Dogs regularly spend a good part of their time resting, and differences can be seen depending on their lifestyle and age. But, if we get the feeling that our partner is sleeping more than normal and we detect other symptoms such as lack of appetite or sadness, we may be facing a pathology that goes to need the intervention of the veterinarian.
If you've come this far wondering why my dog a lot and what it could be, keep reading, in this article on our site you we explain it all:
My dog sleeps a lot, is it normal?
If our dog sleeps a lot and we wonder what it could be, the first thing is to check that his sleep periods are really abnormally long. Normally, dogs spend, more or less, half of their time sleeping This does not mean that in all these hours they are in a deep sleep phase, since they are going to alternate other phases of light sleep in which they are going to be alert.
The body posture they adopt can give us an idea of what stage of sleep they are in. For example, a dog lying on his side or curled up in a ball is often in a deeper sleep than when he is lying on his sternum with his front legs folded.
However, How many hours does a dog sleep a day? Puppies are going to sleep many more hours when they are born. As they grow, their sleeping hours will get closer to those of adults. On the other hand, as dogs age it is normal for them to spend more time sleeping and for their sleep patterns to change.
If a dog sleeps for many hours and, in addition, falls asleep in situations in which it is strange for us to do so, it may be suffering from a disorder called hypersomniaIt appears to have a genetic basis and has been identified in breeds such as the Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Beagle or Miniature Pinscher.
Do dogs sleep more in winter?
Dogs' sleep patterns are the same, with small variations, throughout the year. If our dog sleeps a lot in winter and we wonder what it could be, we can find an explanation in our own behavior.
The coldest months of the year tend to coincide with adverse weather, which makes us spend more time indoors When we are at home resting it is normal for our dog to accompany us, spending more time resting. Of course, if we notice other symptoms we may be facing a pathology.
My dog sleeps a lot in the summer
And if in winter it could be normal for our dog to sleep a lot, the same thing happens in summer. In the months of higher temperatures, it is not surprising that we notice that the dog sleeps a lot in the heat In addition, he usually lies down in cooler areas such as bathrooms or kitchens with tile floor. The typical posture is the one that allows contact of the abdomen with the ground
In these cases we will notice the most active dog first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon, which coincides with the least hot hours. It is also possible that in this situation the dogs eat less. Again, the detection of other symptoms could be the manifestation of a pathology.
My dog is old and sleeps a lot
Another situation in which the dog's sleep time can physiologically be increased is old age. In these cases, if our dog sleeps a lot and we wonder what it could be, the answer could be cognitive dysfunction syndrome It is a brain disorder which resembles Alzheimer's in humans.
Affected dogs show changes in behavior, may urinate in the house, become disoriented, exhibit stereotyped behavior or suffer from sleep disturbances so they sleep more during the day and less at night. You have to go to the vet because before diagnosing it it is important to rule out other diseases that are also common in elderly dogs.
My dog sleeps a lot and is sad
If our dog sleeps a lot it could be due to a psychological problem. If the dog sleeps a lot and is down, although a physical cause must always be ruled out first, we must not forget that he may be going through a depressive state. A dog that sleeps a lot and does not play as he usually did may find himself put off by boredom, isolation, loneliness, lack of attention, sudden and frequent changes in his routine, etc.
Also, if our adopted dog sleeps a lot it could be the consequence of having suffered mistreatment or an early separation from his mother. There are also genetic causes, although they are the minority. These dogs, in addition to being drowsy, will be apathetic, have no appetite or will not react to interesting stimuli. They will need veterinary treatment, first to reach a diagnosis and rule out physical causes and, later, to modify the animal's routine and living conditions.
My dog sleeps a lot and eats little
Drowsiness, lethargy, apathy, fever and anorexia are symptoms common to multiple diseases. For this reason, if, apart from situations such as the ones we have explained, our dog sleeps a lot, it may be due to a pathological process, so we will have to go to the veterinarian. For example, viral diseases can cause such a clinical picture. They are especially worrying in puppies, since they are more vulnerable, with an immature immune system and more likely to suffer from more serious conditions.
My dog sleeps a lot and vomits
Finally, if our dog sleeps a lot it could be due to poisoning Ingestion or contact with toxic substances is capable of triggering a clinical picture that leads the dog to a state of drowsiness and even shock. If the dog sleeps a lot and trembles, has nervous tics, vomiting, diarrhea or neurological disorders, we should go to the vet quickly, as we could be facing poisoning. Treatment is essential and the prognosis reserved.
