Why does my dog ​​tremble when he sleeps?

It is not uncommon that, as dog sitters, we have observed, in Occasionally, a behavior similar to the following: our dog, apparently completely asleep, begins to make noises, to move its legs, its eyes and even breathes with agitation.After a few minutes, either wake up as if nothing had happened, or continue sleeping peacefully.

This is a normal and normal behavior , which does not indicate the presence of any pathology.However, you may have doubts and want to know why it occurs, that reason, in this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain why our dog trembles when he sleeps .Find out below!

The dogs dream

Dogs, like humans, go through different phases during sleep , which are as follows:

• Sleep of slow wave : this phase is the one that corresponds to the lightest dream.In it the body relaxes and there is a decrease in brain activity.It is the phase that has a longer temporal duration.If we look, we will see that the breathing slows down and, if we pay more attention, we can even notice that the heart beats more slowly.
• Paradoxical dream : this is the deepest sleep phase in which the well-known REM phase ( Rapid Eye Movement ) makes its appearance.Contrary to what happened in the previous phase, in this the brain activity increases considerably, from In fact, it becomes superior to the one that develops when the animal is awake.Also, as opposed to the slow wave sleep phase, the duration of the REM phase is very short, of only one minute s, so that, during the slow wave sleep, several REM phases occur.In this case we can observe that our dog breathes quickly and in a more irregular way.

These phases They are the key to explain why our dog trembles when he sleeps, as we will see in the next section.You also have to keep in mind that a puppy dog ​​will sleep more than an adult dog, so it will be more It is common for us to observe our dog shaking while he is sleeping when he is younger and when he is getting older, as his rest periods will increase.It is important that we take seriously the sleep and rest needs of our partner, since they will be fundamental for their growth and health , because they directly affect their well-being, learning and immune system.

So why does my dog ​​shake while he sleeps?

As we have seen in the description of the previous section on the phases of sleep, we can intuit that the tremor we observe while our dog sleeps will have its origin in the REM phase, since during it they can be phenomenal as the following:

• Spasmodic movements in different parts of the body such as the ears, the tail, the legs, the mouth and even the eyes.It is quite normal to observe that the dog has spasms when he sleeps.
• The movement of the legs is very characteristic and recognizable, since it seems that the dog is running or even digging.They interpret how the dog is sounding that a rabbit is running or chasing.It may also be that the dog trembles as if it were cold.
• Very varied sounds ranging from groans to barks or grunting, whistling, crying and even howling.
• Breathing is also high It was and accelerates as if the dog were really in full swing.

In all this picture we describe, and that many caregivers identify perfectly, we will find, too, the tremors to which we alluded to in the title.Yes, the explanation for why a dog trembles when it sleeps is in that it is in the REM phase of its dream.As we see, therefore, the picture that we have described It does not imply any pathology nor should we wake our dog .

It may be that after a few minutes of presenting these agitations, our dog wakes up somewhat misplaced.Let's talk in a calm voice or call him by his name so he can feel at home again.

When to consult the tremor with our veterinarian?

If our dog has muscle spasms when he sleeps but, also, while awake , we should check with the veterinarian because, in that case, if we could be facing a health problem such as that caused by an intoxication or a virus.It is especially important to go to the veterinarian if we observe that a puppy trembles or if an adult dog trembles at rest without being asleep.

In addition, we can see our dog tremble when it is cold or afraid, but, in those cases, it is possible to easily identify the action-reaction sequence, for example, if we have bathed our dog and it is still wet it can tremble cold.It is not unusual for a fearful dog to tremble before a stressful situation, such as noises or strangers.These episodes, due to their origin, will occur when the dog is awake.

So, the most likely cause that will explain why a dog t He sows when he sleeps, as we have said, that he is in the REM phase of sleep.

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