Why Does My Dog Twitch In Her Sleep

When i was just starting out as a veterinarian years ago my friend said her dog was having nightmares.

Why does my dog twitch in her sleep. If your dog is having a dream they will twitch a bit and go back to sleep. And sws short wave sleep. Most of the time a dog twitching in her sleep is normal behavior as dogs dream and move in their sleep just like we do. They go through three sleep stages.

During peak brain activity your dog may cry whimper or growl in his sleep. If you ve ever had a dog before you may have witnessed him sound asleep and periodically making twitching movements or even vocalizing little yelping or crying noises. However in rare cases your dog may be experiencing a seizure. Nrem non rapid eye movement.

If you notice your dog having jolts spasms and other sudden and unexplained movements there may be a physical condition that needs to be addressed. A dog that is deep in slumber enough to be crying or whimpering in her sleep is very deeply asleep. Most people have observed their dog twitching doing a tiny paddling motion or quietly vocalizing during sleep. Kathryn primm owner of applebrook animal hospital in tennessee says that sleep movement can become problematic if the twitching begins to interfere with a dog s sleep.

Every once in a while she ll twitch in her sleep. It is in the sws stage that a dog breathes heavily while he is sleeping. Just like us dogs dream. As i write this my dog is napping next to me.

If you call out your dog s name they will wake up. Her eyes nose lips and feet moving as if she is dreaming about chasing something. In this instance she assured me that he was most likely just dreaming. Why your dog twitches in his sleep.

According to pet place dogs have two main types of sleep like humans do rem rapid eye movement sleep and sws or slow wave sleep. It is important to understand the difference between dog twitching while sleeping and dog having a seizure. Like any regular crazy dog mom i have my vet on speed dial so whenever i m unsure about something i always give them a ring. Dogs can suffer from narcolepsy and other sleep disorders so if you think that the twitching is excessive or interrupting you should see your vet she says.

If your dog cries while sleeping it is likely during the rem cycle when your dog is most deeply asleep. A seizure is much more violent than simple twitching and will cause the dog s legs to stiffen. Twitches and tremors can originate from muscle or nerves and can happen at any time. The dog was exhibiting what i would now recognize as classic signs of rem sleep disorder.