http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/7_6/features/Rage-Syndrome-In-Dogs_ 6!"-#.

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Rage Syndrome in Dogs

by Pat Miller $he%term%&rage%syndrome'%conjures%up%mental%images%of%(ujo)%Stephen%*ing+s%fictional%ra,id%dog)%terrori-ing%the%countryside.%If%you+re%owner%of%a%dog%who%suffers%from%it)%it+s%almost%that%,ad%.%ne/er%0nowing % when%your%,elo/ed%pal%is%going%to%turn)%without%warning)%into%a%,iting)%raging%canine%tornado. $he % condition % commonly % 0nown % as % rage % syndrome % is % actually % more % appropriately % called % &idiopathic% aggression.'%$he%definition%of%idiopathic%is:%&1f)%relating%to)%or%designating%a%disease%ha/ing%no%0nown% cause.'%It%applies%perfectly%to%this%,eha/ior)%which%has%confounded%,eha/iorists%for%decades.%2hile%most% other%types%of%aggression%can%,e%modified%and%reduced%through%desensiti-ation%and%counter-conditioning)% idiopathic%aggression%often%can+t.%It%is%an%e3tremely%difficult%and%heart,rea0ing%condition%to%deal%with.

4 % ,eha/iorist+s % in/estigation % will % re/eal% discerni,le%triggers%and%warning%signs%if%a%dog% has%a%more%common%form%of%aggression5%not%so% with%idiopathic%aggression.

$he%earmar0s%of%idiopathic%aggression%include: 6%7o%identifia,le%trigger%stimulus/stimuli 6%Intense)%e3plosi/e%aggression 6%1nset%most%commonly%reported%in%dogs%#-!%years%old 6% Some%owners%report%that%their%dogs%get%a%gla-ed)%or%&possessed'%loo0%in%their%eyes%just%prior%to%an % idiopathic%out,urst)%or%act%confused. 6% (ertain%,reeds%seem%more%prone%to%suffer%from%this%condition)%including%(oc0er%and%Springer%Spaniels % 8hence%the%once-common%terms%.%Spaniel%rage)%(oc0er%rage)%and%Springer%rage9)%:ernese%;ountain%Dogs)% St. % :ernards) % Do,erman % <inschers) % =erman % Shepherds) % and %>hasa % 4psos. % $his% would % suggest % a% li0ely% genetic%component%to%the%pro,lem. Glimmer of hope $he%good%news%is%that%true%idiopathic%aggression%is%also%a%particularly%uncommon%condition.%Discussed%and% studied%widely%in%the%#"7?s%and%+@?s)%it%captured%the%imagination%of%the%dog%world)%and%soon%e/ery%dog% with%episodes%of%sudden)%e3plosi/e%aggression%was%tagged%with%the%unfortunate%&rage%syndrome'%la,el) % especially%if%it%was%a%spaniel%of%any%type.%2e%ha/e%since%come%to%our%senses)%and%now%in/estigate%much % more%carefully%,efore%concluding%that%there%is%truly%&no%0nown%cause'%for%a%dog+s%aggression. 4 % thorough % e3ploration % of % the % dog+s % ,eha/ior % history % and % owner+s % o,ser/ations % often % can % ferret % out % e3plaina,le % causes % for % the % aggression. % $he % appropriate % diagnosis % often % turns % out % to % ,e % status-related % aggression%8once%widely%0nown%as%&dominance%aggression'9%and/or%resource%guarding%.%,oth%of%which%can% also%generate%/ery%/iolent)%e3plosi/e%reactions.%8See%&$han0s%for%Sharing)'%2DA%Septem,er%B??#.9 4n%owner%can%easily%miss%her%dog+s%warning%signs%prior%to%a%status-related%attac0)%especially%if%the%warning % signs%ha/e%,een%suppressed%,y%prior%physical%or%/er,al%punishment.%2hile%some%dogs+%lists%of%guarda,le % resources%may%,e%limited%and%precise)%with%others%it%can%,e%difficult%to%identify%and%recogni-e%a%resource%

that%a%dog%has%determined%to%,e%/alua,le%and%worth%guarding.%$he%gla-ed%loo0%reported%,y%some%owners% may%also%,e%their%interpretation%of%the%&hard%stare'%or%&free-e'%that%many%dogs%gi/e%as%a%warning%signal % just%prior%to%an%attac0. 4lthough%the%true%cause%of%idiopathic%aggression%is%still%not%understood)%and%,eha/iorists%each%tend%to% defend%their%fa/orite%theories)%there%is%uni/ersal%agreement%that%it%is%a%/ery%rare%condition)%and%one%that%is% e3tremely%difficult%to%treat. Theories 4%/ariety%of%studies%and%testing%o/er%the%past%!?%years%ha/e%failed%to%produce%a%clear%cause%or%a%definiti/e % diagnosis%for%idiopathic%aggression.%:eha/iorists%can+t%e/en%agree%on%what%to%call%itC% =i/en%the%failure%to%find%a%specific%cause)%it%is%Duite%possi,le%that%there%are%se/eral%different%causes%for % une3plaina,le %aggressi/e%,eha/iors%that%are%all%grouped%under%the%term%&idiopathic %aggression.'%Some% dogs% in% the % midst % of%an %episode % may% foam% at% the % mouth %and % twitch) % which% could %,e % an% indication % of% epileptic%sei-ures.%$he%most%common%appearance%of%the%,eha/ior%,etween%#-!%years%of%age%also%coincides % with%the%appearance%of%most%status-related%aggression)%as%well%as%the%de/elopment%of%idiopathic%epilepsy) % ma0ing%it%e/en%impossi,le%to%use%age%of%onset%as%a%differential%diagnosis. Some%researchers%ha/e%found%a,normal%electroencephalogram%readings%in%some%dogs%suspected%of%ha/ing% idiopathic % aggression) % ,ut % not % all % such % dogs % they % studied. % 1ther % researchers % ha/e % ,een % una,le % to% reproduce%e/en%those%inconclusi/e%results. 4nother % theory % is % that % the % ,eha/ior % is % caused % ,y % damage % to % the % area % of % the % ,rain % responsi,le % for% aggressi/e % ,eha/ior. % Eet % another % is % that % it % is % actually % a % manifestation % of % status-related % aggression% triggered%,y%/ery%su,tle%stimuli.%(learly)%we%just%don+t%0now. $he%fact%that%idiopathic%aggression%,y%definition%cannot%,e%induced%also%ma0es%it%difficult%to%study%and % e/en%try%to%find%answers%to%the%Duestion%of%cause.%Fnli0e%a%,eha/ior%li0e%resource%guarding%.%which%is%easy% to % induce % and % therefore % easy % to % study % in % a % clinical % setting % . % the % /ery % nature % of % idiopathic % aggression % dictates%that%it%cannot%,e%reproduced%or%studied%at%will. Treatment 2ithout%0nowing%the%cause%of%idiopathic%aggression)%treatment%is%difficult%and%freDuently%unsuccessful.%$he% condition % is % also % /irtually % impossi,le % to % manage % safely % ,ecause % of % the % sheer % unpredicta,ility % of % the% out,ursts.%$he%prognosis)%unfortunately)%is%/ery%poor)%and%many%dogs%with%true%idiopathic%aggression%must% ,e%euthani-ed)%for%the%safety%of%surrounding%humans. Don+t%despair)%howe/er)%if%someone%has%told%you%your%dog%has%&rage%syndrome.'%Girst%of%all)%he%pro,a,ly% doesn+t. % Remem,er) % the % condition % is % e3tremely % rare) % and % the % la,el % still % gets % applies % all % too % often % ,y % uneducated % dog % fol0 % to % canines % whose % aggressi/e % ,eha/iors % are % perfectly % e3plaina,le % ,y % a % more% 0nowledgea,le%o,ser/er. Eour % first % step % is % to % find % a % s0illed % and % positi/e % trainer/,eha/ior % consultant % who % can % gi/e % you % a % more % educated % analysis % of % your % dog+s % aggression. % 4 % good % ,eha/ior % modification % program) % applied % ,y % a% committed%owner%in%consultation%with%a%capa,le%,eha/ior%professional%can%succeed%in%decreasing%and/or% resol/ing%many%aggression%cases)%and%help%you%de/ise%appropriate%management%plans%where%necessary)% to%0eep%family%mem,ers)%friends)%and%/isitors%safe. If%your%,eha/ior%professional%also%,elie/es%that %you%ha/e%a%rare%case%of%idiopathic%aggression%on%your% hands)%then%a%trip%to%a%/eterinary%,eha/iorist%is%in%order.%Some%dogs%will%respond%to%drug%therapies%for%this % condition5%many%will%not.%Some%minor%success%has%,een%reported%with%the%administration%of%pheno,ar,ital)% ,ut%it%is%unclear%as%to%whether%the%results%are%from%the%sedati/e%effect%of%the%drug)%or%if%there%is%an%actual % therapeutic%effect. In % many % cases % of % true % idiopathic % aggression) % euthanasia % is % the % only % solution. % :ecause % the % aggressi/e% e3plosions%are%truly%/iolent%and%totally%unpredicta,le)%it%is%neither%safe%nor%fair%to%e3pose%yourself%or%other % friends%and%family%to%the%potentially%disfiguring)%e/en%deadly)%results%of%such%an%attac0.%If%this%is%the%sad% conclusion % in % the % case % of % your % dog) % euthanasia % is % the % only% humane % option. % (omfort % yourself % with % the% 0nowledge%you%ha/e%done%e/erything%possi,le%for%him)%hold%him%close%as%you%say%good,ye)%and%send%him% gently%to%a%safer%place.%$hen%ta0e%good%care%of%yourself.