Dog Eye Boogers and Shaking: What These Signs May Mean

Eye discharge paired with shaking or trembling in a dog is a combination that can have several possible explanations, ranging from mild discomfort to more serious conditions. Shaking in dogs can indicate pain, anxiety, fever, or a neurological concern, and when it occurs alongside eye discharge, the two signs may share a common cause or represent separate but related issues.

Quick Answer

Dog eye boogers and shaking may be associated with pain or discomfort (such as eye injury, dental disease, or ear infection), fever from infection, toxin exposure, anxiety or stress, or neurological conditions. The combination should be taken seriously, especially if the shaking is new, persistent, or accompanied by other changes in behavior or appetite.

SYMPTOM TRIAGE

Answer a few questions about your dog's signs and receive general guidance on how urgently to seek veterinary care.

Check Symptoms

This tool does not diagnose conditions or replace a veterinarian.

What Can This Symptom Combination Look Like?

The way these signs present can offer clues about the underlying cause.

Eye Discharge With Generalized Trembling

Some dogs develop eye discharge while simultaneously showing fine tremors or shaking across their whole body. The shaking may be continuous or intermittent, and the dog may appear restless or unable to settle. This pattern can be associated with pain, fever, or systemic illness.

Eye Discharge With Localized Shaking of the Head

Other dogs may have discharge from one or both eyes accompanied by head shaking or tilting. This pattern often suggests an ear infection, foreign body in the ear, or a condition affecting the ear canal, since the eyes and ears are closely connected anatomically.

Squinting or Pawing at the Eye With Shivering

A dog that squints, paws at its face, or rubs its eye while also shivering may be experiencing significant eye pain. Corneal scratches, ulcers, glaucoma, or foreign bodies in the eye can cause intense discomfort that leads to shaking, drooling, or behavioral changes.

Eye Discharge With Stiffness or Lameness

Some dogs show eye discharge alongside a stiff gait, reluctance to move, or visible trembling in the limbs. This combination can suggest a systemic inflammatory or immune-mediated condition such as tick-borne disease or polyarthritis.

What May Be Associated With This Combination?

Multiple categories of conditions can cause both eye discharge and shaking in dogs.

Pain and Discomfort

Eye pain: Conditions such as a corneal ulcer, scratch, foreign body, glaucoma, or uveitis can cause significant eye pain. Dogs may respond to eye pain by squinting, holding the eye closed, pawing at the face, and shaking or trembling from discomfort.
Dental or oral pain: Infected upper teeth can cause eye discharge due to the proximity of tooth roots to the eye socket. The pain from dental disease can also cause generalized trembling, reluctance to eat, and drooling.
Ear infection: Otitis externa or interna can cause head shaking and may be accompanied by eye discharge if the infection spreads or if the dog is experiencing generalized discomfort. Redness, odor, or discharge from the ear canal may also be present.

Infections and Fever

Upper respiratory infections: Canine influenza, kennel cough complex, or other respiratory infections can cause eye discharge, nasal discharge, fever, and lethargy. A dog with a fever may shake or shiver as the body raises its temperature.
Tick-borne diseases: Conditions such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever can cause eye inflammation, joint pain, fever, and trembling. These are important considerations in regions where ticks are common.
Distemper: Canine distemper virus can cause eye discharge, nasal discharge, fever, and neurological signs including tremors or seizures. Vaccination status is an important consideration.

Toxin Exposure

Poisoning or toxic exposure: Certain toxins, including some plants, chemicals, medications, and foods (such as chocolate, xylitol, or certain mushrooms), can cause neurological signs including tremors and shaking. Some toxins may also cause eye irritation or changes.
Pesticide or insecticide exposure: Contact with certain lawn chemicals, flea treatments, or rodenticides can cause tremors, drooling, eye irritation, and other neurological signs.

Neurological Conditions

Seizure activity: Some types of seizure activity in dogs can present as trembling or shaking. Post-seizural confusion, drooling, and changes in responsiveness may also occur. Eye discharge is not directly caused by seizures but may be present due to an unrelated or concurrent condition.
Canine distemper or other neurological diseases: Certain viral or degenerative neurological conditions can cause both eye abnormalities and tremors or shaking.

Anxiety and Stress

Fear or anxiety: Dogs experiencing anxiety, fear, or stress may shake or tremble. Eye discharge may be unrelated or may result from the dog rubbing its face due to stress. Common triggers include loud noises, new environments, separation, or changes in routine.
Pain-induced anxiety: A dog in pain from an eye condition or other source may shake from a combination of physical discomfort and anxiety.

Metabolic and Endocrine Conditions

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Particularly in small breed puppies or dogs with diabetes on insulin, low blood sugar can cause trembling, weakness, confusion, and in severe cases, seizures. Eye discharge may be present from a concurrent condition.
Hypocalcemia (low calcium): Low calcium levels can cause muscle tremors, stiffness, and shaking, and may be associated with conditions such as eclampsia in nursing dogs.

What Should the Pet Owner Monitor?

Careful observation provides valuable information for your veterinarian.

Type of shaking: Is it a fine tremor, a generalized shake, or intermittent shivering? Does it involve the whole body or specific limbs? Does it stop when the dog rests or is it continuous?
Eye discharge details: Note the color, consistency, and whether it affects one or both eyes. Is the eye itself red, swollen, or being held closed?
Appetite and drinking: Has the dog stopped eating or drinking? Is the dog drooling excessively or reluctant to chew?
Behavioral changes: Is the dog hiding, whining, restless, or acting differently from its normal temperament?
Other physical signs: Check for signs of ear infection (head tilting, odor, scratching at ears), fever (warm ears and paws, lethargy), vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in gum color.
Exposure history: Consider whether the dog may have had access to toxins, unusual plants, garbage, new medications, or unfamiliar environments.
Vaccination and preventive care status: Note when the dog was last vaccinated and whether it receives regular parasite prevention.

What Can the Owner Safely Do Next?

The urgency of action depends on the severity and context of the signs.

Assess the Situation

Check the dog's gum color (should be pink, not pale, blue, or yellow), breathing rate, and responsiveness.
Note whether the dog can walk normally or appears weak or uncoordinated.
Look for other signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, or signs of pain when touching specific areas.

Provide a Calm, Comfortable Environment

Move the dog to a quiet, warm area away from noise and activity.
Keep other pets and children away to reduce stress.
If the dog is shivering from apparent cold, provide a light blanket (do not overheat the dog).

Gentle Eye Care

You may gently wipe discharge from the eye area using a clean, damp cloth or saline-soaked cotton ball. Wipe from the inner corner outward.
Do not apply any medications, drops, or home remedies to the eye without veterinary guidance.
Prevent the dog from pawing or rubbing at the eye, which could worsen an injury.

Do Not Attempt to Treat the Shaking

Do not give human pain medications, sedatives, or any other drugs to a shaking dog. Many human medications are toxic to dogs and some can worsen neurological signs.
Do not attempt to force the dog to eat or drink if it is reluctant.

Contact Your Veterinarian

If the shaking is severe, new, or accompanied by other concerning signs, contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic promptly.
If the signs are mild and the dog is otherwise behaving normally, schedule a veterinary appointment within the next day or two, but continue to monitor closely for any changes.

When to Contact a Veterinarian

Emergency (Seek Immediate Care)

The dog is having a seizure, collapse, or is unresponsive.
The shaking is severe, continuous, and the dog cannot stand or walk normally.
There is sudden onset of eye swelling, protrusion of the eyeball, or the dog cannot open its eye.
The dog has been exposed to a known toxin, including medications, chemicals, poisonous plants, or dangerous foods.
The dog has pale, blue, or yellow gums, is vomiting blood, or has difficulty breathing.

Non-Urgent (Schedule a Veterinary Visit Soon)

The shaking is mild or intermittent and the dog is otherwise alert and responsive.
Eye discharge is present without severe swelling or pain, but persists for more than a day or two.
The dog has a mild decrease in appetite but is still eating and drinking.
The dog is shaking but can be calmed and shows no other major changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my dog shaking and has eye boogers at the same time?

This combination can occur when a single condition causes both signs -- for example, an infection that produces eye discharge and fever (which causes shaking), or pain from an eye injury or dental problem that causes trembling. It can also occur when two unrelated issues are present at the same time. A veterinary examination can help determine the cause.

Can an ear infection cause eye discharge and head shaking?

Yes. Ear infections are a common cause of head shaking in dogs, and in some cases, the inflammation or infection can extend to involve the nearby eye structures, leading to concurrent eye discharge. A veterinarian can examine the ear canal to determine whether an infection is present.

Should I be worried if my dog is trembling and has green eye discharge?

Green or yellow eye discharge may indicate a bacterial infection, and when combined with trembling, it can suggest the dog has a fever or is in pain. While not every case is an emergency, this combination warrants prompt veterinary evaluation to identify the cause and begin appropriate treatment.

Can anxiety cause a dog to shake and have eye discharge?

Anxiety alone can cause trembling or shaking in dogs, but it does not typically cause eye discharge. If a dog is anxious and also has eye discharge, the two signs may have separate causes, or the anxiety may be a response to pain or discomfort from an eye condition. A veterinary visit can help determine whether there is an underlying physical cause.

SYMPTOM TRIAGE

If your dog has eye discharge and is shaking, the triage tool can help you assess how urgently veterinary care may be needed and what details to share with your veterinarian.

Start Symptom Triage

This tool does not diagnose conditions or replace a veterinarian.

Sources:

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO)
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)

Disclaimer: This article and the PawAI Symptom Triage tool provide general educational information only. They cannot examine your pet, make a diagnosis, or replace advice from a licensed veterinarian. Contact a veterinarian promptly if symptoms are severe, worsening, persistent, or accompanied by emergency warning signs.