Newbie?

[Timber Dog]

Love the forum! First post here goes....
I have a BLM that just turned 2 that has been diagnosed, by my vet, with "Rage Syndrome" or "Springer Rage" as I have read. He is currently taking medication for it, the vet says he can never be trusted and I am not..... just trying to learn more about this condition. Which is very little from what I can find out. Has anyone seen or heard of this before?
It is a seizure that takes place in the frontal lobe of the brain and only last about 1 minitue but when it happens with a very healthy 83LB boy it is not good. And as quick as it happens it is gone and he acts as if nothing ever happened.
Thanks

[Howard N]

If it really is rage, I'd put the dog down. I could never trust him with neighbor kids, spouse, grandkids etc.

I've never heard of rage in labs before just springers and dobermans.

[2tall]

Hi Timber Dog, welcome to RTF! I have heard of this syndrome before, but know nothing about it. Could you tell me about how it shows up? Any warning signs? Does the dog attack from a distance or just react strangely to a touch. I'm sure some of our members know quite a bit about it, and will give you more info. I'm just curious how it presented in your dog. Will medication enable you to keep your dog? Sorry, not fair to put so many questions on the new guy. You came here looking for answers. But I learned a long time ago, the newbies are the ones with new things to teach!

[Timber Dog]

As far as signs go the one and only time I have seen it, he looked as if he had the 1000 yard stare. He was laying on the couch asleep, my wife pats the couch and in the talk to the baby voice says "Come here and sleep on momma" he does a belly crawl over to her and stops, she reaches out and rubbs him on the nose and he jupms to life...never touching her but barking and growling, needless to say I took control of the situation pretty quick and placed him in his kennel. (He sleeps in the living room) and about as fast as that could happen he is sitting there just looking around with kind of a blank look is pawing and whimpering at the kennel door as if "Hey let me out with yall, lets play" This is the first time I seen any sign of it, but it happened once before and in my opinion it happens when awakened suddenly. He is currently taking phenobarbital. According to what I have read it is seen in Labadors, Goldens, German Sheppards, Springers, and Dobermans. It is so uncommon there is basically no way of studying it.

[JustinS]

Welcome to RTF. I have as many questions as 2tall but I hope you are able to find the answers you are looking for maybe Springer would know something about this

[Timber Dog]

I am afraid I know the answer..... I just hope one of my hunting buddy's comes in to play. He knows all of the trouble and is willing to take him. There will be a few conditions on my side, but I think that would be a small price to pay for a 2 yr old with two seasons of hunting under him, even with the condition. That would be easier for me anyway.

[2tall]

Timber, please accept my apology for jumping in with all the questions. Your post caused me to look up "rage syndrome". What a hellish ordeal to go through. Is the vet "sure" about your dog? Sounds like it is extremely hard to diagnose without leaving the dog with a very experienced behaviorist. Even then, the pro needs to know all the details or could be in danger himself. Please let us know how this comes out and I hope you. Get another Dog soon so you can discuss happier issues with us here. Good luck!

[Timber Dog]

No problem at all with the questions I am the newbie here and if I can help anyone with any questions about it I will be glad to do so. The "pro" you refered to is just a good hunting buddy that took my "Drake" on his first boat ride and he knows full well of the problem and is willing to take him anyway. He is single, good job, no children and that is the only reason I considered it. My vet I have known all of my life and with no one else knowing much about it and not much info to read up on I am at just a loss. As far as happier issues I am headed the end of the week to put my deposit down on another BLM that will be Sired by GRHRCH Brookdales Power Tripp... Sorry for being so long winded on this

[Timber Dog]

That is a avenue I didn't take a lot of time thinking about....
I figured it was nothing $1 and a contract would not take care of.

[2tall]

Thats why I suggested having him evaluated by a pro, (behaviorist, not field trainer). If you are completely upfront with a pro, and tell him about the episodes and how violent, he will be in a position to protect himself while checking out the dog. It's his job and area of expertise. I doubt if your buddy is really prepared for this. From a legal standpoint, it would scare me to send him to my buddy, even with full disclosure. More, I would be worried to death about my buddy and the dog.

Has anyone else here ever had experience with this? From my reading it appears to be EXTREMELY rare and hard to diagnose. Can it be positively diagnosed? If its from a blood clot or aneurism can it be operated on? What specialist would you go to, the neurologist or the behaviorist or both??