Why is my dog suddenly restless, breathing fast, and anxious at night?

Given that this in only happening at night, I would suspect Hero is having dreams that are upsetting her and she is running into your room for comfort. Dogs do dream and can reach to those dreams. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do to stop her from dreaming, but there will be nights where she doesn't dream and sleeps peacefully. I hope this helps!

If she's otherwise entirely normal (eating normally, drinking normally, good energy during the day, seems like herself behaviorally/mentally), I wouldn't be too concerned about this middle of the night behavior. Everything I can think of (seizures, neck pain, other pain, metabolic issues) would also cause issues during the day. That said, if she keeps it up for a week or more, a general vet appointment may be good to confirm nothing is going on.

I recommend to have Rosie examined by the veterinarian to rule out pain from a back or neck issue, an anal gland issue or a bladder infection. Dementia can also cause restlessness at night. Since she can't talk and tell you why this is happening, play it safe with an exam. I hope this helps.

Hi , I would check her breathing. Does it look regular and not too fast ? You could check how many times her chest moves up in 15 sec and then time it by four. This would be her respiratory rate. In a minute, the respiratory rate should be under 40. This is a bit of a long shot, as I am sure she is young and healthy and probably just the way for her to settle to sleep. However, if she seems distressed or if there are any symptoms that you are not sure about, have her checked over. Hope it is nothing to be worried about.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Noel. I do recommend that she sees a veterinarian today. She could be painful somewhere that was causing her to pant and pace. Neck and/or back pain are common in small breed dogs. If this is not the cause, nighttime anxiety can develop in older dogs. It is similar to the anxiety experienced by human Alzheimer's patients. It would be best to have her seen so you can both get some sleep to tonight. I hope this information helps!

I'm glad Trinket was seen by a veterinarian and they didn't think her heart was a problem. I recommend using a little notebook to keep track of her resting respiratory rate. You can record the number of breaths she takes when she is sleeping and monitor this over time. If this number is increasing over time it is worth a recheck with your veterinarian. If Trinket seems fine during the day, and the number is higher one time, that is not a need for concern. It is trend over time that is more important. For anxiety, I like Composure chews and Adaptil diffusers. If these don't help, there are prescription medications that you can discuss with your veterinarian. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids/comfort-zone-diffuser-with-dap-for-dogs

Ruling out an underlying health issue such as pain or illness is always a good first step when your pet experiences a sudden behavior change. As seven is the start of the senior years, it is possible there is some pain from laying in the bed, or arthritis causing problems. if Milou checks out health, trying to find if there is a pattern to the "attacks" may be helpful- does it happen the same time every night? Same spot? Same triggers? Is the neighbor arriving home in a noisy car at that time, etc? This may help you figure out what is triggering it so you can make some adjustments- IE moving the bed somewhere quieter, making sure your dog is fast asleep prior to that time, getting out excess energy before bed, feeding a treat to keep the stomach from becoming too empty and causing growling/discomfort, etc. If you can't seem to find any pattern at all, taking a video of the even to bring to your vet or a local trainer may be helpful in better identifying what is going on, and finding a solution.