A Good Night’s Sleep

Posted on June 10, 2009 by Lynne Hudlow

A restful night’s sleep is priceless, especially if you generally have trouble sleeping. Sleep eludes us for so many reasons, here are just a few:

  • stress
  • discomfort
  • spicy foods or large late-night meals
  • sleep apnea, difficulty breathing
  • restless bed-mates, 4-legged or otherwise
  • new puppy midnight potty breaks
  • kids waking up

It may come as a surprise, but Pets can have some of these same sleep problems we do. When we don’t sleep well, often times our Pets are not sleeping well either, and vice versa. Since so many Pets sleep and eat indoors with the rest of the family, not sleeping well is just another thing Pets share with their human family members.

Let’s review a couple major offenders: discomfort and difficulty breathing/sleep apnea. Both can make you and the rest of the family miserable, Pet’s included.

Discomfort can often be addressed by upgrading your sleep environment, which could start with a new bed when the one you have becomes too old or worn. Pet beds are likely to wear more quickly than your own, so checking out the integrity of their bed every so often is probably a good idea. Pet beds are easy to find both online and in stores. There are usually a variety of options for Pet beds and some are addressed to help meet special needs such as those for senior or arthritic Pets.

While a snoring Pet can, at first, seem funny or cute, if you look a little deeper you may find your Pet is getting less oxygen to the brain as well as suffering from disrupted sleep. When your Pet sleeps, the nose and throat tissues relax and can interfere with the flow of air into the lungs. Sleep apnea or other sleep-related health problems that cause snoring can be a health concern in Pets just as they are in people. Restricting air to any living thing causes health problems. Wikipedia offers a good definition of sleep apnea: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea. And, if your Pet has a short nose like a Bulldog you may notice he may have more difficulty breathing.

Other causes of snoring can be attributed to your Pets weight and environmental factors including allergies and proximity to smokers. So, if snoring has become an issue, it might help to take a look at your Pet’s overall condition and general environment.

Please talk with your veterinarian if you have questions about your Pet’s snoring, difficulty breathing, fainting, fatigue or any other health issues you notice.



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