Episodic Falling Syndrome

After a trigger, affected dogs experience a sudden stiffening of all four limbs, arched back, and exaggerated "deer-stalking" gait, and loss of balance. Some owners believe they are witnessing a seizure, though no loss of consciousness occurs.

Signs first appear in puppies.

Genetic testing, blood work, neurological tests, and clinical signs can be used to diagnose this condition.

Affected dogs usually recover within an hour of an episode, though the stiff limbs and gait may persist for several hours. However, they may overheat during an episode due to the uncontrollable muscle contractions, which could be life threatening. Medications are available to help control symptoms.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s episodic falling syndrome result so you can plan appropriate care and monitoring.

Avoid common triggers such as excitement, stress, or intense exercise, which can lead to brief episodes of stiffness or collapse.

Keep your dog’s environment calm and safe, and stop activity immediately if an episode occurs.

With good management and awareness of their limits, most dogs with this condition can live relatively normal lives.

This mutation was first described in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Penetrance: This disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that affected dogs must have two copies of the mutation to show clinical signs.

Gene

BCAN (Exons 1-4)

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Neuromuscular

Citations

1. Gill et al 2011

• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• English Toy Spaniel