Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy in Dogs

Category: Nervous System & Behavioral
Inheritance: Autosomal dominant, incomplete penetrance
Breeds documented: 1
Published sources: 6

Overview

Seizures beginning in early puppyhood can be part of this inherited syndrome described in Lagotto Romagnolo dogs. Episodes may involve whole-body shaking, stiffness and changes in awareness. Some puppies are unsteady between episodes, especially when seizures are severe. The seizures usually stop as the puppy matures, although follow-up research found greater distractibility and excitability in affected dogs later in life.

Signs to watch for

Episodes of shaking that involve the whole body
Body stiffness during episodes
Changes in awareness during some episodes
An unsteady or exaggerated walk between seizures in more severe cases

Seizures usually first appear between five and nine weeks of age.

Emergency See a vet immediately if your puppy has a seizure.

Diagnosis and tests

Vets assess the puppy's seizure history and neurological signs, and may use brain imaging and tests of brain electrical activity. A DNA test can identify the associated LGI2 variant. Brain scans can be normal even in affected puppies, so a normal scan alone does not exclude this syndrome.

Breeds with documented risk

1 breed

By breed size

1 Medium

Lagotto RomagnoloMedium · Sporting Group

Inheritance

This condition has more than one known form, and different breeds inherit it in different ways. The sources list the form found in each breed.

Autosomal dominant, incomplete penetrance
Lagotto Romagnolo
One copy can be enough, but not every dog with the variant develops the condition, and severity can vary. A DNA result shows risk, not certainty.
As stated by OMIA
Autosomal recessive
Lagotto Romagnolo
A dog is affected only if it inherits two copies of the gene variant, one from each parent. A dog with one copy is a carrier: usually healthy, but able to pass the variant on. When two carriers are bred, on average one puppy in four is affected. A DNA test can tell clear, carrier and at-risk dogs apart.
As stated by Laboklin

We've gathered what published sources say about this condition, so you can talk it through with your vet. It isn't veterinary advice: you and your vet know your dog best.