Why does my dog twitch, go limp, unresponsive, and breathe strangely in sleep?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
So while my dog is sleeping one minute he’s breathing really heavily and twitching in the next minute his body goes really Limp and he doesn’t reply to anything for about a minute and then his breathing also slowed tremendously
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on February 18th, 2018
When dogs are sleeping and dreaming their respirations can change dramatically. However, if he continues to breath quickly, if he is coughing or otherwise acting ill or as though he is working hard to breathe then he should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on August 28th, 2018
Titan is so handsome! If you are seeing this behavior when he sleeps only, then it's likely that he's just dreaming. Dogs dream, and you can see twitching and breathing changes in response to those dreams. My own dog barks in her sleep sometimes. This is normal, and you don't need to do anything about it. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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