TL;DR: Pauses in a dog's breathing during sleep can be normal dreaming or a sign of sleep apnea; seek immediate emergency care if your dog has blue gums, collapses, or is hard to wake.
What causes a dog to stop breathing while they are asleep?
When a dog momentarily stops breathing during sleep, it is often referred to as sleep apnea or hypopnea. This condition involves brief interruptions in the normal breathing pattern. In some cases, it is simply a byproduct of deep REM sleep where the dog may be dreaming vividly. However, it can also be caused by physical obstructions in the airway or neurological signals failing to trigger a breath.
Is it an emergency if my dog pauses their breathing while sleeping?
- Seek immediate emergency care if your dog has blue or purple gums, collapses, or is extremely difficult to wake up.
- Schedule a non-emergency appointment with your veterinarian soon if your dog seems otherwise healthy but pauses frequently.
- Understand that while a single instance of paused breathing during a dream is rarely a crisis, chronic sleep apnea can strain the heart and decrease oxygen levels over time.
How does capturing a video help the veterinary triage process?
- A video allows the vet to see the exact duration of the pause and the amount of effort the dog uses to take the next breath.
- It provides visual evidence of the overall rhythm of the chest, which is helpful because these episodes rarely happen inside a clinic.
- Visual documentation helps the triage team differentiate between normal dreaming behaviors and a serious respiratory condition.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Unconscious, apneic animals require immediate tracheal intubation. Potential causes of large airway pathology that could lead to breathing cessation include foreign bodies, edema, laryngeal paralysis or paresis, tracheal collapse, elongated soft palate, aspiration of stomach contents, neoplasia, and pharyngeal hematomas. Animals with severe small airway obstruction may also experience labored breathing, cyanosis, and anxiety, potentially progressing to collapse and asphyxiation. Common causes include anaphylactic reactions and bronchial obstruction from edema, mucus, exudates, or foreign material.
Chapter: Cardiology, Pulmonology, Emergency
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 102)