Hi. Posted yesterday about my fox red dodger 2 &half yrs old collapsing after a run after a trip to the vets he thinks he knows the problem. Excercise enduced collapse is looking the cause for him loosing his back legs for a few seconds yesterday heat exhaustion definatly ruled out as I only walk the dogs along the canal if its hot and yesterday was not hot and the vet says heat exhaustion takes a while to get over and dodger recovered within minuites. It seems to be a problem with really fit active dogs I won't know for definite until blood tests are back but the vet it 99% sure he has diagnosed it correctly so ill keep you posted. I've been doing abit of research myself and found this out its definatly worth a read http://www.vdl.umn.edu/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/eic/taylor2008/home.html Thanks for the reply's yesterday folks Steve
Re: Collapse update. Thank you for sharing your update, I hope you find a way to manage this condition in Dodger
Re: Collapse update. Sorry to hear that, I hope you find a way to manage it - i understand lots of people do. Good luck, keep us posted.
Re: Collapse update. Hi Steve, my rescue Labrador x Pointer 2 1/2 years old has had this happen 3 times when he was about a year old. He used to be an absconder and returned to me in this state, collapsed, racing heart, stretching out his limbs and when he got up his back legs were very wobbly and he was pretty unstable but returned to normal quickly. This was in Autumn/Winter so not heat stroke for definate. I think it was Kate that suggested to me at the time it could be EIC. He is on lead now being whistle trained so no absconding and it has not happened since and I did not have him tested. I really hope Dodger will be OK. I would be really interested to hear how you will manage this condition. Good Luck Steve. Helen
Re: Collapse update. Glad that you have a fairly clear diagnosis (pending blood test results). Thankyou for the update! Will you be letting his breeder know?
Re: Collapse update. Thanks Steve,something else to add to the list of things Ive never heard of,so appreciate you mentioning it.ill look it up now. I have to be really careful with Dexter and the heat...... Hope Dodger recovers fully ,appreciate the update
Re: Collapse update. http://www.thegundogclub.co.uk/library/exercise_induced_collapse.php There you go Lisa,bit more about it
Re: Collapse update. It's a genetic thing. A lot of breeders screen for it these days (they do in Aust anyway).
Re: Collapse update. Yes, it's genetic, Charlie came with health check certificates showing his mum and dad were clear of it - I wouldn't have heard about it otherwise.
Re: Collapse update. Sorry to hear this, but glad that you have a diagnosis, I believe that this can be managed so lets hope this is the case with your dear lad .
Re: Collapse update. I have got my fingers crossed that it is not EIC. It might still be connected to the hot weather we have been having. One of my springers, Caddie, is very heat sensitive. She has shown the same symptoms that you describe in a a few episodes. It doesn't have to be boiling hot and just literally a minute or two of hunting can overheat her. I can spot the signs really well and luckily she has never totally collapsed, but she has been disorientated and wobbly on a few occasions. The first time it happened she was around 10 months old. Caddie is extremely fit and otherwise healthy and during the shooting season in cool temperatures she can work all day long without any ill effects, but I will not work her early on in the season when temperatures are over 10 C. Over the years I have done a lot of reading about EIC because for a while I thought Caddie might be affected but so far the defective gene has not yet been isolated in Springer Spaniels so there is no test for it as there is for other breeds like certain retriever and pointer breeds. But I have now come to he conclusion that her condition is definitely linked to the temperature. I can manage her really well by doing mainly water training during spring, summer and autumn, or very early morning exercise. I have all sorts of cool coats and swamp jackets for her to wear which help to keep her nice and cool. If I do any retrieving or hunting training I make sure she has a swim just before and straight after the exercise to syphon off any heat and keeping her core temperature down. It works very well. Fingers crossed for your dog. Please, keep us updated. PS Helen's description of Charlie after a long and illicit hunting expedition could be due to low blood sugar levels, plus over heating. I have seen this a few times in the shooting season with dogs literally running themselves into the ground. I keep blood sugar levels in my dogs stable by feeding them specially designed energy bars for working dogs through out he day.
Re: Collapse update. [quote author=heidrun link=topic=2088.msg18287#msg18287 date=1374564734] I can manage her really well by doing mainly water training during spring, summer and autumn, or very early morning exercise. I have all sorts of cool coats and swamp jackets for her to wear which help to keep her nice and cool. If I do any retrieving or hunting training I make sure she has a swim just before and straight after the exercise to syphon off any heat and keeping her core temperature down. It works very well. [/quote] I put the hose on Riley if he seems too warm, I focus on his armpits and groin as that's where they suggest you put ice packs if you're trying to bring a dogs temperature down. Would you recommend any of the cool coats/swamp jackets? We only just went to training last night as it was still warm but the thunder had passed over the training ground and it was more comfortable than I though it was going to be. We might be brave next time and go up a class, see how we manage but the retrieves really aren't keeping Riley's interest in the class we're in.
Re: Collapse update. The cool coat and swamp jacket are good but I still err on the side of caution when it is warm and don't train, work or let Caddie run around.
Re: Collapse update. Barbara I have bought a collar from the pet shop...it's from www.izibodycooling.com...it contains a gel that expands when you soak it in water....poor Dexter with his halti,harness,regular collar and ice collar......he looks a right jumble sale.....my friend bought him a hi vis for the desert too and I'm considering the jacket that Heidrun is talking about......I have not see one other dog here wearing one,Can you believe that in the temperatures we have here? do you think all his equipment might actually make him hotter I do! ;D .....don't use the hi vis......and the halti only goes on now if he forgets his manners!......
Re: Collapse update. [quote author=Dexter link=topic=2088.msg18315#msg18315 date=1374580700] do you think all his equipment might actually make him hotter I do! ;D [/quote] I know what you mean ! lol Riley has two collars already too - a tick collar and a normal collar and then I use a slip lead so that kind of an extra one too!
Re: Collapse update. Hi Steve, one of my previous labs had EIC. If you get a positive result on the bloods I'll be happy to discuss further how I managed her, avoiding excitement when working being one of the keys. My current two are both genetically clear - made sure everything was OK this time, although there was no available test when I got the affected one.
