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 Green Acres Angels | Home >  Labrador's Genetic Issues > 
Excercise Induced Collapse ( EIC )
EIC is a common cause of exercise intolerance and subsequent collapse in what appears to be a healthy adult Labrador Retriever. Dogs with EIC are normal at rest and able to tolerate mild to moderate exercise but occasionally become in coordinated and collapse after 5 to 15 minutes of strenuous exercise. The syndrome of exercise intolerance and collapse (EIC) is being observed with increasing frequency in young adult Labrador Retrievers. Most, but not all, affected dogs have been from field-trial breedings.
Thirty percent of all  tested Labrador Retrievers carry the EIC gene. This is not a problem unless a breeder unknowingly breeds one carrier to another carrier and ends up with affected Labrador Retriever puppies. It can take up to 5 years for symptoms to appear, so it is important that breeders test for this gene. It is also important for buyers to educate themselves and learn about this debilitating problem. Ask your breeder if their dogs have been tested and find a breeder who has done so to prevent problems later on in your dog's life.
Every dog inherits 2 copies of every gene - one from its dam and one from its sire. EIC is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, which means that all affected dogs (those showing signs of collapse) have 2 copies of the mutated gene - one that they got from their dam and one from their sire.
Clear dogs: These dogs have no copies of the gene, and do not have EIC, nor will they show signs of collapse. If bred, they will not pass a copy of the EIC mutation on to any of their puppies.
Carriers: Have one copy of the mutated gene that they got from either their dam or their sire and they have one normal copy of the gene that they got from the other parent. These dogs do not have EIC and will not show signs of collapse. They will, however, pass their copy of the mutated gene on to approximately half of their puppies.
Affected dogs: have 2 copies of the mutation, one of which came from each parent. Dogs with 2 copies of the mutated gene (affected dogs) have EIC and most will show occasional signs of exercise intolerance or collapse when participating in trigger activities with a very high level of excitement or stress. Some affected dogs will never exhibit signs of EIC - this could be because they do not participate in high excitement strenuous activities or because they have a laid-back temperament. Affected dogs can tolerate mild to moderate exercise, but 5 to 20 minutes of strenuous exercise with excitement induces weakness and then collapse. Severely affected dogs may collapse whenever they are exercised to this extent - other dogs only exhibit collapse sporadically and all of the factors important in inducing an episode have not yet been well established.

A rocking or forced gait is usually the first sign of an oncoming collapse. Many affected dogs will continue to run while dragging their back legs. it is as if the back legs can't hold up your dog's weight. You may just think your Lab is uncoordinated, especially in the hind end. In some dogs the rear limb collapse progresses to forelimb weakness and occasionally to a total inability to move. Complete collapse can occur and your dog may even appear stunned or disoriented. The symptoms can continue to worsen even after exercise is stopped. A few affected dogs have died during exercise or while resting immediately after a collapse of exercise-induced collapse so an affected dog's exercise should ALWAYS be stopped at the first hint of an EIC attack.

Most dogs recover quickly and are usually normal within 5 to 25 minutes with no residual weakness or stiffness. Dogs are not painful during the collapse or after recovery. Massage of the muscles or palpation of the joints or spine is not uncomfortable. Affected dogs are not stiff or sore or limping upon recovery. Body temperature is normal at rest in dogs with EIC but almost always dramatically increases at the time of collapse.
Date(s): February 13, 2013. Album by Green Acres Angels. 1 - 4 of 4 Total. 0 Visits.
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