Ever woken up to your furry friend whimpering, growling or even thrashing around in their sleep? You’re not alone. Many dog owners have witnessed their pets experiencing what appears to be nightmares or night terrors. It can be really unsettling to watch and you might wonder if your pup is in distress or if something more serious is happening.
As a dog owner myself, I’ve seen my share of midnight doggy drama. The first time my lab was twitching and growling in his sleep I panicked thinking he was having a seizure! But what I was witnessing was actually something quite different.
Can Dogs Really Have Night Terrors?
Yes, dogs can absolutely have night terrors Just like humans, our canine companions experience different sleep cycles, including REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which is when dreams and nightmares typically occur
During REM sleep, which usually begins about 20 minutes after a dog falls asleep, their brain remains active while their body rests. This is when those adorable little paw twitches and soft woofs happen – but it’s also when more distressing sleep behaviors can occur.
Night terrors in dogs are typically experienced during this deepest stage of sleep when memories and emotions are being processed. Unlike regular dreams, night terrors can be quite intense and cause your dog visible distress, even while they remain asleep.
Signs Your Dog Is Having Night Terrors
How can you tell if your dog is just having a regular dream or experiencing a night terror? Here are some common signs to look for:
- Violent limb movements (more aggressive than gentle twitching)
- Distress noises like growling, crying, screaming, or howling
- Thrashing around in their sleep area
- Appearing disturbed even while remaining asleep
- Running throughout the house (in severe cases)
- Attempting to bite themselves or others nearby
These behaviors are quite different from the gentle twitching or quiet noises dogs might make during regular dreams. Night terrors are more intense and can be concerning to witness.
Dog Nightmares vs. Seizures: How to Tell the Difference
One of the most important distinctions to make is between night terrors and seizures, as they can sometimes look similar but require very different responses.
Here’s how you can tell if your dog is having a seizure rather than a nightmare:
| Night Terrors/Nightmares | Seizures |
|---|---|
| Gentle twitching confined to legs, lips, and feet | Stiff or rigid leg movements, uncontrollable shaking |
| Can usually be woken with loud voice commands | Cannot be woken up no matter how loud your voice gets |
| Normal after waking up | May have difficulty walking, appear confused after episode |
| No loss of bladder or bowel control | May lose bladder or bowel control |
| Eyes typically closed | Eyes may be open with a blank facial expression |
| No drooling or foaming | May bite tongue, drool, or foam at the mouth |
If you observe any of the seizure symptoms, it’s crucial to contact your veterinarian immediately as this requires medical attention.
Why Do Dogs Get Night Terrors?
Several factors can contribute to dogs experiencing night terrors:
1. Past Traumatic Experiences
Unlike humans, dogs can’t imagine scary scenarios. Their nightmares and night terrors usually stem from actual experiences they’ve had. This is why rescue dogs or dogs with a history of abuse might experience more frequent night terrors.
Even seemingly minor incidents like a trip to the vet, getting their nails clipped, or a scary encounter with another dog can manifest as night terrors.
2. Anxiety and Stress
Some dog breeds are naturally more prone to anxiety, and this heightened state can carry over into their sleep. Separation anxiety is particularly common – your dog might be reliving moments of stress when you left them alone.
3. Physical Pain
Dogs experiencing physical discomfort, particularly senior dogs with arthritis or joint problems, might have night terrors in response to pain flare-ups during sleep. Sometimes it’s them reliving a painful moment from their past.
4. Neurological Issues
In some cases, what appears to be night terrors could actually be a sign of a neurological condition like REM sleep behavior disorder. This is a condition where the normal paralysis that occurs during REM sleep doesn’t happen, allowing dogs to physically act out their dreams.
What to Do When Your Dog Has Night Terrors
When you notice your dog experiencing what appears to be a night terror, your first instinct might be to comfort them or wake them up. However, experts recommend a more cautious approach:
DO NOT Wake Your Dog by Touching Them
This is super important! A dog in the midst of a night terror might snap, scratch, or bite if physically disturbed. They might mistake you for whatever is frightening them in their dream.
Use Your Voice Instead
If the night terror seems particularly severe or lasts longer than a few minutes, you can try gently calling your dog’s name in a calm, reassuring voice. Gradually increase the volume until they wake up naturally.
Create a Calming Environment
Playing soothing music or leaving a TV or radio on with gentle sounds can help calm your dog both during and after a night terror episode.
Give Them Space
Once your dog wakes up from a night terror, give them some time to readjust to reality before approaching them. Let them come to you when they’re ready for comfort.
Preventing Dog Night Terrors
While you can’t eliminate all possibility of night terrors, there are several things you can do to reduce their frequency:
- Create positive experiences throughout the day to outweigh negative memories
- Establish a calming bedtime routine with consistent timing
- Provide plenty of exercise during the day to ensure your dog is properly tired out
- Consider natural calming supplements like Composure, which is specially formulated for dogs
- Try a DAP collar (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) which releases calming pheromones
- Reduce sources of anxiety in your dog’s environment
When to See a Vet for Dog Night Terrors
Most occasional night terrors aren’t a cause for serious concern. However, you should consult your veterinarian if:
- Night terrors occur every night or multiple times per night
- The episodes are becoming more intense or violent over time
- Your dog is at risk of injuring themselves or others during these episodes
- The behaviors match symptoms of seizures rather than dreams
- Your dog seems anxious or distressed during waking hours as well
Your vet may prescribe anti-anxiety medication or even anti-seizure medications in severe cases. These medications should only be used under veterinary supervision.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder in Dogs
Some dogs experience what veterinarians classify as REM sleep behavior disorder. This is more serious than occasional nightmares and involves a dysfunction in the normal sleep paralysis that should occur during dreaming.
In this condition, dogs physically act out their dreams because the normal mechanisms that prevent movement during REM sleep aren’t working properly. This can be particularly concerning if the dreams are frightening ones.
Veterinary neurologists and behaviorists consider this a true sleep disturbance that differs from regular dreams or nightmares. For severe cases, medications like potassium bromide (an anti-seizure medication) or clonazepam (a benzodiazepine) might be prescribed.
Final Thoughts
If you’re concerned about your dog’s sleep behaviors, taking a video to show your veterinarian can be extremely helpful for diagnosis. This is especially important if the episodes are frequent or severe.
Remember that most dogs experiencing occasional night terrors will quickly forget about them upon waking and return to their normal, happy selves. With proper understanding and management, you can help your furry friend enjoy more peaceful nights.
The most important thing is to stay calm yourself – your energy affects your dog, and they’ll pick up on your anxiety. Creating a safe, calm sleeping environment and addressing any underlying anxiety issues will go a long way toward helping your pup sleep soundly through the night.
Have you ever witnessed your dog having what seemed like a night terror? What did you do to help them? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!
What Causes Night Terrors in Animals?
When scientists studied a group of rats brain activity during their sleep, their research found that physical and emotional trauma recall and stress can cause heightened brain activity during the rodent’s sleep. Scientists reached this conclusion by studying a group of rats that were blasted with a small gust of non-harmful air as they made their way through a maze.
Researchers noted certain activity in different regions of the brain as this event happened. Later, as the rats slept, these same regions of the brain would light up alongside activity in the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory recall, as well as the amygdala, the brain region responsible for emotions, likely indicating that the rats may have been experiencing the anxious events of the day again in their sleep.
While it is not possible to know for certain what the rats were dreaming of, just like humans, animals can also experience nightmares after traumatic experiences. For instance, a verbally or emotionally abused dog may experience nightmares or night terrors due to recalling past experiences in their dreams. This is because research shows that these pets, similar to humans, dream about waking life. Therefore, anxious, traumatic, or stressful activities can also show up in their dreams and disrupt sleep.
Night terrors are “sudden fearful reactions that occur during transitions from one sleep phase to another,” according to Harvard Medical School. These reactions can be heightened by not only psychological reasons but also physical ones, like your pet having a fever, experiencing a seizure, or being in physical pain. Medications can also be the culprit for your pet’s night terrors. If you suspect medications to be tampering with your pet’s sleep patterns, then its best to discuss this with your veterinarian before stopping or changing them.
Your pet may not be able to tell you that they are experiencing night terrors, but they will show you.
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Night terrors, often known as sleep terrors, have a sure way of making us feel rattled. After all, who wants to have anything other than peaceful sleep? Unfortunately, for those of us experiencing night terrors, undisturbed sleep is hardly ever achieved. Night terrors are a form of sleep disturbance that occurs when your brain is partially asleep and partially awake.
They occur during non-REM sleep, often at the beginning of a sleep cycle, and can last up to 40 minutes. Unlike a nightmare where you wake up rattled from a bad dream, during a night terror, you’re left screaming and shaking but eventually fall back asleep. When you wake up, you likely have no recollection of what happened.
Night terrors, however, are not distinctly human. They can also happen to your beloved pets.
Do Dogs Have NIGHTMARES?
FAQ
How do you stop night terrors in dogs?
More Tips! One excellent method to reduce the frequency or intensity of night terrors is by adjusting your dog’s bedtime routine to make it consistent and relaxing. Just as a structured routine helps us wind down (like a bath or watching a movie), dogs benefit from soothing rituals before bed.
What do dog night terrors look like?
Night terrors: Dogs experiencing night terrors may appear partially awake, exhibit intense fear or anxiety, and display physical symptoms like shaking or vocalising. They are usually responsive to external stimuli.
What does it mean when dogs scream in their sleep?
Sudden screaming and fear during sleep may indicate night terrors or nightmares in dogs. Symptoms include abrupt waking, vocalization, and visible distress. Causes can be stress, anxiety, or neurological issues.
Why do dogs have nightmares in their sleep?
Dogs, like humans, can experience bad dreams or nightmares due to several factors: Stress and Anxiety: Just as in people, stressful experiences or anxiety can lead to negative dreams. Changes in their environment, loud noises, or traumatic events can trigger these feelings.