rage syndrome

[hennaly]

i have been trying to find out a bit about 'rage syndrome' in dogs, it appears to be in solid coloured cocker spaniels, springer spaniels, burmese mountains,Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Dobermanns, English Bull Terriers, English Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs and St. Bernards.
has anybody had a dog who suffers from this?
the symptons are:
Sudden attacks for no apparent reason; the dog will often be sleeping and then attack without warning. The eyes become dilated and sometimes change colour during and after an attack, the dog is totally confused when attacking and will not respond to any attempts to stop it. The attacks are very unpredictable and the dog will often appear disorientated afterward and unaware of it's actions, then return to it's normal self shortly after. Victims are usually members of the family and due to the lack of warning from the dog, suffer from a flesh wound that will need medical attention.

[Dax]

Have your tried researching seizures? Thankfully, I've never had to experience anything like that.

[SalemsMom]

Glad I never had a dog like this, i would be afraid to sleep at night. Does sound like some sort of a seizure. My father had a white sheperd when I was a kid, he had had this dog for years,and was the best dog, and all of a sudden,the dog attacked for no reason,he was devistated to put his dog to sleep.

[hennaly]

i have found some good info so far and luckily i have never had to worry either but i like to know as much as i can about these things for my canine psychology course.

[Savage Destiny]

I've known two Springers and a Cocker with Sudden Rage Syndrome. One Springer full-on tried to kill his mom (who he adored) when she opened the car door to get him out. A few minutes later, he was fine with her and everyone else. The other Springer and the Cocker randomly spaz out and try to attack anything and everything within reach, often for no reason at all.

I've heard a lot of theories on this- One is that is a form of epilepsy. I've also heard that the reason its so prevalent in Springers is because a Westminster champion Springer had it, but was bred a lot regardless because he was a champion. Not sure about that one, but it is a rumor I've heard a lot.

[Maxine]

Have never experienced this, thank goodness.
This is also known in Mastiffs.. Years ago a very well known handler, Fred Olson, was attacked by the Mastiff at a show, that he had been handling for some time, and the dog tore his ear almost completely off.
Perhaps if the Mastiff Club has a web site you could find some more info there..

[hennaly]

one story i read was a cocker who ripped out her owner throat while they were both dozing on a chair.
i wondered why its only solid cockers not mixed colours.

[ravybaby]

Ive not herd of it within the pure working strain! But Unfortunately we did have had a problem in the past, she was a solid golden her mother was Working strain and the father was show strain, it would just attack the other dogs for no apparent reason, and within minutes she was fine, she had to be put to sleep, as she was to dangerous and unpredictable, we have never had a solid cocker spaniel since, all of our dogs now have white within their coats, and we have never come across the problem again,

[EmmaGirl]

I haven't heard of it either and agree with Dax. It sounds more like a type of seizure disorder exhibited in certain genetic make-ups. This can happen in people...maybe in dogs as well.

[fehu1331]

Thankfully I have never had this problem with my babies but I have heard of it in doberman pinschers. I heard it was a neurilogical defect.