# Can puppies have night terrors?



## Drewberry (May 13, 2008)

DH and I had a horrible experience this morning... at 4:30am we woke to Jager screaming/howling bloody murder. We both got down to this crate (on our bedroom floor) in a flash. His paw was sticking out the bottom of his crate so we first thought it was stuck, DH got it back into the crate without a problem, so it really wasn't pinched. 

Jager sat there for several more seconds whining as I held him. No idea what got into him. He sleeps through the night so it didn't seem like he was crying to go outside, he really sounded like he was in intense pain. Could it have been a bad dream? Just searching for answers.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

I hate to say this but, are you sure it wasn't a seizure?


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## Drewberry (May 13, 2008)

What other signs should we have looked for? He calmed down after those few seconds and we took him outside since we were awake and he acted fairly normal. 

The last GSD I had died at 2 years old.. just had two seizures in a night and on the second one died on the way to the vet. I don't remember much of it because I was only 12 years old. If Jager had a seizure, I don't know what I would do... my heart just dropped thinking of that possibility and brought back some rough memories.


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## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

You'll know if it happens again.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

"Generally" they are "fine" after a few seconds if they have a mild seizure. 
Other things to look for are extreme salivating and possibly peeing themselves while they are having a seizure. (And if they don't pee themselves, they usually have to go out and pee as soon as they "recover".)
They can also be "stiff" looking and/or mildly "trembling" or even wildly "thrashing".

I'm NOT trying to scare you and I REALLY hope that this is not the case. (I was hesitant to even say it in the first place because I KNOW how scary the thought is.) I know from first hand experience that it is VERY scary. (I have had 2 dogs that had seizures, my mom had one when I was younger, and I used to "baby sit" a dog that had them.) None were GSDs and as far as I know it isn't a big problem with the breed like it is with some other breeds, but it can happen with GSDs too.

Hopefully it was just a bad dream.


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Maybe his foot was caught because he was pulling the wrong way on it. All of my dogs dream, at one time or another I have heard different types of noises from them when they were sleeping.

I only had one dog that had seizures and it was an Irish Setter. He never screamed or howled like a banshee with any of his seizures, but I am sure there are many different types of seizures. 

Val


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Wisc.Tiger
> He never screamed or howled like a banshee with any of his seizures, but I am sure there are many different types of seizures.
> 
> Val


Unfortuantely that is true. I have only seen 1 that "screamed", she literally sounded like she had been hit by a car or something.


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## Drewberry (May 13, 2008)

Thank you for all of your input! 

Don't worry about scaring me... while it may be incredibly scary to think about, it's a good wake-up call especially if it happens again and I'll know to keep a seizure in consideration and watch him for details (although, hard when awakened like that to concentrate perfectly!!)

Like you guys said, hopefully it was a bad dream!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I read this and my first thought was that your pup's foot was caught in the crate. Although you might have easily been able to push it back he might have twisted it from his side or all of his wiggling and screaming might have gotten it unstuck.

If it has happened without the paw sticking out then I might have thought it was something else but that seems like a big clue.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

I am thinking it was the paw stuck in the crate as well, I am sure it freaked him out considerably. I would listen out for him tonight and see how things go, I know my little girl freaks out over the slightest things, my vet told me to remember that when the slightest bit of wierdness or uncomfortability happens to a pup that they tend to make it into a huge ordeal, however, I think if I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't move my foot I would freak too! Then again, I suffer from bouts of 'night terrors' myself and I think I would RATHER have my foot caught in a crate! I hope all is well with your little guy.


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## K9Kaos (Jun 24, 2006)

I'm thinking it was the paw stuck as well.
I've had two dogs with seizure disorder (took the second as a rescue because I knew what was involved with the care etc...)

Neither of them made more than a whimper when seizing... usually one of the other dogs would alert us if we were not in sight of the dog...
(as a medic, I can say that usually humans don't make a whole lot of noise either... )

Just to be safe, I'd keep an eye out for future occurances.
Hugs to all!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

more seizure experience with a gsd here...never a sound, the visuals were awful, but no sound except the thrashing of legs and occasional grinding of teeth. also, unmistakable smell from the mouth (kind of "electrical" but can't exactly describe it).


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