Rage Syndrome

One day at work my boss told me a sad story of a Wheaten Terrier that on several occasions had attacked its owners. It was said that the dog suffered from Rage Syndrome. Being unsure of this syndrome and wanting to know more about it she suggested that it might be a good topic here at Kritter Korner. So I started the search …

Most of the information that I found was on Cocker and English Springer Spaniel but rage syndrome can exist with many breeds such as St. Bernard, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Great Pyrenean, English Springer Spaniel, (Pedigree research showed that the most severe cases in Springer spaniels could be traced back to a common bloodline[1]) Chesapeake Bay Retriever, English Bull Terrier, Bernese Mountain, American Cocker Spaniel, and Doberman Pinscher. I didn’t find anything on Wheaton Terriers and Rage Syndrome but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible in this breed it can happen in any breed and any bloodline. This is where breeders need to be cautious when placing their puppies in pet home when it comes to the show lines where dominance aggression is most common. After all these dogs have to deal with all the stress of the ring and have to be assertive and confident. You will find that good breeders are careful when placing these dogs in the right home with the right owner.

It is said that Rage syndrome is not a behavioral problem but a clinical condition that is rare but very severe. It has been known to develop in puppies as young as 8 weeks old but, more likely to start in males at puberty and with the first season for females. Yet there is no proof that hormones are any part of the problem. They say the younger the dog at the onset of aggression the poorer the prognosis.

With nothing definitive, researcher’s ideas as to cause are: abnormal serotonin levels in the brain, thyroid dysfunction, dysthymia, a canine form of schizophrenia, and a form of psychomotor epilepsy or temporal lobe epilepsy. It is also believed by some that Rage Syndrome is just an extreme form of dominance related aggression and not a separate condition. Some have questioned whether or not Rage Syndrome is heritable based but there has been no large studies done to prove this theory. There are some behaviorist and geneticists that believe that there might be a genetic component to this syndrome.

Symptoms of Rage Syndrome

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 its actions, then return to its 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. [2]

There is another form of aggression, called mental lapse aggression that has been previously described as “rage syndrome”.  Dr. Bonnie Beaver, at Texas A&M, first described this type of aggression.  The cause is unknown, but the EEG brain wave pattern resembles that of a wild animal.  It is probably not a seizure disorder, as these dogs do not respond to an anticonvulsant.  These dogs display sudden, violent aggression.  It can start at any age, but usually occurs in young adults, and becomes progressively worse.  A careful behavioral history shows absolutely no pattern of predictability. There is no known treatment, except euthanasia.  It is probably very rare, but can be very difficult to distinguish from a severe case of dominance aggression.  In the long run, it probably isn’t that critical to make the distinction, since euthanasia is the safest course in either event.

Seizures can also cause unprovoked aggressive episodes, but the EEG generally shows seizure spikes, a different pattern from mental lapse aggression.  When seizures are the suspected cause of aggression, the veterinarian should do the typical medical evaluation for any other type of seizure.  These dogs often do very well on an anticonvulsant.  Owners must be prepared to deal with the necessary monitoring, as well as the risks involved with owning a dog who shows aggression during a seizure.  Otherwise, they are handled just like any other dog in seizure.  Depending on how you break it down, there are probably 20 different forms of aggression in the dog.  Multiple forms within the same individual may all interact together to produce a single biting episode.  Without understanding all these factors, it is extremely difficult to successfully treat an aggressive dog.  “Rage Syndrome” has been applied to many types of aggression, primarily dominance aggression, mental lapse aggression, and seizure-related aggression.  This term needs to be dropped from our vocabulary when discussing causes, prognosis, and treatment of aggressive dogs.

On a final note, aggressive dogs should be evaluated by someone with the expertise and experience to make an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan.  Unfortunately, anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a “behaviorist”, whether or not they have the credentials.  It makes it difficult for people needing help to weed out the good behaviorists from the bad ones.  The best source of help is board certified veterinary behaviorists, a PhD behaviorist who can work with a regular veterinarian or someone who has studied extensively under a certified behaviorist.  When in doubt, start with your regular veterinarian, who can start ruling out medical causes for aggression and help direct you to qualified experts[3]

Possible Options

Aggressive dogs should be evaluated by an expert. Do not mistake some aggression or bad temperament for rage syndrome. Each individual dog/case requires individual attention what may work for one might not for another. Some recommended treatments that have been tried are: vitamin B-12 therapy, neutering, anticonvulsant, change of diet, and behavior modification. You need to have your veterinarian do a thorough exam to rule out any underlying medical conditions that could be the source of its aggression. If a medical condition exists follow your veterinarians advised and treatment protocol. If there is no medical finding have your veterinarian recommend a certified veterinary behaviorist. Remember any forms of aggression has a learned component and the longer the aggressive behavior has been allowed to continue the harder it will be to convince your dog that the rules have changed. Old habits are hard to break and this goes for the owner’s behavior as well that lead to the aggression.

For More Information: Temporal Lobe Epilepsy:http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/8195/tle.html

Other Sites of Interest:

http://www.essfta.org/Health_Research/aggression.htm

http://www.cockerspanielrage.org.uk/whatisrage.htm

http://www.burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk/Articles/Stan_rage_syndrome.htm

http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&PID=2562

http://www.cockerspaniel-info.org.uk/temperament.htm

http://www.padsonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=6

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/aggres1.html

http://www.sfspca.org/behavior/aggression.shtml

http://life.familyeducation.com/dogs/aggression/47278.html

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[1] http://www.essfta.org/Health_Research/aggression.htm

[2]http://www.cockerspanielrage.org.uk/whatisrage.htm

[3] http://www.essfta.org/Health_Research/aggression.htm