why-does-my-dog-sleep-with-his-eyes-open

Why does my dog sleep with his eyes open

Some dogs have the ability to sleep with their eyes open, a phenomenon that can catch their owners off guard when they first encounter it.

However, there is nothing alarming about a dog sleeping with his eyes open, and there is no reason to be overly concerned about your dog's health if he snores peacefully while staring at the void in front of him. Where the owner must remain vigilant is in unusual situations that may suggest that the dog is not sleeping, but is unconscious.

 

Why does my dog keep his eyes open while sleeping?

It is not clear why some dogs have the ability to sleep with their eyes open, while the majority of them close their eyelids when it is time to take a nap. As far as I know, no scientific study has looked into this question in detail, which is not surprising when we know that there are still many things we don't know about our four-legged companions.

Nevertheless, some experts make a connection between this curious phenomenon and the one that has been observed in wild animals that also sleep with only one eye. Crocodiles, dolphins, rabbits and many birds have the habit of always keeping one or both eyes open, even when they sleep with their legs closed.

This behavior is attributed to a survival instinct that pushes them to constantly monitor their environment to ensure that no predator approaches them while they are sleeping. Sleeping with their eyes open will be a way to remain vigilant even while sleeping in order to react more quickly and be alerted sooner to an imminent danger.

In the dog, which is by nature a predator, this behavior could be intended to ward off rivals by simulating wakefulness. A dog with both eyes open looks awake, or even attentive, which can dissuade malicious fellow dogs from attempting a surprise attack.

However, there are only hypotheses on this subject and no certainty yet, except that animals that sleep with their eyes open have no particular physiological problem.

 

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Is my dog sleeping or unconscious?

One fear that owners may have when faced with an inert dog with its eyes open is that of a coma or an epileptic seizure. It happens that the animal's eyes and body move when it sleeps, which is normal, but can be surprising, especially when the animal keeps its eyelids open.

While this may sound like an epileptic seizure, it's actually a sign that your dog is having a restless dream, probably because he's remembering the games he played today. To distinguish a sleeping dog from a dog having a seizure, pay attention to his eyes, gestures and behavior before and after his "nap.

If his eyes are half open, his gaze is calm, his movements are light, everything was fine before his nap and he wakes up feeling good, he was most likely sleeping. If his eyes are bulging, his movements are violent, he salivates excessively, has nervous disorders before going to bed, has difficulty getting up and seems tired, you are probably facing an epileptic seizure.

Very impressive, epileptic seizures in dogs are not always serious, especially when they last less than five minutes. However, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian quickly in order to find the origin of the seizure and to prevent it from recurring, in which case it would start to become dangerous for your pet's health.

The syncope of the dog is another problem that can have different causes and consists in the sudden loss of consciousness of the animal. It occurs spontaneously and lasts only a few seconds. Syncope may precede an epileptic seizure or be a symptom of another underlying disorder.

As a rule, the difference between a sleeping dog and one having a syncope or seizure is equivocal, and owners should not be confused. If you are in doubt, the best thing to do is to wake your dog up, taking every precaution to avoid being bitten by the stressful surprise effect.

However, don't be paranoid by waking your dog up all the time to make sure he's okay: sleep is very important for his health and mental balance! Your dog's sleep can be with his eyes open or closed, and can be restless or calm.

If your dog looks peaceful, breathes normally and sleeps in his usual cushion, at his usual times or after a good romp, don't be alarmed just because his eyes are open or he is pretending to run in his sleep. His nap is probably just a dreamy one, and sleeping with his eyes open is not that uncommon among our canine friends.

 

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