The 3 Best Dog Bed For a Dog With Sleep Apnea (2021 Guide)

Sleep apnea is a rather annoying condition that is quite common among people. In fact, it’s one of the most common sleep disorders out there. you might be surprised to know that sleep apnea isn’t exclusive to humans. Dogs are susceptible to this condition as well. Sleep disorders can ruin your dogs sleep just like they ruin your sleep. Today, we’re going to educate ourselves about sleep apnea in dogs. We’re also going to take a look at how the right dog bed can help control this condition. Our buying guide on sleep apnea dog beds is going to tell you everything that you need to know. We’ve also handpicked some great dog bed options for you to pick from.

Top 3 Best Dog Bed For a Dog With Sleep Apnea (2020 Guide)

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Buying Guide

There are a number of health conditions that dogs share with humans. Just like us, dogs can become diabetic. They can also develop arthritis, and suffer from sleep disorders. Sleep apnea can affect a variety of dog breeds. This health condition didn’t use to get a lot of attention. This was mostly due to the fact that people regarded it as harmless. New research suggests that sleep apnea can be life-threatening in some cases. In fact, it is no longer one counted amongst harmless sleep disorders.

What is Sleep Apnea?

In laymen’s terms, sleep apnea is what causes snoring. If you get into more details, sleep apnea is a condition that causes your throat muscles to relax. This creates an obstruction in your throat that makes breathing difficult. In minor cases, sleep apnea leads to snoring. In more serious cases, sleep apnea can cause one’s breathing to abruptly stop.

Sleep apnea used to be regarded as one of the minor sleep disorders. However, we now know that it can actually be life-threatening. This is why you shouldn’t sit idly if your dog shows signs of developing this problem. If left unchecked, sleep apnea can affect your dog’s health and even lead to its death.

How to Detect Sleep Apnea in Your Dog?

The most obvious sign of sleep apnea is snoring. Snoring is easy to detect, but not every case of sleep apnea leads to snoring. In dogs, there are a number of factors that can trigger sleep apnea. And snoring is not the only symptom that you should keep an eye out for. Certain dog breeds with shorter snouts snore even without any adverse health conditions. However, dog breeds with shorter snouts are more vulnerable to breathing related problems. And regardless of your dog’s breed, sleep disorders tend to ruin your dogs sleep.

The best way to detect sleep apnea in your dog is through preventive care. You should make a habit out of checking on your dog when it’s sleeping. If your dog snores loudly on a regular basis then you should consult your vet. Labored breathing during sleep or irregular breathing are obvious signs of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea should be treated as soon as possible. Otherwise, it can lead to the development of more serious health conditions. Untreated sleep apnea can become serious and can lead to your dog’s pre-mature death.

How to Treat Sleep Apnea in Dogs?

Sleep apnea is caused by an obstruction in your dog’s air passage. In order to treat it, you need to get rid of this obstruction. Now, there is more than one reason why your dog’s air passage could be obstructed. There could be a chance that your dog isn’t a victim of sleep disorders at all.

Here’s a list of other things that could lead to labored breathing in your dog:

• Overweight dogs have trouble breathing when they’re asleep.
• Certain allergic reactions can lead to breathing troubles.
• Dryness in the throat.
• Certain sleeping positions that place pressure on the neck.

If your dog is on the chunky side, you should focus on managing its weight. Breathing troubles are only one of the problems that stem from being overweight. Allergies can irritate your dog’s breathing passage and lead to breathing problems. In order to treat your dog’s problem, it is very important to know what’s the root cause. And the best way to do this is with the help of your vet.

If your dog does have sleep apnea, you have two options; therapy or surgery. The latter is reserved for extreme cases. Sleep apnea therapy is a lot less intimidating and works quite well. It involves taking measures to help open your dog’s air passage.

How Can a Dog Bed Help Treat Sleep Apnea?

Dog’s tend to sleep with their neck resting against the ground. This sleep position tends to place pressure on the dog’s air passage and constrict it. A sleep apnea dog bed is designed to prevent this. These beds usually have a head pillow that keeps pressure off of your dog’s throat. Another type of dog bed that’s good for sleep apnea treatment is the circular dog bed. Circular dog beds encourage dogs to curl up when they’re asleep. By curling their body, they can keep pressure off of their neck and prevent constriction as well.

What Else Can Be Done?

Dog beds aren’t the only line of defense against sleep disorders that affect your dogs sleep. There’s a variety of tools that you can use to alleviate your dog’s condition. You can practice positional therapy as well. Take note of positions in which your dog snores louder. And then try to encourage your dog to not sleep in those positions.

Conclusion

Sleep apnea is counted as one of the few serious sleep disorders out there that affect humans and dogs. If your dog has it, you should make a priority out of treating it. Unfortunately, there aren’t any proper oral appliance therapies available for canines. So, you’ll have to make do with preventive care. A good dog bed can really make a difference and is worth investing in. the right bed can do wonders for any sleep disorders that might trouble your pooch.

FAQs Regarding Sleep Apnea in Dogs

Can a dog die from sleep apnea?

In extreme cases, sleep apnea can lead to death. Minor cases of sleep apnea can deteriorate your dog’s health as well. Prolonged sleep apnea can lead to heart diseases, fatigue, and high blood pressure.

What can help a dog with sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea can be treated by:

• Practicing preventive care
• Reducing your dog’s exposure to allergens and dust.
• Practicing positional therapy
• Reducing pressure on your dog’s throat when it sleeps.

Is there any medication for sleep apnea?

Unfortunately, there isn’t any medication for sleep apnea. For canines, CPAP related treatments aren’t an option either.