Is your pet sleeping too much?

Our pets have some serious snoozing skills. Compared to the 7 to 9 hours the average adult person sleeps a day, dogs sleep between 8 and 13.5 hours per day, and cats clock a whopping 12 to 16 hours of shut-eye a day. That’s a lot of beauty sleep!

Seeing your pet hit the hay for so many hours of the day may sometimes leave you wondering if you should be worried about all this sleep. How do you tell normal napping from actual illness? 

 

The answer doesn’t lie in timing total hours of sleep—there’s just too much variation from day to day. Instead, observe your pet and ask yourself the following questions:

• Are these my pet’s typical sleep times? Not all pets sleep on a schedule, but for those that do, a change in routine may signal a problem.
• Does my pet still jump up for their usual stimuli? A visitor at the door, the treat bag opening, the can opener whirring—your pet should happily rouse for their favorite things.
• Is my pet missing out on their usual activities because of sleep? It’s one thing to go to bed a little early; it’s another to choose sleep over something like dinnertime or play.
• Does my pet seem alert and rested when awake? With all the ZZZs your sleeping beauty is getting, they should be energetic and bright when awake and not groggy or listless.
• Does my pet have any other symptoms? Changes in sleep patterns that appear at the same time as other problems, such as vomiting, coughing or even hair loss, should always be checked out.

If you’re still unsure, reach out to your veterinarian to share your concerns and observations. Together you can decide whether you can lay your worries to rest. 

Stay connected with Live Chat* through the myVCA app, where our licensed veterinary professionals are always ready to answer your questions anytime, day or night. 

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*Live Chat with a licensed veterinary professional is free for VCA clients through the myVCA mobile app, available at Apple’s App Store and Google Play.