# What to make of this?? Dog went in super deep sleep, unresponsive?



## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

German Shepherd, 6 months old. 

Background incident that may or may not be related: Took her for a drive in my truck when she was very young (maybe 10 weeks?) and she fell asleep on the way back. When we got home, she was still sleeping and proved to be somewhat difficult to wake up. And when she did wake up, at first she didn't seem all there, almost as if she was sleepwalking -- then, she in an instant, she snapped out of it, woke up, and off we went.

Yesterday, (months later) we had to go on a long, multiple hour drive, away from a campsite we had been staying at. The weather was hot and my air conditioner is not worth much, so we traveled with the windows wide open and waited to leave until the evening when it was starting to cool down. Aware of how dogs can overheat, I had been keeping a close eye on her throughout the day. She had been lying in the shade with access to water and we had been swimming periodically throughout the day. She showed no signs of panting or heat discomfort throughout the day. 

As we started driving, I again kept a close eye on her, even though she had seen hotter weather than what we were in. No signs of panting; she seemed perfectly content. After about 15 minutes, as she usually does when we drive, she stretched out next to me on the seat of the truck and went to sleep. At some point, I reached over to rub her belly and she didn't stir. Strange. Shook her -- virtually no reaction. Now I was worried -- she didn't seem hot, and didn't pant at all; she was getting plenty of air....it wasn't even THAT hot.... could the heat somehow be affecting her? I rubbed some ice on her and dumped some water from a bottle on her -- still virtually no reaction! Now I was freaking out. I took the first exit and careened into the first place to park I could find. As I turned my ignition off, the clicking sound (she seems to use this as a cue that we are stopping somewhere) made her stir. She looked at me with a spaced out look on her face, then, in a second, she snapped out of it and was herself again. We got out of the car, she sniffed around, seemed normal. No panting, no drooling, completely calm and reacting to her environment. I showed her a pig's ear to see if she had appetite, she ate it up with gusto. 

I am not sure what to make of this. Could she have been in that deep of sleep? I mean, I was shaking her and literally dumping water on her! Could the heat have been affecting her without her showing ANY signs of panting or discomfort? 

Later on that evening, with the sun completely down, she again went into a super deep, unresponsive slumber. 

Today, she is acting completely normal. 

Ideas?


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## Dr.PetVet (Jun 1, 2009)

That is pretty weird. My opinion is, maybe your dog just sleeps very deeply... she couldn't have been in a coma if the turning of the key woke it up... That is pretty confusing


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## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

I know, it was very strange. Freaked me out when I dumped water on her without so much as a quiver. I don't know, she has always gone to sleep when we drive, from the day I got her. Maybe she just gets really relaxed in the truck.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Is your vehicle older? I wonder if you have a carbon Monoxide leak...


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## waterbaby (Jan 20, 2009)

My dog has gone into a deep, unresponsive sleep twice since we got her a year and a half ago. She didn't respond to (some pretty serious) shaking, poking, or pinching. She woke up when I got up to turn the light on. There were no apparent triggers (it wasn't hot, we didn't have a long day...) and she was fine afterwards. 

I don't know what to make of it either, but it was scary at the time.


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## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

Interesting idea. It is older (1994), and I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility, but I also had both windows wide open and we were going at highway speeds. There was a lot of air moving through the vehicle. I've always heard of monoxide poisoning happening with parked cars and closed windows.



waterbaby said:


> My dog has gone into a deep, unresponsive sleep twice since we got her a year and a half ago. She didn't respond to (some pretty serious) shaking, poking, or pinching. She woke up when I got up to turn the light on. There were no apparent triggers (it wasn't hot, we didn't have a long day...) and she was fine afterwards.
> 
> I don't know what to make of it either, but it was scary at the time.


I'm glad you posted this -- sounds very similar. I take it this happened at night. What made you suspect something was wrong and start shaking her?


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Maybe there is a leak causing Carbon Monoxide to leak in thru open vents? Since it only happens when you are driving, that is the first thing that came to mind.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

We had an older station wagon when I was a kid that gave my mother carbon monoxide poisoning. Her doctor diagnosed her as having chronic fatigue syndrome, but when we finally got a new vehicle, she completely recovered and testing revealed it had actually been the car poisoning her. It didn't have A/C, so she would often be driving with the windows down and it didn't seem to make a difference. That is a possibility and probably worth checking out just in case! Good on spotted nikes for thinking of that; I read this thread earlier and didn't even remember my mom's issues until carbon monoxide was mentioned.


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## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

Interesting -- I would have thought the windows down would negate it. I wonder how to get that checked?

Looks like detectors are pretty cheap. Maybe I'll have to check that out.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

I think they can do blood tests after a possible Carbon Monoxide exposure. It would need to be fairly soon after, before the body has replaced the red blood cells that may contain Carbon Monoxide.

A mechanic might be able to check the car, but I am not sure if it would be as accurate, due to the traveling conditions on the roads at the time of exposure, operating temp of the car, etc.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

I agree with the carbon monoxide theory.


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## rippedcb (Jun 3, 2010)

I dunno about CO theory, i'd also agree that having windows open will get enough O2 even if your truck was leaking CO. I'm not sure what the deal is though with your dog. My dog has been like that too a few times, not to that extent.. but its almost as if she ignores us on purpose cause she just wants to sleep. If we shake her then she'd get up.. 

On a funny note.. that you mentioned sleep walking.. and just to show that dogs CAN be very deep sleepers... check out this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-0dzKH1Rfs&NR=1


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## waterbaby (Jan 20, 2009)

misterW said:


> I'm glad you posted this -- sounds very similar. I take it this happened at night. What made you suspect something was wrong and start shaking her?


She made some funny noises in her sleep - snorty, hiccup-y sounds. I'm a really light sleeper so I just poked her to make her stop. Usually she'll give me a sniff or a lick when I do that, but she didn't respond at all and in my sleepiness I got worried that she was choking or had stopped breathing or something. I don't know, I wasn't thinking rationally. So I started trying harder to wake her up.


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

Oh man, that would freak me out.

Wally's a "light" sleeper with some sounds, but otherwise can be pretty deep, but if I got up or rattled a bag and he didn't flinch or anything - I'd be worried.

I hope the dog in question is doing okay. Dogs can do some scary stuff, can't they?


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## tskoffina (Jul 23, 2010)

The first few times I came in and the dog was sleeping it freaked me out when she didn't wake up till I got used to it. It didn't occur to me she couldn't hear to know I was there. She sleeps deeply too, sometimes it takes a lot of pushing and shaking to wake her when she's dreaming. I was told to wake mine on purpose (for other reasons), and sometimes it takes a bit of time. I would check to be sure it's not the car, and speak to a vet, but if it's not anything wrong, I would chalk it up to sleeping soundly, and wonder if you shaking was the car bumping, but knows the click of the key means you're stopped.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

rippedcb said:


> I dunno about CO theory, i'd also agree that having windows open will get enough O2 even if your truck was leaking CO.


In my mom's case, the CO was leaking from a rusted-out engine component into the driver's side, so it was seriously affecting only her, even though she often had all four of us kids in the back of the car. It was only when my dad started driving that vehicle and also started developing problems that they started to suspect it might not be chronic fatigue, looked into it more and found that those cars had been recalled because of a CO leak issue. My parents got rid of that car and both completely recovered. Like I said, they didn't have A/C and drove with the windows down, but it didn't help.

Also, in this case, even with the windows down, the dog is lower in the car (lying on the seat rather than sitting up with its head closer to the windows like a person), plus weighs less than a man, so it might be not getting as much fresh air and could also be affected by smaller amounts more easily. The leak could also be on the passenger side. It's worth a check, anyway.


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## rippedcb (Jun 3, 2010)

Crantastic said:


> In my mom's case, the CO was leaking from a rusted-out engine component into the driver's side, so it was seriously affecting only her, even though she often had all four of us kids in the back of the car. It was only when my dad started driving that vehicle and also started developing problems that they started to suspect it might not be chronic fatigue, looked into it more and found that those cars had been recalled because of a CO leak issue. My parents got rid of that car and both completely recovered. Like I said, they didn't have A/C and drove with the windows down, but it didn't help.
> 
> Also, in this case, even with the windows down, the dog is lower in the car (lying on the seat rather than sitting up with its head closer to the windows like a person), plus weighs less than a man, so it might be not getting as much fresh air and could also be affected by smaller amounts more easily. The leak could also be on the passenger side. It's worth a check, anyway.


I'm sorry.. i wasn't doubting your story at all.. and you are absolutely right, its worth a check at the least..


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Carbon Monoxide is heavier than the regular air we breathe and will tend to "fill" the lowest area first, and gradually as it fills up take up more space. Kind of like filling an empty glass with water, as opposed to smoke from a fire that rises to the top of a room and fills it up from top to bottom.
If a puppy is on a seat or floorboard, they will feel the effects sooner than a person whose head is higher up. Also, a puppy has a smaller amount of blood circulating and a smaller lung capacity, so succumbs sooner than a person would.
Carbon Monoxide poisoning will normally cause the gums to be a dark red/cherry color.


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## JuneBud (Feb 17, 2010)

misterW said:


> Interesting idea. It is older (1994), and I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility, but I also had both windows wide open and we were going at highway speeds. There was a lot of air moving through the vehicle. I've always heard of monoxide poisoning happening with parked cars and closed windows.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm glad you posted this -- sounds very similar. I take it this happened at night. What made you suspect something was wrong and start shaking her?


Even if a lot of air is entering the truck, it could still be carbon monoxide. It depends on where all the air is coming from. I know that we once had a station wagon, and if you drove it with the tailgate open, exhaust fumes entered, no matter the speed we were traveling. It could be the way the airflow flows in your truck.

Also, once, my mother had left the gas stove not turned all the way off and gas leaked into the house. She had gone out and we were out. When we came back we smelled gas and when we went to check on our dog, she had gone into her crate to sleep and we had the same trouble waking her up, but thank God she was alright after a minute or two.


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

misterW said:


> As I turned my ignition off, the clicking sound (she seems to use this as a cue that we are stopping somewhere) made her stir. She looked at me with a spaced out look on her face, then, in a second, she snapped out of it and was herself again. We got out of the car, she sniffed around, seemed normal. No panting, no drooling, completely calm and reacting to her environment. I showed her a pig's ear to see if she had appetite, she ate it up with gusto.


This leads me to suspect that your dog was merely in a deep slumber. Lots of dogs, like children, are lulled to sleep by the motion and the sounds. If she IMMEDIATELY "recovered" when you stopped, I would not suspect CO poisoning, but nonetheless I would certainly have your vehicle checked (for what it's worth) just to rule it in or out.

If your dog is relatively fine at home and only exhibits these symptoms while driving, then I would think that it's simply "driving related". << Sorry, I know that sounds kinda like a 'duh', but I see no real reason to panic. Concern yes, but panic no.

-- make app't w / mechanic to have exhaust checked
-- talk to vet to rule out underlying medical issues which might be contributing ie: circulatory


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Most people do not understand how CO poisoning works. It is not an easily recovered from thing and here is why. 

Hemoglobin circulates in your blood and goes thru your lungs. On the way back from the body and into the lungs it carries the CO2 it picked up from your body (as a waste product) and dumps it in your lungs (that is what you exhale). As soon as it dumps the CO2 it picks up an Oxygen Molecule and takes that into the body as fuel, dumping it and picking up anothe CO2 ( carbon DI oxide). 

IF there is CO (carbon MON oxide) present in the lung and it picks up the CO INSTEAD of O2 (oxygen) that molecule becomes permanently bonded to the hemoglobin. It cannot pick or deliver any more CO2 or O2 so it is out of comission. For an animal to suffer CO poisoning, they need a pretty good load and they will show other symptoms such as red skin, inability to catch breath, lethargy and coma. 

Modern Cars have a catalytic converter. The CC chemically alters the CO from the engine exhaust into CO2 and water vapor which is then exhausted out the tail pipe. 

If your car has a working Catalytic converter and the Check Engine light is not on, there _should_ not be any CO issues. Even a 1994 car had a Catalytic converter.. and if it plugs you will know it as the car will not be able to get out of its own way. 

This is not to say you should not have the air in the cab of the truck tested.. just saying it is not so likely as you would think unless something is malfunctioning and this is something you would _probably_ know (check engine light or crappy running).


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

Sounds like a deep sleep to me, if it's only in the truck it's likely when asleep she doesn't feel shaking as anything more than what the truck does normally, sleeping in a car requires sleeping through bumps and shakes.

I have had dogs wake up as the OP describes on occasion, but never had one that did it predictably. Usually only after getting really really worn out.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

TxRider said:


> I have had dogs wake up as the OP describes on occasion, but never had one that did it predictably. Usually only after getting really really worn out.


Heck.. back in the day I recall COLLEGE students like this.... (not me of course. Nope. never. ) (anemic smiley).


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## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

I'm personally favoring the deep sleep theory at the moment, although I am going to get the CO levels tested. It would be a good thing to know and I -- hobby mechanic -- have swapped engines and exhaust systems on the vehicle so it could certainly be possible. 

I just think that if levels were so high that she passed out within 1/2 hour of driving and was unable to respond to me touching, shaking her, etc. (1) I would have noticed something when I drive with windows up, and (2) she would not have woken up and sniffed around and happily gobbled down a pig's ear when I turned the truck off.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

An easy check would be to take her for a drive in another vehicle and see if she does it.


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## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

^She doesn't, or hasn't yet, but I'm not sure that shows very much. Of the hundreds of times we have driven in the truck (many times w/ windows up), this has only happened once (twice if you count the less dramatic version when she was much younger).


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## Maggies Mommy (Jun 28, 2021)

I wouldn't worry too much. I have a service dog and she does this when she's had busy days. It sounds like your dog probably had more excitement that day with being outside the house. They burn a lot of energy also dogs don't like to sleep deeply in places they don't feel safe so will just doze during those times. The truck is probaly one of the places your dog feels safe. Dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day and puppies even more so if your puppy was busy and exerting more energy physically or mentally this can be exhausting for a dog just like it is if you were to go to an amusement park all day. Big days can lead exhaustion which can in turn lead to deeper sleep. I panicked myself when this started happening to my dog. I never had a dog before that slept so deep not this one was my first service dog too so shes awake more hours. The first time it happened. I did the same thing. Petting then shaking her then picking hat limp body up and really freaking out so shaking her harder and she woke up. The second time it happened I couldn't see her chest moving (she's got a lot of fur) I also couldn't deep a heart beat, probably mostly because at the time my own heat was beating so hard lol. I then thought she was dead and started CPR. I gave a breathe in through her nose and her eyes popped wide open, she shook her head around like she was shaking off my coodies lol and looked at me like she couldn't believe I would disterb her like that. The only difference is with her it only happens at night but like I said, mine is a service dog so she's pretty high alert so if she sleeps at all its the really light sleep where she will literally wake up in a split second to alert me if she smells a cortisol surge. Their kind of in that mine when they work line a first time months is with a baby where the mom is so afraid someting will happen to their new baby it's like they wake up to the slightest sound the baby makes or of the baby starts to cry they are in there holding it before anyone else even wakes up.


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

This is an eleven year old thread and the original poster hasn't been here for a decade, so I'm closing this to further replies. Feel free to start your own thread about your service dog, or join in any of our current discussions!


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