Clinical characteristics, management and long-term outcome of suspected rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in 14 dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical characteristics, management and long-term outcome in dogs with suspected rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.


METHODS
Medical records and video recordings of 14 dogs with suspected rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder were reviewed and the owners were contacted via telephone or email for further information.


RESULTS
Clinical signs included episodes of violent limb movements, howling, barking, growling, chewing, or biting during sleep. Episodes occurred at night and during daytime naps. The age at onset ranged from 8 weeks to 7·5 years with a median of 6 years but 64% of dogs were one year or less. There was no apparent sex or breed predisposition. Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder events were reduced in severity and frequency in 78% of the dogs treated with 40 mg/kg/day oral potassium bromide. One dog was euthanized within 3 months of the onset of signs because of their severity. The duration of the disorder in the 13 surviving dogs ranged from 1·5 to 9 years. None of the dogs spontaneously recovered.


CONCLUSIONS
Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is suspected to occur in dogs, as it does in human beings. It causes concern to the owners and disrupts the home environment. Unlike human beings, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder of dogs often has a juvenile onset.
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
T A
TA
Schubert
R M
RM
Chidester
C L
CL
Chrisman
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001965:Bromides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001965:Bromides; D017680:Potassium Compounds; C039004:potassium bromide