23. Sleep deprivation in puppies

Sleep is important for a puppy's proper development. During sleep, the hormones are rleased for growth and development while tissue growth and repair takes place.

Child experts say that children between 5 to 12 years old need around 10 hours of sleep. (www.sleepfoundation.org). So do puppies.

If puppies don't get enough sleep, what happens?

Unable to recover early from infections like kennel cough
Passing blood in the stools
Loose stools
Diarrhoea, dehydration and death.

Not every case of diarrhoea with blood is parvoviral infection. Some are due to insufficient sleep. For example public exhibition of puppies at pet fairs.