Why Does My Dog Sleep So Much

It is natural for dogs to sleep. They have to sleep to rejuvenate themselves, recover from fatigue, unwind, and maintain steady health all the while. While sleeping is understandable, too much of it is not desirable either. It is often indicative of a deeper problem that may require urgent redress.

But just why do dogs sometimes sleep so much? What remedies can be put in place to reverse the trends? We explore these and indeed so much more in the proceeding conversations. Take your time to read through to gain the inspiration you need.

Below are the leading reasons why dogs sleep so much:

1: Health and Medical Issues

The number one reason why dogs sleep so much is the health and medical issues. Diabetes is by far the leading health issue that is responsible for the excessively longer durations of sleep. A host of infectious diseases also potentially bring this issue up.

These include Lyme disease, Parvovirus, rabies, and Hypothyroidism. You are advised to take your dog to the vet as soon as you note some signs of lethargy and a general slump in the levels of activity. Waiting longer may cause the situation to worsen.

2: Environmental Changes

Dogs, just like humans, tend to get bored each time they get to a new location. The situation gets compounded when they have to adjust to a completely new set of temperatures and weather patterns. One of the ways they manage this is through excess sleeping.

Though normal, you should never let your dog to sleep for too long. They may get depressed in the course of doing that. Furthermore, sleeping too long may also worsen other pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes and obesity.

3: Age and Size

Some sleep-related problems have to do with the age and the size of the dogs. Puppies overall sleep for too long. That is understandable owing to the need for them to grow and develop unhindered. Moreover, they are also active, a fact that makes them lose energy easily.

The opposite is also true. Elderly dogs also tend to sleep too much. It is only the youthful dogs who have a fairer balance of sleep and play. If they sleep longer than normal, that could signify the existence of a deeper problem.

4: Poisoning

In case a dog east something that it is not meant to, the reaction between that substance and the body of the dog might be horrible. The end result may be some lethargy which in turn cases excessively longer durations of sleep.

Many of the foods we take on a daily basis are harmful to the dogs. These include coffee, chocolate, spices, alcohol, and avocadoes. Be advised to keep your dogs far away from these feeds as much as possible.

5: Anemia

Anemia is a medical condition that is caused by a reduction in the number of red blood cells in the dogs. In many cases, it is brought about by the numerous blood-sucking parasites like the roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and whipworms.

These worms are in turn derived from the many foods that the dogs eat on a daily basis. Be careful hence what you feed your dogs. Also, deworm your dogs every now and then to kill the worms and maintain their sound health.

6: Viral Infections

Other than the worms, the dogs are also susceptible to viral infections. Examples of these viral infections are Parvoviridae, which is by far the most common in dogs. This virus impedes the ability of the dog to absorb the nutrients from the body when they ingest foods.

It hence causes malnutrition even of the dog eats sufficiently high amount of food. Though it does have a cure, the best way to deal with the issue is to vaccinate the dog at an early stage.

7. Bacterial Infection

Bacterial infections are yet other sources of sleep disorders. Chief among these is the Leptospirosis. Most bacterial infections are highly contagious. They easily spread from one dog to another. One of its key symptoms and side effects is excessive sleep duration.

To combat the menace, you are advised to administer antibiotics. These are substances that have the ability to kill germs and bacteria. They hence maintain your dogs at a state that prevents the same from sustaining untold sufferings.

8: Diabetic Complications

Other than diabetes itself, there are some conditions and side effects that the disease of diabetes brings about. Top examples of these are dip insulin levels, general body weaknesses, lethargy, and organ failures. They too have a bearing in erratic sleep patterns.

It is important that you mitigate these issues as soon as they come about. The best way to go about it is to take your dog to a qualified veterinary officer. Let him inspect the dog and take the necessary curative measures to revert the dog to its proper position.

9: Thyroxine Deficiency

The deficiency of Thyroxine, also called hypothyroidism, also leads to general body weakness and the attendant excessively longer sleep durations. This condition is normally characterized by reduced chemical levels and the associated processes, including metabolism.

Elderly dogs are more prone to this condition than their younger counterparts. Also, some breeds are more susceptible to it than others. If your dog manifests these symptoms, take it to the nearest veterinary officer within the shortest time possible.

10: Psychological Problems/Disorders

A couple of mental and psychological disorders may also cause erratic or distortions in the sleep patterns of the dogs. Examples of these are boredom, anxiety, and stress. The dogs will often become lazy, weak, withdrawn, and lethargic with these issues at hand.

Help your dog by administering activities that have the ability to stimulate and enhance its physical or mental conditions. These could be music, exercises, dances, plays, and other forms of entertainment. Then, give your dog its most favorite food or recipes.

11: Breeds

As hinted above, some breeds of dogs are more prone to this condition than others. The Chow, Bullmastiff, Greyhounds, Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, and the Bassett Hound are core examples of these. For this reason, they are collectively called ‘lazy dogs.’

Some can even sleep for 18 hours non-stop. Be sure to keep a keen eye on such breeds if you have them. Engage them by administering active tasks and plays to keep them engrossed and prevented from having to sleep for too long.

Conclusion

From the foregoing explanations, it is clear that numerous factors explain why the dogs have the tendency to sleep excessively. To be on the safe side, you have to read the explanations and find the ones that would most apply to your situation or dog.

All factors considered though, you have to keep your dog actively engaged to prevent them from slipping into lethargy. Other than that, sound prevention of the various diseases also come in handy. That demands you keeping a closer association with your veterinarian going forward.