Have you seen your dog snoring loudly when it is sleeping? Check if their body shakes while they sleep..this is a sign of dog sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a problem where the dog’s body stops breathing temporarily and then starts again. Just like humans, dogs suffer from the sleep apnea problem and it must be treated asap otherwise it can have serious results. It is a serious problem and can even lead to death in some cases so one must pay proper attention to it. Read on to know more about this problem.
What Symptoms Should You Check in Your Dog?
It is vital to pay proper attention to your dog’s sleeping habits. How much noise does it make while sleeping? Is it loud enough? A loud noise along with the body getting woken up frequently for breathing is the potential sign of this problem. If your dog’s sleeping pattern has changed and sleeps too much and remains irritated then pay close attention to it and get it checked by a veterinarian.
What Causes this Problem?
Most common causes of sleep apnea in dogs are overweightness, allergies, and blocking in the nasal passages.
Overweightness is a cause for not only sleep apnea but many diseases in dogs. One must take proper care of the dog’s diet and get it monitored by the doctor regularly. If you feel that your dog has gained a lot of weight in recent times, don’t take it lightly and consult a good veterinarian to reduce the weight.
Nasal passages getting blocked is a serious problem as it can stop the breathing completely and cause a death so if you see the symptom of your dog facing breathing issues, consult the doctor immediately. The doctor will diagnose the root cause and provide medications or suggest the treatment that must be underperformed to make your dog relieved from this problem.
A surgery can even be suggested by the doctor if needed. If the nasal passage is too small then surgery might be needed to expand it.
Give Proper Sleeping Area to Your Dog
To give relief to your dog from this problem, it is very important that you make a separate sleeping area where they can sleep comfortably without any disturbance. Don’t let them sleep on the floors as it is not a comfortable experience for them. Get a large dog bed which will provide a comfy and peaceful sleeping experience to your dog.
There are numerous advantages that a large dog bed provides. It will give your dog relief from hip and joint issues. It will give them and you a private place for sleeping otherwise they might jump on your bed and disturb you. A comfortable sleeping place will make them energetic and active throughout the day.
So, here was an overview of dog sleep apnea. If you see the above-mentioned symptoms in your dog, don’t hesitate to take it to a veterinarian immediately to get the treatment done asap.
