Narcolepsy (Doberman Pinscher)

Body function:

Muscle & Neurological

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Narcolepsy in Doberman Pinschers is caused by an insertion mutation in HCRTR2 that causes one or more additional nucleotides to be inserted into the DNA sequence. This mutation is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, meaning both parents must be carriers for the puppy to inherit the mutation. Puppies of just a single-parent carrier will also become carriers of the mutation. Doberman Pinschers with this form of narcolepsy will begin to show symptoms as early as 1 month and as late as 6 months of age.

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List of affected breeds:

Genetic research has linked this gene and condition in the following breeds:

Doberman Pinscher

A black and white dog with a happy expression is looking up at the camera with its mouth open. The dog's ears are perked up, and it appears to be excited.

What does this mean for a dog with this trait?

While there is no cure for narcolepsy in Doberman Pinschers, medications like physostigmine may reduce the number of attacks, and imipramine may make attacks less severe. Narcoleptic attacks may be managed naturally, too, by limiting spikes in excitement and helping the dog remain calm in stimulating situations.

Symptoms

Doberman Pinschers most often experience narcoleptic attacks in response to positive stimuli like excitement. These attacks may occur at any time, especially while eating or playing. Narcoleptic attacks occur in three stages. In the first stage the dog will experience cataplexy, or a total loss of muscle tone, though their brain activity will remain normal. In the second stage, they will fall asleep, with brain activity mimicking REM sleep. In the final stage, the dog will wake up and their brain activity will return to normal.

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