Figuring out why does my dog leg shake: What this symptom could mean for your pet.

Okay, let me tell you about this whole leg shaking thing with my dog, Buster. It started a few months back, wasn't super obvious at first, just a little tremble in his back leg sometimes when he was standing around.

First Spotting It

I first noticed it after our walks. We'd get back, he'd be standing in the kitchen waiting for his water bowl refill, and there it was – that slight shake in his left back leg. Didn't seem to hurt him, he wasn't whining or limping, just... shaking. Kinda weird. At first, I thought maybe he was just cold, even though it wasn't particularly chilly inside. Or maybe excited? But it kept happening, even when he was just calm.

Watching Like a Hawk

So, I started really paying attention. Became a bit obsessed, you know? I watched when it happened, how long it lasted, and if anything specific triggered it. Here's what I noticed:

• It was almost always the left back leg.
• It happened mostly when he was standing still, especially after exercise or even just getting up from a nap.
• Sometimes it seemed worse if he'd been lying on that side for a while.
• He could still run, jump (though I tried to limit that just in case), and walk fine. No yelping.

I checked his paws and leg carefully myself. No cuts, no thorns, no swelling I could see or feel. Gently moved his leg around, flexed the joints – no sign of pain. He just looked at me like, "Dad, what are you doing?"

Trying a Few Things

My first thought was maybe muscle fatigue or a slight strain. Buster loves chasing squirrels, sometimes he really pushes it. So, I tried shortening our walks a bit, made sure he had proper cool-down time, less sprinting after balls. Didn't seem to make a huge difference, honestly. The shake was still there, maybe a tiny bit less frequent, but hard to tell.

Off to the Vet We Go

After a week or two of this, even though he wasn't acting hurt, I figured better safe than sorry. Made an appointment with our vet. Explained everything I'd observed – the timing, the specific leg, the lack of obvious pain. The vet gave Buster a good look over, felt his legs, hips, spine, checked his reflexes. Did all the usual vet stuff.

Getting Some Answers

Turns out, in Buster's case, the vet suspected it was likely a combination of things. Partly just getting a bit older – Buster's not a puppy anymore, you know? So, mild arthritis could be starting, making things a little stiff or uncomfortable sometimes, leading to a tremor. The vet also mentioned it could just be a bit of nerve excitement or even just how he distributes his weight sometimes when tired.

She said since he wasn't in pain and his mobility was good, it wasn't something to panic about right now. She suggested maybe adding a joint supplement to his food, which we started doing. Just something simple, glucosamine-based.

What We Do Now

So, that's what we did. We kept up with the joint supplement. We're still mindful of his activity – plenty of walks, but maybe less frantic chasing sessions. The leg still shakes occasionally, especially if he's tired or stands in one spot for a long time after waking up. But knowing it's likely nothing sinister makes a big difference to my worrying.

It's just part of watching him get older, I guess. The main thing is, he's happy, comfortable, and still loves his walks. Just gotta keep an eye on things, notice any changes, and not immediately jump to the worst conclusion, but also not ignore stuff when it pops up. That visit to the vet was worth it just for the peace of mind.