Some dog owners might notice that their dogs occasionally snore, or their breathing is irregular. Therefore, they are often wondering – Can dogs have sleep apnea?
The short answer is, – yes, they can. Though not a widespread disorder in the canine world, dogs too can suffer from sleep apnea.
Usually associated with problematic symptoms identical to humans, sleep apnea is indeed a problem that some dogs might experience.
In the first place, it’s a condition that will need to be dealt with professionally when the symptoms present themselves.
In this article, we will highlight the symptoms and causes of sleep apnea in dogs, as well as discuss possible treatment options.
Can Dogs Have Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is the term used for a sleeping disorder that has the potential to turn into something more severe f left unchecked.
Sleep apnea causes a dog’s breathing to stop and start repeatedly. Yet, though some dogs can indeed develop sleep apnea, there are usually several underlying reasons for its presence.
The condition is not exclusive to one breed, and can affect any breed and, in fact, any dog. However, there are signs you can keep an eye out for, thus improving your chances of spotting it should it present itself in your dog.
Can Dogs Have Sleep Apnea? Symptoms
Fortunately, the symptoms of sleep apnea in a dog aren’t too tricky to spot. Generally, a dog will often show signs of:
Snoring
Snoring will usually be loud and frequent. Perhaps one of the first signs for many dog owners is a change in their dog’s snoring. For instance, you might notice your pet snoring for the first time or hear it doing it much more prominently than before.
Excessive sleeping
As a direct response to sleep apnea, dogs suffering from this condition will not be able to get enough decent sleep throughout the night, when they need it the most.
Therefore, they will seem drowsier during the day and tend to take more naps to make up for this feeling of tiredness.
Gasping or choking while sleeping
As sleep apnea causes an issue with a dog’s breathing, you may begin to hear gasping sounds or something similar to gagging sounds as your dog sleeps.
Irritableness
Those humans who don’t get their quality sleep become grumpy and irritable during the day as a result. Similarly, dogs that suffer from sleep apnea will become bad-tempered too!
This irritableness presents itself when your dog starts acting a little bit snappy, grumbling, or generally being stubborn when asked to move or do something.
Can Dogs Have Sleep Apnea? Causes
Firstly, there are several potential causes for the presence of sleep apnea in dogs.
However, a few most common include the dog being overweight, specific allergies, or something obstructing your dog’s nasal passages and airway.
here are several potential causes for the presence of sleep apnea in dogs. However, a few most common include the dog being overweight, specific allergies, or something obstructing your dog’s nasal passages and airway.
Below we mention the most common causes in further detail:
Obesity
One of the most common causes of sleep apnea is obesity. Coincidentally, it is also one of the significant reasons for sleep apnea in humans!
The cause here is simple – the overweight dogs will display a build-up of fat that accumulates around the throat area.
Consequently, the tissue of the throat becomes obstructed as the build-up begins to cave in and block the airways. Thus, a dog will not be able to breathe correctly.
The soft tissue affected also relates to that of the tonsils, tongue, soft palate, and adenoid. These are the tissue areas that, when both dog and human fall asleep, sag in the throat area as the throat’s muscles begin to relax.
If this area is then completely blocked due to an excess amount of tissue build here, sleep apnea will occur.
In many overweight pooches, you’ll tend to notice a build-up of excess fat around the throat and neck area. This complication will significantly increase the risk of sleep apnea.
In case you are worried that your dog might be overweight, read our detailed article about Obesity in Dogs.
Various Allergies
Allergies in dogs can take on many forms but usually consist of skin allergies, seasonal allergies, and food allergies. Some dogs may also struggle with certain toxins in their immediate environment.
If such allergies are persistent and problematic in a dog, they can lead to obstructing a dog’s snout and throat, thus causing problems with breathing throughout the night.
The reason for this is due to the allergies inflaming the dog’s airways to the extent where they will eventually block them off.
Nasal and airway obstructions
Some dogs that have been poorly bred will, as a result, struggle with nasal and airway obstructions regularly.
In addition to these unfortunate dogs, there are breeds well known for their brachycephalic properties, that is a short nose!
Dogs Susceptible to Sleep Apnea (Brachycephalic Breeds)
Unquestionably, dogs who put on too much weight can become instantly susceptible to sleep apnea if left untreated.
Likewise, those dogs who suffer allergic reactions will also become most vulnerable to sleep apnea.
However, there are indeed certain breeds that will be prone to bouts of sleep apnea – because of their genetic predisposition. They are so called brachycephalic dogs, in other words dogs with shortened snouts.
It should be noted that these dogs often suffer from brachycephalic syndrome. Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome is a condition affecting short nosed dogs, which can lead to serious respiratory problems.
The most common sufferers are pugs, French bulldogs, English bulldogs, and even those Boston terriers. They often have many suffering complications because of the occurrence of this condition at some point in their life.
List of dogs, susceptible to sleep apnea:
- French Bulldog
- English Bulldog
- Pug
- Pekingese
- Shih Tzu
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Lhasa Apso
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Dogs
Depending on the reasons behind your dog’s sleep apnea, there is usually a treatment for it, unless the appearance of the condition is due to the dog breed itself.
Treating sleep apnea in overweight dogs
If sleep apnea is present in a dog due to excess weight, then the solution is straightforward. The dog will need to lose the extra weight.
A veterinarian will be able to instantly tell from just a few quick checks whether a dog is overweight and therefore get to work on implementing a plan of action.
The checks will include assessing your pet’s current weight, as well as its current diet plan. After that, your vet will recommend the best treatment for your dog. If you follow your vet recommendations, the weight is likely to remain in place long after the desired body mass has been reached.
Usually, dogs suffering from sleep apnea due to excess weight will have no complications during the recovery time.
Treating sleep apnea in dogs suffering from allergies
If your veterinarian has been able to diagnose an allergy as an underlying cause of the sleep apnea, this too can then be quickly investigated and remedied.
Many veterinarians will look towards the root cause of the problem and offer a solution based on what they find. So, if it’s food that is causing the allergy, they will look at prescribing a hypoallergenic diet.
Sometimes the diagnosis might be seasonal allergies. Then, the vet may decide to offer a prescription to help alleviate the symptoms until that specific time of the year is over. It is almost akin to humans and hay fever during the summer months!
However, the cause of sleep apnea can also appear to be something in the dog’s immediate environment. Then you may have to undergo a few more tests before the culprit is found.
Treating sleep apnea in brachycephalic dog breeds
When it comes to offering solutions for sleep apnea to those breeds susceptible to it, it is indeed quite a challenging task.
Besides, just because a dog may be of the pug breed, or French bulldog breed, for example, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll present with sleep apnea.
Even more so, trying to diagnose something such as obstructive is often a very difficult task for a veterinarian.
The issue arises when sleep apnea is problematic in a short nose dog and is affecting its quality of life.
In this case, some veterinarians may consider performing surgery on the dog to enable it to sleep better. However, this will all be mostly dependent on the individual dog.
Can Dogs Have Sleep Apnea? Other Things to Consider
It’s worth noting that just because a dog shows certain signs, it might not necessarily be the sleep apnea. Notably, tiredness and irritability during the day and sleepless nights might be the symptoms of few other issues.
Firstly, it’s vital to look at your pet’s immediate sleeping environment firsthand and ensure that it’s comfortable enough for sleeping.
In a few instances, it could be a case of your dog not finding their current sleeping set up overly comfortable! If you think this may be the case, then it’s worth investing in a more comfortable bed and checking to see whether your pet’s mood improves.
Another good piece of advice before assuming sleep apnea is to consider your dog’s activity levels during the day carefully.
It’s quite easy for many owners to fall behind with their dogs’ need for regular walking without immediately noticing it. However, any deviance from regular walking and exercise routines is hugely noticeable to a dog and could show itself in their behaviour during the day.
If a dog doesn’t get the necessary physical activities or mental stimulation required throughout the day, when it comes to the night-time, it won’t be able to sleep. Thus, your dog might be generally tired and irritable because he doesn’t get enough activity.
Can Dogs Have Sleep Apnea? Final Thoughts
Indeed, the best judge of character when it comes to a dog’s behaviour is the owner.
Therefore, if you observe any potential causes for your dog’s lack of sleep throughout the night as well as general irritableness displayed during the day, then you should see a reputable veterinarian.
It’s important to remember that the problem may still be something other than that of sleep apnea. However, either way, your veterinarian will be able to perform a proper physical check and advise you of all the possibilities.
To sum up, sleep apnea is a condition that is usually treatable, but only when the causes of it are identified.
So, if you feel that your dog is not his usual self and you can observe some of the symptoms mentioned above, get your dog in for a check by a professional. This way, your canine companion can finally get that good night’s sleep he or she so thoroughly deserves!