Watch This Dog Randomly Fall Asleep While Playing & Eating – It’s a Rare Condition called Narcolepsy in Dogs!
This Dog Falls Asleep While Eating—And It’s Raising Awareness About a Rare Condition!
When Toast the Goldendoodle was just five weeks old, his breeder left him at the vet to be euthanized. According to the breeder, Toast was unsellable due to a medical condition and would be no use to them anymore. In other words, Toast wouldn’t turn a profit, and they didn’t want to invest any more time in a puppy that wouldn’t make them money.
Thankfully, the veterinarian Toast was left with had more sense. The euthanasia was canceled and Toast was diagnosed with narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that causes dysregulation in awake/sleep cycles. In other words, Toast would spontaneously fall asleep, but was otherwise a happy, healthy puppy. He could be in the middle of running around, eating dinner, or literally any activity, and just randomly fall asleep.
Toast was adopted by a loving family that completely understands his condition and do everything they can to let Toast enjoy all the things a dog without narcolepsy can enjoy. Toast is full of joy and deeply loved, and now he and his humans educate other people about narcoleptic dogs on his TikTok account, @ToastTheNarcolepticDoodl, which has racked up more than 4 million followers!
@toastthenarcolepticdoodl #narcolepticdog #goldendoodle #rescuedog #narcolepsy #toastthenarcolepticdoodl #judahandthelion #tictok @Judah & the Lion ♬ Only Want The Best – Judah & the Lion
Narcoleptic dogs can lead happy, full lives, but they need owners who understand the ins and outs of their condition. If your dog has recently been diagnosed with narcolepsy, this is a good place to start your learning journey.
What Is Narcolepsy in Dogs?
“Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles,” says the website for the Carolina Veterinary Specialists Winston-Salem animal hospital. In terms of onset for narcolepsy in dogs, symptoms can appear at any stage of life, though most young dogs with narcolepsy begin to show symptoms at around one to six months old.
Narcolepsy symptoms in dogs include:
- Muscle weakness and unsteady walking following episodes of sleep or cataplexy
- Daytime sleepiness
- Uncontrolled sleep
- Spontaneous sleep referred to as “sleep attacks” or “narcolepsy attacks” where the dog falls asleep suddenly and without warning, even during physical activities
- Cataplexy—muscle weakness caused by heightened emotions (e.g. excitement)
What Causes Narcolepsy in Dogs?
Narcolepsy is primarily an inherited genetic condition, but there are some reports of acquired canine narcolepsy. Most cases of narcolepsy in dogs are associated with disruption of the hypocretin receptor 2 gene (Hcrtr2), which helps to establish typical regulation of sleep/wake cycles. Narcolepsy is an autonomic recessive mutation, meaning a dog must inherit two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent.
The Process of Diagnosing Narcolepsy in Dogs
Veterinarians perform a variety of tests to diagnose narcolepsy and cataplexy in dogs with a focus on assessments to rule out conditions that could cause narcolepsy-like symptoms. For example, anemia may cause muscle weakness and cataplexy in dogs and would be treated differently than narcolepsy.
Here are some of the tests veterinarians perform to diagnose narcolepsy in dogs according to VCA Animal Hospitals:
- Blood chemical profile: assesses kidney, liver and pancreatic function, protein levels and blood sugar.
- Complete blood count (CBC): used to assess for anemia (low red blood cell or hemoglobin) and ensuring your dog is adequately hydrated.
- Urinalysis: to detect bladder infections and assess kidney function.
- Electrolyte panel: to check for levels of electrolytes like calcium, sodium, and potassium—electrolyte imbalances can indicate other underlying issues like seizure activity or gastrointestinal issues.
Genetic testing: most dogs with narcolepsy have a disruption of the hypocretin receptor 2 gene—the presence of the genetic defect can help to confirm a suspected narcolepsy diagnosis.
How To Treat Narcolepsy in Dogs
Although it can be a little daunting to manage narcolepsy and cataplexy in dogs, treatment options including behavioral modifications and medication management are highly effective. Dogs with narcolepsy can live happy, healthy lives with basic symptom management.
Narcolepsy is not inherently dangerous, and your dog is not in any danger from the disorder itself. Narcolepsy only becomes dangerous if a dog hits their head, or falls asleep in an unsafe situation. With careful planning and slight adjustments to your dog’s lifestyle, these situations are easy to avoid.
Following a diagnosis of narcolepsy in dogs treatment options include:
- Reducing stimulation and excitement: cataplexy is triggered by heightened states of emotion. Making a few changes to your routine or how you approach exciting situations can reduce the frequency of cataplexy. For example, keeping playtime calm and avoiding rough or strenuous play can keep your narcoleptic dog awake and safe.
- Creating safe spaces: even if you are not pursuing medical treatment for narcolepsy, creating safe spaces in and around your home for your narcoleptic dog can reduce the risk associated with episodes of narcolepsy. Adding carpeting, plenty of beds, or other soft items to your dog’s environment will protect them if they fall, and help during periods of muscle weakness and unsteadiness.
- Medications: If your dog’s narcolepsy is unmanageable with behavioral modification, veterinarians may recommend oral medications like tricyclic antidepressants or physostigmine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is narcolepsy in dogs?
No. Narcolepsy is an uncommon genetic condition and is not associated with any particular breed or breed group.
Is there a cure for narcolepsy in dogs?
No. Narcolepsy is a life-long chronic diagnosis with no cure. Therapeutic and medical treatments can help your dog live a relatively “normal” life and reduce their symptoms of narcolepsy to manageable levels.
Can narcolepsy in dogs be prevented?
Yes. Testing for the gene that causes narcolepsy in dogs can help breeders avoid introducing this genetic abnormality to their bloodlines. Like most genetic conditions, carriers for narcolepsy can be detected with DNA testing and should not be used as breeding stock.
Is narcolepsy in dogs life-threatening?
No. Narcolepsy is not a life-threatening condition, though narcoleptic attacks can be frightening and look very similar to a medical emergency before you know their cause. If your dog is not diagnosed with narcolepsy you should bring them to the vet immediately if they collapse, but diagnosed narcoleptic episodes are not a life-or-death emergency.
