It is very stressful and nervous to see your border collie breathing fast while sleeping. They are supposed to be sleeping peacefully. They cannot get proper rest if their sleep is so fitful.
Border collie breathing fast while sleeping could be a sign of health condition. There are many reasons why your border collie is breathing fast. It is a possibility that it is dreaming a chase or there is a health issue and respiratory problem in your dog. It is completely impossible to determine the proper reason for fast breathing without a veterinary test.
We will discuss some of the facts and reasons behind the fast breathing of border collie and its sleeping habits.
Why is my border collie breathing fast while sleeping?
Fast breathing in border collies can be worrying but it doesn’t mean that you get panic. Border collie puppies have fast breathing while sleeping. It is due to dreams. The memories remind all the day’s activities in their sleep which causes a fast heartbeat. Puppies dream more often as compared to adult dogs which means more REM phase and fast heartbeat.
REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. It is discussed in the common reasons behind the fast breathing section below in detail.
Heatstroke:
Dogs don’t sweat as we humans do. They only have sweat glands in their paws. This is also the reason why border collies sleep on their backs.
In summer and high temperatures, border collies perform different mechanisms such as panting to cool down. Therefore, if you see your border collie breathing fast in summer, then it is maybe due to the heatstroke.
Heart failure:
Heart failure is also a reason behind border fast breathing. If your dog’s heart is slowing down, then the dog breaths fast to circulate more oxygen into the bloodstream. Therefore, it is recommended to have regular checkups with your dog.
Fluid in the lungs:
Dogs have a minuscule fluid in their lungs. Sometimes, the excessive amount of this fluid can cause pain and shortness of breath.
Check the gum of your dog. If it is blue, then it means that your dog has shortness of breath. Also, check the temperature of your dog. If it is low then it is also a sign of trouble breathing.
Anemia:
Anemia is a condition in which the immune system of the dog decides to attack its red blood cells. The working of the red blood cells is to circulate the oxygen in the bloodstream. When there is a deficiency of red blood cells in the body, the dog breaths faster than normal. You need to contact the vet in this situation and your dog for proper medical treatment.
Food poisoning:
Onion and garlic are very bad for the stomach of dogs. Your dog will also have vomiting and diarrhea in this condition. This condition could also be the reason behind your border collie breathing fast.
What are the causes of fast breathing in border collies?
Border collie dogs don’t have sleeping habits of breathing fast while sleeping. There are some causes behind the fast breathing of border collies. Some of the causes are:
- Heatstroke
- Hernia
- Anemia
- Asthma
- Lung diseases
- Pressure on the windpipe
- Pain
- Exercise
- Dreaming
- Allergies
- Smoke inhalation
- Medication
- Food poisoning
What are the symptoms of fast breathing in border collies?
Border collies like all the other dog breed pant after the exercise or walk. But, there could also be a respiratory disorder in your dog. You need to contact the vet asap if you notice the following signs in your border collie dog:
- Putting extra pressure on breathing such as the use of stomach muscles for breathing
- Blue dog gums
- Open-mouth breathing
- Fast breathing which is creating a noise
- Dropping saliva from mouth while breathing
What to do if my border collie is breathing fast while sleeping?
If your border collie is breathing fast while sleeping but acting normal all day then there is no need to worry. You can contact the vet for further satisfaction. But, in the case where border collie is breathing fast while sleeping and also acting very differently all day then see the vet asap. In such situations, border collie dogs are suffering from any disease. This situation comes under a medical emergency. Therefore, it is necessary to take your dog to the vet asap.
The vet will perform all the tests to check where the problem lies. Is it in the lungs, heart, or head area of the dog?
Healthy breathing rate: calculate your dog’s breathing rate
According to the researchers, a normal dog has 10-35 breaths per minute. But it varies from breed to breed. It is best to contact the vet for the healthy breathing rate of your dog.
You can test your dog’s breathing rate at home while it’s sleeping. To evaluate border collie’s breathing rate:
- The First step is to set the timer for 30 seconds
- Keep an eye on the chest of your dog as it gets high and low
- Count the breaths
- Keep doing this for 30 seconds
- Multiply the total number of breaths by 2
This will be the breathing rate of your dog per minute. Take your pet to the vet if you found the breathing rate less than 10 or more than 35.
Still taking your dog to the vet is most recommended if you notice that your border collie is breathing fast while sleeping.
Common reasons behind fast breathing in border collies
Dreaming:
Border collies also dream just like we humans do. Your dog may be chasing something in its dream due to which it is breathing fast while sleeping. This phase is known as the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase in which border collies usually have a fast heartbeat. There is a possibility that your dog enters this phase after 20 minutes of snoozing. Dogs stay in this phase for almost 20 minutes. After that, the dogs go back to the Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and sleep peacefully.
In some cases, border collie dogs go into an intense REM phase in which they stay more than your expectations. This is a REM sleep disorder. In this case, you must visit the vet and take your dog through proper medication for normal and peaceful sleep.
The dog is a puppy:
Puppies meet new people, places, and animals daily. There is a possibility that your border collie puppy is reminding all the memories in its nap of the daytime.
No doubt, age is a big factor. Border collie puppies usually have more time in the REM phase as compared to adult dogs. It is because they are learning and experiencing new things daily. Therefore, it is normal if the border collie puppy is breathing fast while sleeping. It is included in one of the border collie’s sleeping habits.
Allergies:
Like humans, dogs also come under different types of allergies. When pollen hits the air, like the humans, border collie dogs also feel congested and begin to sneeze.
Due to this allergy, the dog feels shortness of breath. Therefore, the dog breaths faster to get more oxygen. Many dogs with short nostrils also face the shortness of breath problem and breath faster.
Breathing fast because of the breed:
Dogs such as bulldogs and boxers belong to the brachycephalic breed group. These dogs have shortened airways. Therefore, it is normal to have fast breathing in such breeds. Such breeds wheeze and snore in their sleep.
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If you notice that your dog breed cannot sleep due to short breathing, you must immediately take it to the vet.
How to make sure my dog is having proper sleep at night
Fist and most important thing are to make sure that your dog has a proper comfortable dog bed.
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Also, make sure that the temperature in the surroundings of your dog is normal. High or too low temperature also disturbs the sleep of your dog. So providing a comfortable place for your dog for a peaceful sleep is very necessary.
Conclusion
Border collie breathing fast while sleeping is due to the dreaming mostly. This is one of the border collie’s sleeping habits. In some cases, this is also a sign of health conditions. Too much fast breathing could be a sign of life-threatening disease. You should take your dog to the vet asap if you see panting and drooling by your dog while sleeping.
- Information provided in this article is just for informational purposes and doesn’t include medical suggestions. It is recommended to take your dog to the vet for proper satisfaction and better health of your dog.
