Nightmares

Jeremy101 · 01-06-2013, 09:54 AM

I have had my havanese dog Jeremy for about 4 months. About 3-4 times a week Jeremy sits up in bed in the middle of the night and screams. When I say scream I mean scream. He isn't parking. Jeremy sits up and stares at the wall and screams. I am trying to wake him up by gently shaking him. Jeremy seems to be in a trance. After about 20 seconds of screaming he stops. Jeremy seems very happy after the trance or nightmare. Jeremy then just falls back to sleep. The vet says the he isn't used to us yet but it has been 4 months. We think that the owner before us left him in cages all day. Jeremy hates cages. We have only put him in a cage during the first week.

If anyone knows what is going on with Jeremy please post a reply.
Thanks

Luciledodd · 01-06-2013, 10:32 AM

My 7 year old human son did this for a few weeks. The DR said it was night terrors. He never really woke up and didn't remember the next day. I suppose dogs can have them also.

davetgabby · 01-06-2013, 11:37 AM

hi again, lol I didn't see this thread when I answered the "big time scare thread" lol.

Sheri · 01-06-2013, 12:36 PM

My human son had Night Terrors for years--I didn't get to sleep through the night for 5 years. They are awful to see and wait out. For human Night Terrors the doctors (and research) told me to not touch him (that can prolong the process of their shifting between levels of sleep, and seemed to make t worse for him,) but just wait it out and make sure he didn't get hurt. For human Night Terrors it is a physiological problem with them shifting between sleep cycles, part of the brain trying to wake up, and part trying to go deeper. My son never did remember any of it. I wonder if dogs can do the same?

Jeremy101 · 01-06-2013, 12:59 PM

Thank you so much for the response. I will follow your advice.

Sheri · 01-06-2013, 02:15 PM

For human kids:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical.../terrors.html#

My son was very unusual in that he had them nightly for 5 years. They gradually ceased on their own. Hopefully your pup will outgrow them much sooner! You don't need a heart attack some night... Good luck and hang in there.

motherslittlehelper · 01-06-2013, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheri

My human son had Night Terrors for years--I didn't get to sleep through the night for 5 years. They are awful to see and wait out. For human Night Terrors the doctors (and research) told me to not touch him (that can prolong the process of their shifting between levels of sleep, and seemed to make t worse for him,) but just wait it out and make sure he didn't get hurt. For human Night Terrors it is a physiological problem with them shifting between sleep cycles, part of the brain trying to wake up, and part trying to go deeper. My son never did remember any of it. I wonder if dogs can do the same?

My youngest son had them at around 4 years of age. We found that they seemed to happen when he hadn't gotten a nap.

I didn't realize they could happen with dogs too. Hope Jeremy gets over them!

Sheri · 01-06-2013, 04:35 PM

I looked up some stuff online, and the videos people had made of their dogs' "night terrors" were just dogs dreaming. There is a huge difference in humans between just nightmares and actual Night Terrors. Very different. I don't think most of the posters were using the correct term. I think I'd ask a vet... and let us know the answer when you figure it out.

Suzi · 01-06-2013, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheri

For human kids:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical.../terrors.html#

My son was very unusual in that he had them nightly for 5 years. They gradually ceased on their own. Hopefully your pup will outgrow them much sooner! You don't need a heart attack some night... Good luck and hang in there.

My son had night terrors and he would sleep walk. He also wet his bed . I think I didn't sleep a full night until he was about 10. I had a buzzer for the wetting his bed he slept right threw it. I would try to get him up and he would get angry it was really hard. One time he left the house in the middle of the night and rode his bike to my moms who was only a block away walked right passed her and went to his bed their . She said he was in a daze. He left my front door wide open. My father had the same problems.
That's interesting a animal can have night terrors.