What should I do if my dog breathes heavily while sleeping?

Dog breathing heavily while sleeping may be due to hot weather or dreams, and some dog breeds with short muzzles also tend to breathe quickly and snore during sleep, such as Pugs and French Bulldogs. This is a normal physiological phenomenon. Except for these normal situations, dogs may also experience heavy breathing while sleeping due to colds or heart and lung diseases. Owners should carefully observe their dogs and seek veterinary attention if there are any abnormalities, such as unusual gum color or inner eyelid membrane color.

Hot weather

In hot summer, if proper cooling and ventilation measures are not taken for dogs, they may breathe heavily while sleeping to dissipate heat. To help dogs cool off, owners can use ventilation and fans.

Dreams

When dogs are sleeping, they may experience heavy breathing if they dream of intense scenes or have nightmares. This is a normal phenomenon and should not cause excessive worry. The duration is usually short and not frequent.

Obesity

If a dog is overweight, excessive fat may compress the respiratory tract, leading to heavy breathing while sleeping. In this case, owners should adjust the dog's diet, reduce fat and protein intake, and encourage more exercise.

Getting cold and catching a cold

If a dog gets cold and its nose is blocked by a large amount of mucus, it may experience heavy breathing. This is accompanied by symptoms such as running nose and coughing. It is advised to consult a pet doctor for medication to avoid worsening of the condition.

Breed characteristics

Some dog breeds, such as Pugs and French Bulldogs, have flat faces and short nasal structures, which can cause heavy breathing while sleeping.

Heart and lung diseases

If a dog exhibits heavy breathing while sleeping without engaging in extensive exercise, the owner should consider whether the dog has heart or lung diseases. In this case, owners should observe the dog's gum color and the color of the inner eyelid membrane for any abnormalities, such as whiteness, purpleness, or congestion. If these signs are present, it is necessary to take the dog to a pet hospital for examination to determine the cause.