Why is my old dog hard to wake up? Is this normal or a concern?

Question

My dog is 12 years old short haired pointer. He is sometimes very hard to wake up, I sat his name ( usually that's enough) and give him a gentle shake, nothing. When he's like this he usually wakes up within 1 min or 30 seconds when I start panicking and shaking him harder. After he's up he's fine. Completely normal. Is this just a part of aging or should I be concerned? Thanks for your time. Pet's info: Dog | German Shorthaired Pointer (duplicate) | Male | neutered | 12 years and 5 months old | 75 lbs

Christie Long, DVM · Accepted Answer

Dogs approaching Murphy's age frequently experience hearing loss, so it could be that saying his name isn't enough to wake him anymore, because he just doesn't hear it while he's sleeping. I do think that older pets are more difficult to rouse as well, however if Murphy hasn't seen his vet for a thorough checkup recently, this is something I'd schedule, and definitely mention at the visit. Your vet can do some simple hearing and mentation tests that should tell you more.

Why is my old dog hard to wake up? Is this normal or a concern?

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