Why Your Dog Yelps & Shakes When Barely Touched

A hug or a rub on the belly is a sign of affection for a dog. But, have you ever experienced times when your dog, all of a sudden, yelped as if he was in pain even when you barely touched him?

Yelping is something serious. A dog yelps when touched if he feels acute pain, in most cases. However, there are other factors that you have to consider. Let’s dive a little deeper into the yelping behavior.

Yelping is a Form of Communication

If only dogs can talk, then you wouldn’t be reading this post anymore. But, since they can’t, you have to take their body language and verbalizing through sounds like a form of communication. For example, if a dog wags his tail then you would assume that he is happy.

It’s the same thing with yelping. If a dog is expressing some intense emotions, then he may yelp. For instance, if you just went home from vacation, and it’s your pet’s first time seeing you after a week, he is probably going to bark, yelp, and climb on you.

Other Reasons Why Dogs Yelp

Aside from extreme emotions, there are other reasons why a dog yelps. Depending on the situation and how the yelp is delivered, your dog could be asking you for something. The first thing that comes to your mind might be food or water, or your pet might be bored and want to go for a walk.

Your dog could be anxious when you are leaving so he might yelp because of separation anxiety. Typically, a dog will do this if the bond that he has developed with the owner is strong or the dog feels he is in a insecure or anxious environment.

Your furbaby can also yelp because of old age. As your dog advances in years, he is going to be more lethargic and will gradually experience more health problems. Because of these, you might observe that your dog yelps, especially at night, because he is disoriented or is feeling uncomfortable due to an illness.

Trauma could be another reason why your dog yelps or shakes when barely touched. Let’s say your dog had a bad experience inside your car. He might yelp when forced to ride the car again because he doesn’t want to go through the same trauma.

What Would Make a Dog Yelp in Pain?

From all the above reasons, the most common reason why a dog yelps when barely touched is because of internal pain. It could be from the spine or from the neck. It could also be abdominal pain. So, the next question might be, how can you differentiate yelping from pain, from all the other reasons?

You need to watch out for red flags like a loss of appetite which could indicate abdominal pain, limping which could be because of back pain, and difficulty of breathing. If you spot any of these symptoms, it’s a must for you to visit your vet right away.

What Treatment Will Your Vet Recommend?

First of all, your vet will likely administer pain medication so your dog can feel some relief. Then, he or she will assess your dog depending on the symptoms he shows. Once your vet determines what’s causing the pain, he or she might suggest surgery or therapy in severe cases.

In less serious cases, your dog might be sent home with just anti-inflammatory and pain medication so he can get some rest. It will all depend on what problem your vet finds.

Always Listen To Your Dog

Whatever the case is, the most important lesson here is to listen to and monitor your dog. If he exhibits behavior or verbalization that’s out of the norm, see a vet right away.