Just like humans, sleep is an essential part of dogs’ everyday routines. They need this to recuperate their energy from a day of physical activities. 

However, some dogs go beyond their suggested sleeping cycle. While it seems harmless at first, if your dog is always sleepy it could actually be a sign of a more serious physical and mental problem in their bodies.

What Are The Causes Of Excessive Sleepiness In Dogs?

One thing that might explain excessive sleepiness in your dog is its breed. 

Some breeds have the tendency to sleep more than others, such as Bernese Mountain Dog and Border Collie. Apart from these, most dogs tend to sleep and rest at least 60% of their days.

If they go beyond that, it might be a sign of dog lethargy. There are lots of factors that could cause this sudden feeling of weakness and sleepiness in dogs. 

Old age is one of the most common factors of excessive sleepiness. They need to recuperate their energy more often, even for a little activity.

Lack of essential nutrients such as Iron and Vitamin D3 can also cause sleepiness. These nutrients are needed to produce and regulate energy in the body. Iron deficiency can trigger anemia in dogs.

Mental health problems such as stress and anxiety also force dogs to be withdrawn. They tend to retreat to places around your house which they will feel safe and secured. They will not engage in activities as they feel like something would go wrong.

Lastly are bone and joints problems. These kinds of ailments can inflict major discomfort on your dogs to the point that they would rather not move. This is why it’s recommended that you supply your dogs with rich amounts of Glucosamine and Chondroitin to prevent these problems. 

What Are The Risks Of Sleepiness?

The first risk that being too sleepy can inflict on your dog would be a lack of appetite. If they are experiencing health problems and nutritional deficiency, the first thing that they should do is to eat vigorously. Lack of appetite can only worsen their state.

This nutritional deficiency can also weaken their immune system. This makes them vulnerable to more serious bacterial and viral infections.

Another risk of sleepiness would be gastrointestinal problems. He may experience indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach ache because of inactivity.

How Do You Treat Your Dog If They Are Too Sleepy?

Taking your dogs to their vet is the first thing you should do to address the health problems that may cause their sleepiness immediately.

Adding probiotic digestive supplements will also be helpful. Since they have a decrease in appetite, every food they eat should be properly digested by their bodies so that they could produce energy. 

You could also try making their food watery and moist so they would not have a hard time chewing it.

Taking them outdoors would also encourage them to move, especially if they would know that you play with them. Dogs just love spending time with their owners.

It is perfectly acceptable for your dog to be sleeping for some time but if you notice excessive amounts of it, there could be a bigger problem. 

Keeping tab of your dog’s overall health, including their sleeping, is a must.