Why Dogs Twitch in Their Sleep

Everyone with a canine companion has probably seen their dog twitching during sleep at least once. You might have wondered about the exciting dream he is having or even the nightmare that you wanted to wake him up from.

Dogs twitch in their sleep because they dream during the REM phase which can be accompanied by whining, barking, or twitching whereas a seizure is more rigid and can last beyond the 30-second mark dogs usually twitch.

Why do dogs twitch?

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Luckily, you don't have to worry about the twitching because it's completely normal and can occur from time to time. But where does healthy movement end and medical-related twitching start?

Seizures

Although seizures commonly happen while the animal is awake, in some cases they can manifest during sleep.

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How to Spot seizures

Compared to normal twitching, his limbs will become stiff and rigid, followed by (violent) spasms and urinating. A dog that is experiencing a seizure cannot be easily woken up. After the seizure, your dog might be completely unresponsive or disoriented.

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