Disease, Addison’s Disease, Kidney Issues)
Chronic illnesses affect the entire body.
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Liver disease can cause vomiting, shaking, confusion, and unusual behavior.
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Addison’s disease can lead to sudden collapse, low blood sugar, vomiting shaking, and dehydration.
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Kidney disease causes toxins to build up in the dog’s body, triggering tremors and nausea.
Symptoms That Require Immediate Veterinary Care
Some signs mean your dog needs help right now. A delay could put your dog’s life at risk.
Go to an emergency vet immediately if your dog has:
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Vomiting continues for more than 24 hours
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Pale gums, collapse, or difficulty breathing
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Repeated vomiting with no food coming up
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Uncontrollable shaking or full body tremors
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Sudden swelling or pain in the belly
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Signs of toxin exposure from plants, cleaners, or sugar substitutes
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Neurological symptoms such as stumbling or head tilting (possible vestibular disease)
Prevention of Vomiting and Shaking
You can’t prevent every case of dogs vomiting, but smart habits reduce risk and protect your dog’s life.
Top preventive measures:
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Keep trash and harmful items locked away: Dogs often get sick after eating garbage, spoiled food, or household chemicals.
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Avoid giving human food, especially fatty foods or foods containing xylitol.
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Stay up to date with vaccines, especially for unvaccinated dogs at risk of canine distemper.
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Reduce anxiety triggers: If your dog shakes during car rides, thunderstorms, or separation anxiety, ask your vet about calming strategies.
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Provide routine veterinary care: Annual checkups help detect medical conditions like liver disease, Addison’s disease, or low blood sugar before symptoms worsen.
How to Calm a Shaking Dog
A shaking dog may feel scared, uncomfortable, or sick. Calming your dog helps you see whether the cause is emotional or physical.
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Provide soft lighting and a quiet room
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Sit close and speak in a calm voice
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Use a dog blanket for warmth
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Avoid car rides until symptoms stop
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Remove triggers like loud noises or other pets
If shaking continues even after calming, or if vomiting continues, it's more likely a medical issue—not fear. Seek veterinary care right away.
What You Should Do at Home Right Away
If your dog isn’t showing emergency signs, here’s what to do:
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Keep your dog warm and calm: Both trembling and nausea worsen with stress.
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Observe physical symptoms closely: Look for diarrhea, drooling, weakness, or unusual behavior.
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Offer small amounts of water: But avoid letting your dog drink too quickly.
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Withhold food temporarily: After vomiting, giving food too soon can make symptoms worse.
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Start a bland diet: After 6–12 hours, offer bland food such as rice and boiled chicken.
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Call your vet: Especially if symptoms return or do not improve within 12–24 hours.
Never give human medications unless a vet tells you to. Some human drugs can cause toxin ingestion in dogs.
Home Remedies for Vomiting in Dogs
Home remedies can help only if your dog shows mild symptoms and still acts alert.
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Withhold food for 6–12 hours
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Offer small sips of water
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Feed bland diet such as boiled chicken and rice
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Avoid treats or high-fat food
If vomiting continues or your dog shows shaking, pale gums, or lethargy, stop home care and seek veterinary help.
When to Visit the Vet
Not every instance of a dog shaking means an emergency—but shaking combined with vomiting is different. This pairing tells you that your dog’s body is under stress. Some situations require urgent veterinary care, especially if vomiting continues or your dog shows other signs like collapse, pale gums, or difficulty breathing.
Visit your regular vet immediately if your dog:
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Vomits multiple times in a day
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Shows sudden shaking or full body tremors
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Refuses food or water
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Has abdominal pain or mild discomfort
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Is a puppy, senior dog, or a very small breed (smaller dogs crash faster)
Go to an emergency vet if your dog has:
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Signs of poisoning or toxin exposure
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White gums or breathing problems
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Uncontrollable shaking
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Severe lethargy or sudden collapse
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A swollen belly or repeated attempts to vomit with nothing coming out
How to Tell the Difference Between Vomiting, Retching, and Regurgitating
Vomiting
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Forceful
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Belly contractions
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Often contains digested or undigested food
Retching (dry heaving)
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Looks like vomiting but nothing comes out
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Common in bloat—a life threatening emergency
Regurgitation
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Passive
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Food simply falls out
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Often linked to esophageal issues
Knowing the difference helps your vet diagnose the problem quickly.
FAQs
What to do if a dog is throwing up and shaking?
Move your dog to a quiet area, watch for pale gums or unusual behavior, and call your vet. If your dog has uncontrollable shaking, toxin exposure, or trouble breathing, go to an emergency vet immediately.
What causes shaking and throwing up?
Common causes include spoiled food, pain or injury, toxin ingestion, motion sickness, liver disease, Addison’s disease, low blood sugar, and viral infections like canine distemper. Some small breeds also develop generalized tremor syndrome.
Can an upset stomach cause a dog to shake?
Yes. Dogs sometimes shake during stomach pain or nausea. But if shaking appears with vomiting, weakness, or pale gums, this may signal a serious medical emergency and you should see a vet immediately.
Do dogs tremble when they feel sick?
Yes. Trembling is a common sign of discomfort, fever, stress, or pain. Senior dogs and smaller dogs may shake more easily. If shaking happens with vomiting or other physical symptoms, seek veterinary care to protect your dog’s health.
Conclusion
Seeing your dog shaking and throwing up can be scary, but knowing what these symptoms mean helps you act fast and protect your dog’s life. Not every case is an emergency, but shaking and vomiting together often point to a deeper problem—anything from stomach upset to poisoning or illness.
With quick action, the right care, and simple preventive steps at home, you can keep your dog safe, healthy, and comfortable. Always trust your instincts—you know your dog better than anyone.
