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Why is my dog shaking, gagging, and panting hard all of a sudden?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Long Coat) | Female | unspayed

My dog is shaking excessively and her mouth opens every few minutes like she wants to vomit but then she just ends up panting really hard. She was fine a few minutes ago and just sleeping and then she got up and has been doing this ever since. You can see her muscles quivering.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 13th, 2019

It sounds like Kiki is in distress - she may have something stuck in her esophagus or stomach that is causing her gagging and attempted vomiting. The shaking and quivering muscles could be a sign of nausea or pain. I would recommend seeing an emergency veterinarian for a physical exam. They might also recommend x-rays or other diagnostic tests.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 12th, 2018

    I can certainly understand being worried about Miya! It could be she was trying to vomit something up causing the gagging, and the shaking and panting can be a sign of pain. I would put her in a cool and dark area to see if that helps calm down her breathing, but if this behavior continues over the next 30 minutes to an hour, I would take her into a vet right away to be checked out. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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