Hi. Have any of you ever experienced "EXERCISE INDUCED COLLAPSE IN LABRADOR RETRIEVERS" (EIC)
One of my puppy people called me today and said her year 1/2 old boy has been diagnosed to have this condition. http://www.thelabradorclub.com/library/eicstudy.html
Any further information would be great.
Thanks in advance

I have a boy that has it. There are a few other options and it hasn't been properly diagnosed, but between breeders & vets we've narrowed it down with what I'd call 98% accuracy.

He started collapsing in his first summer (he was born in July, I mean his first adult-ish summer) and has done so at least once each year since. However, he was also diagnosed with a heart murmur at his 2nd birthday, which was a late closing puppy murmur. He has been ultrasounded and examined by MSU's cardiologist as well as half-a-dozen vet students (I'd have to look up the name), and does NOT have TVD or any other cardiac issue. The murmur closed sometime between his 2nd and 3rd birthdays. He has collapsed once since.

If your puppy owners (and whoever else handles him) use a touch of common sense, his collapses will be minimal and generally quick and pain free. The collapse my boy had this year was due to our thinking the murmur caused the collapses; when the murmur closed, we thought we were home free, and then he collapsed in June.

It is a condition that does not seem to cause pain. The dog starts moving funny, it almost looks as though his back joints have come loose or that if there was a screw in them, it has fallen out. My boy is typically down within 5 minutes of onset and up 10 minutes after the initial collapse. The main thing is keeping them cool and comfortable while they are down. I found this year that keeping the feet in cool water makes a huge difference in how quickly they get back up. Also as soon as they start going down, they MUST be removed from any water that they could drown in. Once you've seen a few collapses, you can see them coming and get the dog to walk to a shady spot that you can keep them cool. It helps tremendously to have them trained to down/stay because they will keep trying to get back up otherwise, and can overexert themselves. They do get a bit confused, but my boy is over it almost as son as he's back on his feet. IMO it's also important to never exercise a dog with EIC alongside other dogs that may use the weakness as an excuse to attack, like at a dog park, because you never know for certain what will send them down or make the other dogs attack. I can also vouch that it's a real pain in the butt to have to deal with three other dogs that don't have a clue what "heel" or "go away" means when you're trying to get the collapsed dog into the shade.

Sadly, my boy can no longer go for summer walks. He can't be taken swimming in the summer, and I can't take him far from the car when it's warm out. He first collapsed when taken swimming with three other dogs, and we thought maybe he was just geeked up over the girls that were out (two of them). But put in the yard with the exact same mix of dogs, he doesn't collapse or show any negative signs, but follows around one of the girls even if she's not remotely close to in season. He also never collapsed when I had a bitch in season here. So, he cannot be taken swimming anymore unless it is cold and he is with my other dogs, and is not taken to his breeders for swimming. All but one of his collapses have been at his breeder's home, while swimming him. I can't jog with him or do any training in the summer, because he gets all geeked up and I start worrying when he starts breathing heavy.

He can be a wild child to his heart's content in the winter--I can do anything with him in the winter that I can't in the summer. The collapses are very similar to a comparable cardiac reaction so it's important for the dog to be evaluated by a cardiologist, because you can do a lot more harm to a dog with a heart problem than a dog with EIC. The main catalyst seems to be hot (80+ degrees) weather combined with getting excited and wound up. He's never collapsed or gotten weak at a show, even outdoor shows.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail.

If you go too the Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. there is a study I believe going on with this and also there might be some good information on it. Here is the link: http://www.thelabradorclub.com/library/eicstudy.html

There is a study going on at the University of Minnesota. They have announced that the gene has been identified and a test is upcoming. They have said it is an autosomal recessive condition and test results would yeild affected, carrier and clear designations. There seems to be a pretty broad group of dissenters who believe it to be polygenic. Several of the field studs de jour are believed to be carriers.
They are currently accepting blood samples to corroborate their research.
Please help them. If you're in for annual shots, just have your vet draw some blood or if you believe your to have a problem contact Katie Minor at the e-mail below for more info on participating in the study.

It is easy to participate, just email for the forms: minork@umn.edu
It would be best to include your dog's sire and dam in the email.

We had a puppy that they thought had this. Turned out to be a severe heart murmur or shunt that did not close.

Started when the pup was 7 months old.
10 mins of walking/running and he would just completely collapse. We were told it would close or improve (most do apparently) but it never did so we eventually had heart surgery to close it.

I agree with the other advice, make sure it is not a murmur, which I think is more serious.

The hallmark of EIC is back legs that stop functioning and front legs that continue to try to propel the dog forward. The dog is completely conscious and aware of it's surroundings.
In field labs, it often occurs as the dog is heading towards a mark. The back legs stop working, but the front part of the dog is still trying to get to the bumper/bird. Very sad.

Yes I had a big male who had this ,Pretty scary when you witness it for the first time. But he hasn't had it since and he is 3 yrs old.

Thank you everyone for your answers. We will continue to research to see if this boy really has this condition. I was hoping he was just over exercised but if this is what it is we will have to deal with it.
From what I have read on this, it is more common in field labs. Always something to worry about.
Thanks again.

I am wondering how people feel about breeding dogs that have IEC???

DON'T breed them.

This is a genetic problem and one that is often fatal. These dogs should not be bred, but unfortunately they are--and that's why the problem is becoming more prevalent.

I marshalled at hunt tests last weekend and we had one go down on the land marks that had these exact sypmtoms (back legs turned to jello), dog was alert, didn't feel very hot and membranes looked good, etc.
It was probably upper 70s for temps with a breeze and no other dog had problems so it was probably EIC as the field trainer that worked with the dog was later heard to say that "she's done that before".
Unfortunately I can't seem to trace the pedigree beyond the mother and one grandparent (sire's side), all unknowns. I hope they don't breed her......

The puppy in question is neutered so he will not be bred, thank goodness!! Now to see where it came from, but first the owner is trying to get him tested just to be sure this is what he does have.
This is all pretty scary sense all of my dogs have had every clearance under the sun. Just one more clearance to look forward to now.

I have one bitch with EIC. If I run her too much, she is 6 now, you can tell she is getting tired, heavy panting, slows down, but I know enough too stop. If I kept going her back legs would give out, eventually her front and she'll drag herself to the water dish to drink a ton of water. I read that if you don't stop them, they have died. She is an American pedigreed lab with a lot of energy. I had her spayed, after researching it and finding out that it is genetic.

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The puppy in question is neutered so he will not be bred, thank goodness!! Now to see where it came from, but first the owner is trying to get him tested just to be sure this is what he does have.
This is all pretty scary sense all of my dogs have had every clearance under the sun. Just one more clearance to look forward to now.