{"id":1143,"date":"2019-02-04T13:08:44","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T13:08:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mysleepingdog.com\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2019-06-02T15:32:43","modified_gmt":"2019-06-02T15:32:43","slug":"why-do-dogs-sleep-with-their-eyes-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mysleepingdog.com\/why-do-dogs-sleep-with-their-eyes-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do dogs sleep with their eyes open?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Does your dog sleep with his (well, to infer his or her) eyes open, or semi open? Well, if he does, you don\u2019t need to get worried or freak out because it\u2019s not a serious condition and it usually happens with many dogs. So, before you can start running to the vet for help, read on to get a good understanding on what could be the cause and why you shouldn\u2019t be alarmed.<\/span><\/p>\n However, if your dog always sleeps with his eyes open or partially open, it is advisable to give your dog a close observation to find out why he sleeps with his eyes open. This will help you know if the pooch is healthy, happy or if it feels unsafe because the habit may be triggered by different things.<\/span><\/p>\n What you also need to understand is that the behavior of sleeping with eyes open may depend on the breed. We have certain breeds of dogs that do not have this behavior while others have. Here are some of the breeds that are likely to sleep with their eyes open:<\/span><\/p>\n Supposing that you didn\u2019t find your dog breed in the above list don\u2019t feel so safe because all dogs have a membrane called a nictitating membrane <\/strong>which does a splendid job keeping the dog\u2019s eyes open as it sleeps, so, any dog can sleep with eyes open.<\/span><\/p>\n Are the eyes really open?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n You also need to know that whenever your dog is sleeping and you see his eyes open, what you always see is not the eyes but the nictitating membrane<\/strong> which is also called the third eyelid.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This membrane helps with protecting the eye, production of up to 50% tears, protects the aye from wind and dirt from entering the eye and also keeps the eye moist. Nictitating membrane ensures that the dog\u2019s eye remains healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n When did this habit start?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This behavior is generational it won\u2019t easily come to an end. Dogs used this sleeping habit as a defense mechanism when they used to live as wild animals in the forest caves. They used to be attacked by other big animals so they adapted the habit of sleeping with their eyes open so that whenever the enemy would come to attack, they\u2019ll scare the attacker away with the eyes. The enemies will see that the dog is awake and ready to defend themselves and the attacker will just go away.<\/span><\/p>\n However, if your dog sleeps with eyes open and you notice that he is twitching, then that could be a course of alarm and you may need to visit a vet because, that can be a sign of seizure. But if your pooch is twitching normally, no need to worry since your dog may be having a dream.<\/span><\/p>\n Also when you see your dog staring blankly or making abnormal noises and movements in his sleep with his eyes open then you may consider getting a vet for help because that could also be a sign of seizure.<\/span><\/p>\n So, if you notice these signs in your dog you need to make sure that whenever he sleeps, he sleeps in a safe place because when he starts having movements, he might hurt himself without knowing. Make sure you clear the place for him. Once the seizure stops you may take him to the vet immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n For some people, it may be hard to differentiate between a normal twitching when your dog is having a dream and the one that shows signs of seizure. This confusion often happens to new dog owners who don\u2019t know much about their new pooch.\u00a0 Worry less, I\u2019m here to help you with this.<\/span><\/p>\n Here is how you may differentiate a dream from a seizure<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n You may think that your dog is sleeping with its eyes open but that\u2019s not true, what you are seeing is the nictitating membrane (the third eyelid). But then, you should not ignore that even if it seems like a normal behavior in most dogs because some may be caused by some sickness like seizure and also cherry eyes or Lagophthalmos. Otherwise, it is advisable to visit the vet often for routine checkup.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Why do dogs sleep with their eyes open? Does your dog sleep with his (well, to infer his or her) eyes open, or semi open? Well, if he does, you don\u2019t need to get worried or freak out because it\u2019s not a serious condition and it usually happens with many dogs. So, before you can start running to the vet for help, read on to get a good understanding on … <\/p>\n\n
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