My puppy hiccups, eyes closed, and is hard to wake. What's wrong?

If he is otherwise normal I'm not concerned. He may be stressed from moving to a new home or dreaming. If it was a seizure you would notice him going from normal to having muscle spasms, then getting back to normal in a few minutes. It's a good idea to video the behavior and write down when it occurs so you have a history to discuss with your veterinarian should it get worse. I like to write down the episodes on a calendar so I can go back and check the frequency. Willis may stop this as he becomes settled in your house and as he gets older. If he appears agitated, weak or ill please take him right in for an exam. You may want to double check with his breeder to see if any other pups or the parents are doing this. Cavaliers do get heart disease, but usually when they are old, and purebred dogs can get epilepsy but seizures often don't start until they are six months to a year old. Again I would just watch him to make sure there are no other symptoms. Enjoy your new puppy! I love Cavaliers, it's a fun, gentle and loving breed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Willis.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jace. I am concerned that he was experiencing an episode of low blood sugar. It is common in puppies as small as he is. If he is still acting so lethargic, I would recommend putting karo syrup (or maple syrup or honey) on his gums and he will need to see an emergency veterinarian. If he is back to normal now, monitor him closely and apply the syrup if you ever notice these signs in him again. Provide kibble for him at all times so that he never goes long between meals. Of course, something else could be wrong that your veterinarian could determine based in his exam. I hope this information helps!

Hi there. What you're describing sounds like it might be hiccups, which are common and normal in puppies. But I can't say for sure without seeing him. I would recommend getting some video of him doing it, and showing it to your regular veterinarian at his next visit - he/she should be able to tell you if it's normal, or something to be concerned about.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to having a low blood sugar from being so small. Usually small breed dogs require to be fed throughout the day every 6 hours or so. However, this could also be due to something else like a toxicity of some kind. Seizures can be detrimental to a dog's health and this warrants an evaluation as soon as possible by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

Peaches needs to see the veterinarian quickly. It sounds like this may be neurological and this is never normal. It can indicate many things including toxin ingestion, drug exposure, an infection in the brain, brain cancer, drug exposure, low blood sugar and other sinister reasons. A physical exam and bloodwork are needed to begin figuring out the cause and the best treatment. Other diagnostics may also be indicated. I hope it's nothing too serious and that she gets back to normal quickly.

This doesn't sound like anything to be particularly concerned about, as long as the hiccups are not occuring all day long. Hiccups are usually caused by some kind of irritation to the phrenic nerve that leads to the diaphragm, so perhaps when she lays down, she is causing irritation to the nerve. It is quite odd though and isn't something we see very often in veterinary medicine. It isn't something that we can necessarily test for either or treat for in general. If you still want to look further into other possible causes however, then a referral to an internal medicine vet will likely be the next best step for Zelda. Even with that said, it is a good chance that this is a symptom that the vet will recommend benign neglect (just monitor). Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope that Zelda is ok moving forward. Take care!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Bella. This seems very odd to me and I would advise consulting your veterinarian regarding this behavior. This could be normal for her but definitely not normal for puppies. It's possible she has a respiratory problem due to her breed that is forcing this kind of posture when she sleeps. I would have one question but you can't answer it here in this forum. Is she completely normal otherwise or does she hold her head in this position at other times? If that's the case, I would wonder about a possible neck problem or even a neurologic problem. Your veterinarian can take a history and perform an examination to assess Bella. If warranted, possible tests could include x-rays or other tests. Good luck