Why Does My Dog Flinch All Of A Sudden?

When your dog suddenly starts exhibiting any sort of new behaviour, it can be a major cause of concern for any dog owner. Luckily, most of the causes behind it can be easily treated, but there are others than can be quite serious.

Why Does My Dog Flinch All Of A Sudden?

There are multiple reasons why your dog has suddenly started flinching. It could be because they’re in pain, have a neurodevelopmental disorder, have previously been abused, or something as innocent as dreaming.

What Is Flinching In Dogs?

Fliching is a very quick movement that might occur in your dog’s body or face and is usually done as a reaction to either fear, surprise, or pain. This is natural when your dog is sleeping, however, if it is due to nerves, it might be something you want to keep an eye on and solve.

 

Is Flinching A Natural Reflex In Dogs?

Flinching can be a natural reflex in dogs. It’s only natural whilst they’re sleeping and this is a sign that they are dreaming and is also something that we do. However, if they are flinching because they’re scared, you might want to get to the root of the problem so they stop doing it.

Is Flinching A Good Thing?

Flinching can be a good thing if it’s because they’re dreaming as this is a natural reaction to have. However, if it’s because they’re scared, this is bad because there’s obviously something going on in their environment that they don’t like, which could be a cause for concern.

Why Does My Dog Flinch All Of A Sudden?

Dreaming

Dreaming in dogs is completely normal and one of the ways to check if your dog is dreaming is to see if they are flinching slightly. They could be dreaming about a number of different things and just like with humans, this is completely natural and it is best to leave them to it.

Old Age

Older dogs are more likely to develop something called vestibular disease. The vesitbular system is the part of the body that affects your dog’s balance and if your dog develops vestibular disease, this can cause disorientation, which causes your dog to flinch.

Bad/Failing Eyesight

Just like with humans, dogs can also suffer with having poor eyesight, particularly as they are getting older. This means that they are likely to flinch because they can’t see properly, so become scared of anything in front of them. This could be due to cataracts, which if left untreated, could cause them to go blind.

Disoriented/Vestibular Disease

Disorientation can be another cause behind your dog flinching. They will flinch away from objects, humans, and other animals because they are so disoriented that they don’t know what is happening to them. In this case, you should take your dog to the vet and be cautious around them.

Past Traumatic Experiences

If you have an adopted dog, it’s likely that they will be flinching away from you or anyone else because they have been abused in some way in the past. This is why you want to be careful around your dog so as they know they can trust you and that you won’t abuse them.

Fear

Dogs tend to go through two fear periods as puppies, one at 8-11 weeks and the other at 6-14 months. The first is whilst they are getting used to being away from their mother and siblings. The second is when they are still getting used to the world around them.

Nervousness

Your dog flinching from nervousness is more or less the same as when they flinch from fear. It’s more than likely this is the way if you notice your dog is flinching and moving around quickly at the same time.

Pain

Pain in dogs can take a variety of different forms and they may be flinching for different reasons. If this pain is due to arthritis, your dog might flinch when they are moved or touched. If they have pain in their jaw or teeth, they might flinch if they see your hand going towards their head.

Excitement

Even though most of the reasons why your dog is flinching are negative, one of the more positive sides to this can be due to excitement. This excitement can also cause shaking and trembling because they don’t know what to do with all of this extra energy in their body.

Injuries

Your dog could be flinching due to an injury. Perhaps they have hurt a certain part of their body and if you go to touch that part of their body, they flinch because of the pain they are in. In this case, you need to take your dog to the vet so that this injury can be treated.

 

Neurological Disorders

There are a number of different neurological disorders that can cause flinching in dogs and may possible even be the cause behind seizures. One of these is Shaker Syndrome. Regardless of the cause, you might want to take your dog to the vets to get them checked over.

Nausea

Nausea is often a sign of another disease but regardless of whether it’s due to that or just nausea on it’s own, this can cause your dog to flinch. In this case, you’ll want to check whether this nausea is due to anything serious or not by taking them to the vet.

Cough

Just like us, dog’s get coughs. If you cough, you’ll notice that you’ll flinch slightly and the same happens with dogs. On the whole, this isn’t anything to worry about as the cough should go away in a few days. However, if you notice the cough worsens or they develop a fever, you need to take them to the vet.

Seizures

Your dog having seizures is one of the more serious causes behind them flinching. If a seizure involves flinching, it might only be a mild one, however, this doesn’t take away from how serious it is. It can still cause permanent damage to your dog, so it’s best you take them to the vet.

What To Do If Your Dog Is Flinching?

One thing you might want to do is to take your dog to a dog behaviourist if they’re flinching. You might want to do this if you figure out the reason behind this flinching is either due to shyness or nervousness. Approaching the behaviourist will help your dog become much more confident.

 

Alternatively, you might want to take your dog to the vet if they are flinching due to pain, disorientation, seizures, vision problems, or any other medical conditions. This could be quite serious, so it’s best that you get these sorted out sooner rather than later.

 

You should be very careful around your dog if they are flinching, particularly if this flinching has been caused by disorientation. In this case, you don’t know how they’re going to react to you, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

If your dog is flinching because they’ve previously been abused, you’ll want to approach them very slowly and possibly call out their name before approaching them so they know that you’re not going to try and harm them in any way.

 

You should also help your dog by if the flinching is due to fear, not making them go anywhere near what it is they’re afraid of, whether that’s a human or an object. You might want to give them a safe space to go to where they know for sure that they’re not going to come to any harm.

 

If socialisation is the issue in regards to their flinching, the best thing you can do is to get your dog used to being around other dogs, animals, and humans as soon as you possibly can. This will take time, but they’ll soon get used to it.

 

You might want to try positive reinforcement training. This is where you reward your dog for doing the behaviour you want them to do. For example, each time they don’t flinch when you stroke them, you give them a treat. Eventually, if the flinching is a behavioural issue, they will learn they don’t need to do this.

 

Having said that, if you do try positive reinforcement, you need to ensure that you’re not encouraging the flinching accidentally. Make sure you only reward them when they don’t flinch so they know they don’t need to exhibit this behaviour.

Why Is My Dog Flinching For No Apparent Reason?

If you have looked into everything and there appears to be no real reason why your dog is flinching, it could just be in their nature to do so. This is only likely to be the case if they have always been like this so if not, further investigations may need to take place.

Dog Suddenly Lethargic And Flinching?

If your dog has suddenly become lethargic and is flinching, this could be a sign that they are really hurt. If you notice both of these signs in your dog, you’ll want to get them to the vets as soon as possible so they can get checked out.

My Dog Is Flinching And Acting Weird?

There are many reasons why your dog is flinching and acting weird, most of which have already been discussed within this article. If this behaviour isn’t normal for your dog, you’ll want to get either a vet or dog behaviourist to help figure out possible causes and treatments.

Why Does My Old Dog Flinch When I Touch Him/Pet His Head?

If you notice your dog is flinching when you touch them or pet their head, this could be due to them being in pain, either in their jaw or due to arthritis. In cases like this, it’s best for you to take your dog to the vet so they can be examined and given the appropriate treatment.

My Dog Is Wobbly And Flinching?

Your dog being a combination of wobbly and flinching can be due to a number of different things, including gastroenteritis, parasites, toxin ingestion, or liver disease. It can also be a sign that they’re in pain. Either way, you’ll need to take them to the vet to get diagnosed and treated.

Why Is My Dog Flinching Randomly?

If your dog has suddenly started flinching randomly, this could be the sign that they have eaten something toxic. Other signs of this includes seizures and drooling. If you suspect this is the reason, you need to take them to the vet immediately to get treated.

Why Is My Dog Flinching In Its Sleep?

If your dog is flinching in their sleep, this means that they are dreaming. This is a good thing and clearly means that they are enjoying their sleep. It might mean they are dreaming of something they enjoy; more than likely them chasing a ball or something along those lines.

Why Is My Old Dog Flinching In Sunlight?

As dogs get older, they are more likely to develop iris atrophy. This is where the iris muscle weakens and lets too much light into the eye. Unfortunately, this cannot be treated, but you can help your dog out by giving them goggles that act as sunglasses whenever they go outside.

Why Is My Dog Flinching When Touched On Back/Paws?

This is likely due to them being in pain, either on their back or on their paws. This is especially likely to be the case if they let out a yelp if you do manage to touch either of these areas. You’ll need to take them to the vet so they can be diagnosed and treated.

What Part Of The Brain Is Responsible For Flinching?

The part of the brain that is responsible for flinching is the cerebellum. This is because this is where motor movement occurs from, so is what can cause flinching to happen when your dog is reacting to something.

How Much Should I Worry About My Dog Flinching?

You should only worry that your dog is flinching if it’s clear that they’re not flinching because they’re dreaming and it’s due to something else, such as them being scared. If you are worried about your dog flinching, try and figure out the root cause and possibly even take them to the vet.

 

How Much Does It Cost To Treat Flinching In Dogs?

The cost to treating flinching in dogs varies dependent upon the cause behind the flinching. Typically though, costs can vary from $300 to $3000, but this will all depend on the cause and how much treatment they require.

 

References

https://wagwalking.com/symptom/why-is-my-dog-flinching

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ataxia-in-dogs