Rage syndrome

Rage syndrome
Other names	A22, episodic dyscontrol, stimulus-responsive psychomotor epilepsy, Mental lapse aggression syndrome
The Malinois was the first breed to have a specific genetic polymorphism linked to rage syndrome.
Specialty	Neurology
Symptoms	Lethal dog attacks Dog bites Seizures
Complications	Behavioral euthanasia
Usual onset	1–3 years old
Duration	Lifelong
Causes	Unknown
Risk factors	PolyA(22) (in Malinois), DAT-VNTR (in Malinois), likely other genetic factors, breed, other seizures
Diagnostic method	EEG, with complete exclusion of other medical conditions via thorough medical testing
Differential diagnosis	Any untreated illness (Pathophysiological aggression) or behavioral condition
Prevention	Selective breeding, Health testing (PolyA(22) test, in Malinois)
Management	Anticonvulsants, muzzling, barrier use, lifestyle changes
Medication	Antiepileptic drugs (Phenobarbital)
Prognosis	Generally poor

Rage syndrome is a rare seizure disorder in dogs, characterized by explosive aggression.^[1][2][3]

It is frequently confused with idiopathic aggression, a term for aggression with no identifiable cause. Rage syndrome is most often a misdiagnosis of dogs with an unrelated, but more common, form of aggression. Although the scientific evidence is limited, it is thought to be genetic in origin, and is heritable.^[4] It is treated with antiepileptics.^[5]