Is the sound of your dog snoring keeping you awake at night? If your dog's snoring is particularly loud, it may even prevent you from sleeping in the same room as your dog. Surprisingly, up to one in five dogs snores to some degree at night, making it a fairly common problem for both dog and owner. Why do dogs snore and how you can stop dog snoring so you and your dog can get a good night's sleep?
Dog snoring usually doesn't carry serious health consequences. Certain dog breeds have a propensity to snore due to the way their faces and snouts are constructed. These include Bulldogs, the Pekingese, and Pugs. These dogs tend to have shorter, narrow nasal passages which can make breathing more difficult.
Snoring in a dog can be caused by anything that causes a small blockage in the airway during sleep. One of most common causes for dog snoring is allergy related problems. This can cause post nasal drainage which can precipitate nighttime snoring. Snoring can also be caused by small growth such as polyps in your dog's air passages.
Another common cause of snoring in both dogs as well as humans is obesity. This can be corrected by putting your pet on an appropriate diet and initiating a good exercise plan to take the excess weight off. Sometimes taking off a few pounds can have a dramatic effect on the frequency of snoring.
If your dog is snoring habitually, a trip to the vet might be warranted to exclude correctable causes of snoring such as polyps or other growths in the throat that may aggravate snoring. These growths may be removed surgically which can correct the problem. If your dog's snoring is related to obesity, your vet can help you determine optimal nutrition and an exercise plan that will help your dog's general health as well as his snoring problem.
If you happen to have one of the dog breeds more prone to snoring due to their unusual facial anatomy, you may be able to have a surgical procedure performed on your dog while he's still young that will allow better breathing and less airway obstruction. This may correct your dog's snoring problem and help to promote better overall flow of air.
If your dog is deemed healthy and continues to snore throughout the night, you may want to consider having your dog sleep in his own room. To make him more comfortable, give him lots of pillows and some familiar toys. As an alternative, you can always invest in a good pair of ear plugs.
