Why do dogs snore when they sleep?

Dog owners all know that dogs snore just like people and look cute! So why do dogs snore? For owners who have such doubts, let's share the reasons and coping methods of dogs snoring today.

The reason why dogs snore ① Obese body shape First of all, the main reason for snoring is that the airway "upper respiratory tract" in the gas is affected and becomes narrow. When air passes through the narrow upper respiratory tract, the mucosa around the upper respiratory tract will vibrate and produce sound. This vibrating sound is snoring.

There are many reasons for upper respiratory tract stenosis, and obesity is one of the common reasons. When the fat around the dog's neck increases, their upper respiratory tract will be compressed and they will snore. If the dog is obese, then snoring is probably caused by obesity. The owner can adjust the dog's food intake, increase the amount of exercise, and let the dog lose weight and lose excess fat.

Reasons for Dog Snoring ② Different breeds of dogs have different bodies to understand dogs, and specific body structures can easily lead to snoring. For example, short-nosed dogs, such as Fargo and French bulldog, have a longer soft palate than most breeds, which leads to airway obstruction and hinders breathing. When dogs breathe, the soft palate wobbles and purrs. Such a congenital condition of soft top length is called "soft top is too long" In addition to short-headed dogs, this disease will also occur in toy dogs such as Yorkshire terrier and Chihuahua, and sometimes in large dogs such as Golden Retriever and Labrador. In addition, a common congenital disease of short-headed species is called "nasal stenosis", which is a disease that leads to dyspnea due to congenital nostril stenosis.

The reason why dogs snore ③ The air is dirty. When dogs inhale cigarettes, cigarettes will stimulate the nasal mucosa, leading to runny nose. A stuffy nose caused by a runny nose will eventually cause dogs to snore. Similarly, if a dog is allergic to certain things, such as indoor dust and pollen, it will cause rhinitis and eventually snore. In this case, the best preventive measure is not to smoke next to the dog. For allergic cases, we can also remove allergens by turning on the exhaust fan and air purifier.

Causes of dog snoring ④ Disease: The soft palate is too long.

As mentioned above, this is a congenital disease. If the condition continues to deteriorate, besides sleeping, daily breathing will be like snoring. A little exercise will lead to cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and sometimes life-threatening. The most basic treatment is surgical removal of the soft palate. In order to prevent other diseases such as tracheal collapse and oral collapse, surgical treatment is the best choice at the initial stage of the disease. In addition, obesity can also cause the jaw to sag and soften, so be careful not to make the dog too fat.

Rhinitis (allergy, sinusitis)

Rhinitis caused by allergies can make dogs have a runny nose, and the final result is stuffy nose, difficulty breathing and snoring. If snoring is sudden, accompanied by symptoms such as sneezing and runny nose, it may be rhinitis. In addition, if the runny nose is opaque, colored and sticky, it may be that the inflammation has spread to the depths of the sinus, that is, sinusitis.

Tracheal collapse

This is a disease in which air enters the lungs and causes tracheal blockage, which eventually leads to dyspnea. The initial symptom is a dry cough. When the disease continues to develop, the trachea will fester beyond its original state, causing dogs to have difficulty breathing. The specific cause of this disease has not been determined, but the stimulation of respiratory tract by obesity or other substances and the decrease of tracheal muscle caused by aging are all inducing factors. Tracheal collapse is more common in middle-aged and small dogs, and of course there are also puppies. In addition, all dog breeds may suffer from this disease, but Japanese dogs such as Shiba Inu and large dogs such as Golden Retriever are relatively easy to be recruited.

heart disease

Four valves in the heart are difficult to close or open for some reason, which is called valvular disease. One of the most common is "mitral insufficiency". Because the mitral valve cavity can't work normally, blood will flow back from the left ventricle to the left atrium, so that blood can't be transported to the whole body smoothly. Blood reflux will cause left atrium congestion, which will lead to hypertrophy, and finally press the bronchus, causing cough and snoring.

The method of distinguishing normal snoring from dangerous snoring as mentioned above, snoring is generally caused by respiratory tract stenosis. For example, poor sleep can lead to respiratory tract bending and snoring. In this case, snoring will stop as long as the normal and comfortable posture is restored.

In addition, short-headed dogs generally snore, and their body structure is not necessarily abnormal. This type of dog, the owner should pay attention to these situations, whether there is a sudden snoring, and whether the dog is in pain. Especially for older dogs, due to the decrease of muscle mass and the deterioration of heart disease, their snoring will often occur.

Although there are many reasons for snoring, no matter what the reason is, it will eventually cause respiratory disorders. When you think the dog's snoring is different from usual, we still suggest taking the dog to the vet.