Why did my dog stop breathing and become unresponsive during sleep?

Question

Thank you so much for taking these questions! Last night, my dog was in a rem stage of his sleep, doing all his movements and woofing. I went down on the floor to pet him and comfort him thinking he was having a bad dream. He stopped his movements and I wasn't able to wake him up,, was apneic for almost 30 seconds with his eyes open. I'm a nurse, and I began actually shaking him to wake him up,,my husband yelled his name,,he woke up seeming confused. Did he have a Tia? He's only 6. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | 6 years and 8 months old | 100 lbs

Laura Johnson VMD · Accepted Answer

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Wow! How scary for you! You stated that he is a mix breed but can you specify what breeds? Some breeds are genetically predisposed to have over long soft palates, which can cause an upper airway obstruction. We may never know what caused this episode. An ischemic event is possible or a brief vestibular event or even seizure (focal) since he seemed mentally inappropriate. Watch him closely and god forbid if he has another episode try to catch it on video to show to your Vet. I wish you the best!

Why did my dog stop breathing and become unresponsive during sleep?

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