If your dog dreams while you sleep, don’t be surprised if you wake up to your dog quietly whining and kicking you while their legs twitch. You can even see their eyes moving behind their closed eyelids if you turn on the light.
Although it’s pleasant to imagine them running around in fields and chasing squirrels in Dreamland, not all unconscious beings are pleasant, just like with humans.
Since dogs can dream, science has demonstrated that they can also experience nightmares. A dog that whimpers, growls, or cries while sleeping is probably having a bad dream. What you should know if your dog exhibits any of these symptoms
Like humans, dogs have a predictable sleep cycle. Dr. The structural similarities between the human and canine brains were noted by Stanley Coren in Psychology Today. When they are sleeping, dogs exhibit the same types of electrical activity as do humans. That association leads researchers to hypothesize that dogs dream similarly to their four-legged family members at night.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep are the two sleep stages where humans and dogs typically dream. According to Live Science, REM sleep is when both dogs and humans experience their most vivid and memorable dreams. It occurs when the brain tries to solve issues learned while awake and when significant memories are committed to the brain’s long-term memory region. A dog is susceptible to having vivid dreams—and nightmares—once they enter REM sleep.
Human imagination has the power to conjure up bizarre scenarios that can later be turned into particularly terrifying nightmares. Dogs, however, aren’t as creative. Canines lack the ability to imagine the future, and researchers think that the majority of their dreams are based on memories and previous experiences.
Dogs probably don’t dream about being captured by aliens and trapped on another planet because they lack imagination. The generally accepted theory according to Dr. Coren is that dogs dream about dog things. Their fantasies involve chasing birds, playing fetch, and spending time with their families. While they can dream up a lot of positive scenarios, nightmares occur when their brains try to make sense of frightening or stressful real-life events.
For instance, a rescued dog might have nightmares about past abuse or being left by family. Dogs who fear getting wet may have nightmares about taking a bath, and those who fear storms may dream about experiencing them again.
Watching a dog suffer in their sleep is never easy. Although waking them up is likely your first instinct, pause and consider your options before rescuing them from the terrifying scenario they may be visualizing in their head.
Sometimes it’s best to just let the dog sleep. It can be confusing for a dog to awaken from a deep sleep, and it might take them a few seconds to realize they are awake. There’s always a chance that they’ll react violently and believe that your hand is the adversary from their nightmare. The majority of dogs can tolerate frightening situations for less than a minute before drifting off to sleep on their own.
Wake them up if the unpleasant dream appears to be lasting more than a few minutes. Behaviorists advise using your voice, not your hand, to awaken a dog that is dreaming. Start by saying their name in a hushed tone. Gradually speak louder if they don’t respond. You could also try turning on the TV or soft music to get them to wake up. The objective is to gently awaken them without jarring them from their nightmare.
Dog Nightmares: What We Know and Don’t Know
According to veterinary neurologists, these episodes are REM sleep disorders.
REM sleep disorders occur in people and have been extensively studied. This is a harder disorder to study in dogs, but some research has been conducted.
The main distinction between people and dogs is that as people age, they frequently develop this syndrome. However, REM sleep disorder in dogs frequently affects young dogs, which can be very concerning for those who are taking care of these puppies.
64% of the dogs with sleep disorders in one of the few studies done were one year old or younger.
The exact causes of REM sleep behavior disorders is unknown. In humans, REM sleep disorders often occur later in life and can precede degenerative neurologic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. It seems to be a different phenomenon in dogs since the average age of onset is so young.
According to studies, the following factors could contribute to canine sleep disorders:
Diagnosing REM sleep disorder in a dog is not easy.
All of these tests require referral to a veterinary neurologist.
Vets usually diagnose REM sleep disorders using these tools:
Seizure disorders and behavioral problems are fairly common in dogs. Therefore, it is possible for a dog to have multiple issues, making a REM sleep disorder diagnosis more challenging.
Several case reports of dual diagnoses exist. Puppies have REM sleep disorders as well as seizure disorders, behavioral issues, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc. after thorough neurologic and behavioral evaluations.
More research is required, but the majority of experts do not think there is a connection between REM sleep disorders and other neurologic or behavioral disorders.
Remember that this disorder varies greatly from dog to dog. Treatment is based on the severity of the condition and the owner’s approach to the issue.
Many people choose to have the dog sleep in a cozy crate, padded if necessary, or a secure sleeping space if the episodes of the sleep disturbance are infrequent, not particularly intense or severe, not threatening to humans or other animals, and not upsetting the peace of the home.
Since mild episodes do not pose a threat to the pet, conservative treatment is a viable option.
More severe cases usually require drug therapy. Severity means:
The medications that have shown to be most successful in treating canine REM sleep disorders include:
Dogs, like humans, can develop a tolerance to benzodiazepines, so many vets reach for potassium bromide first.
The response to drug therapy varies, just like the disorder:
If a combination of drugs does not relieve symptoms, it’s time to look further for an answer. There may be an underlying brain lesion.
Some dogs may actually get worse on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), despite the fact that they have been tried and may work in some circumstances. This is true in people as well.
Sleep Behavior Disorder in humans in treated with the same medications as an epileptic. The same is true for dogs. Seizure medications, like Potassium Bromide, or Phenolbarbital, could be used. The goal is to keep Danger mildly sedated when he sleeps so that he doesn’t break through his sleep and act out. However, just like in commercials for prescription medications for humans and their list of side effects for humans, there are the same concerns for dogs. You don’t want to tread into medications lightly. But, I have seen dogs on meds for 10 plus years, and they have been just fine and have lead very fulfilling lives. And their owners are finally been able to sleep through the night. Good luck to you and your pooch! Follow Dr. Courtney Campbell on Twitter for all of your pet needs @DrCourtneyDVM. ADVERTISEMENT How to Start a Garden
2. A veterinary behavioral specialist should be consulted if holistic methods are unsuccessful. He or she would probably explain to you how to encourage Danger’s independence by keeping him by himself at set times throughout the day. Alternately, you could stage departures from your home by getting your keys, turning off the TV, and putting on your shoes without actually leaving. Danger needs to get used to the idea of being by himself. the capacity to become independent and eventually refrain from sleeping in the bed, etc. may help mitigate the anxiety-driven sleep behavior.
3. Pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceuticals should always be the last approach tried. You can look to medications to treat the symptoms themselves if none of these other approaches work and all the tests come back normal. The tests will at the very least determine whether the dog is indeed a candidate for psychotropic medications, many of which are metabolized by the liver.
Try To Unearth the Root Cause of Dog Night Terrors
If you carefully examine the situation, you can frequently determine the reason why your dog has frequent or ongoing nightmares. Once the identified cause is removed, you can stop the nightmares.
When the dog is sleeping, it may occasionally be something as “harmless” as a TV show or some noises in the house. Even certain visitors to your home or loud noises made by children playing nearby or in your yard can make some dogs anxious.
FAQ
What are signs your dog is having a nightmare?
On the other hand, nightmares may cause your dog to growl while they’re sleeping along with twitching paws and eyes. They may even howl, whine, whimper, or even alarm bark. Your dog may abruptly jerk awake if the nightmare is traumatic enough, just like you or I might after having a particularly jarring nightmare.
How do you calm a dog from night terrors?
Valerian root, lavender, melatonin, are a good start. These organic supplements have a calming and sleep-inducing effect that can ensure your pet has uninterrupted sleep all night long. Exercising can help. Go beyond your normal walks.
Why would my dog scream in her sleep?
Fun fact about a dog’s sleep cycle: smaller dogs’ REM periods are shorter than those of larger dogs’. REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep is when dreaming occurs. Your dog may “act out” their dreams during this stage of sleep by moving their legs or paws, making faces, growling, whimpering, or crying.
Can dogs wake up scared from a nightmare?
Can Dogs Have Nightmares? Unfortunately, dogs can have nightmares. Refrain from waking your dog up if you suspect they are dreaming because they are barking, growling, or crying. When dogs wake up from frightening dreams, they may not immediately recognize their surroundings and may act irrationally, attacking you.