Paroxysmal dyskinesia in dachshunds: what a 2026 study found

It's a movement disorder: sudden episodes of involuntary movement or abnormal posture, during which the dog stays conscious. "Paroxysmal" means it comes in attacks, and "dyskinesia" means abnormal movement. A 2024 review of PxD in dogs describes episodes lasting from seconds to hours. The dog isn't in pain, there's normally no recovery phase afterwards, and a neurological exam between episodes is normal ².

A gene behind PxD has been found in five breeds, including Cavalier King Charles spaniels and Shetland sheepdogs ². The 2026 study is the first to describe it in detail in dachshunds ¹.

The records of 62 dachshunds diagnosed with PxD at 14 veterinary hospitals between 2017 and 2025: 49 in the UK, 11 in Belgium and 2 in the Netherlands. It was published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine in September 2026. Neurology specialists examined the dogs and assessed videos of their episodes, and 27 owners answered a questionnaire ¹.

• Age: the median age when first seen was 3.2 years, ranging from 1 to 11 ¹.
• Size: 41 standard and 21 miniature dachshunds ¹.
• Coat: 47 smooth, 11 long-haired and 4 wire-haired ¹.

The study didn't compare these dogs with unaffected dachshunds, so it can't say whether one size or coat is more prone. All the dogs were seen in Europe, but PxD in dachshunds isn't only a European finding: a 2026 study of 31 dogs with PxD in Brazil included four ³.

Most often, stiff legs: the stiffness shifts from one leg to another and is often worst in the back legs, with the dog standing or lying on its side. A dog may lift a leg and hold it up, or its back legs may look paralyzed for a while ¹. Other signs were common too ¹:

Half the dogs had episodes lasting 1 to 5 minutes. Four had episodes of over an hour, the longest 14 hours ¹. Of the 27 owners who answered the questionnaire, 2 saw several episodes a day, 7 about one a month, and 12 couldn't see a pattern. Reported triggers included stress for 10 dogs, often a startle at a sudden noise or movement, a change of diet for 6 and excitement for 4 ¹.

Often you can't tell at home, which is why vets want to see a video of an episode. The classic difference is awareness: a dog with PxD stays conscious. The 2024 review adds that there's normally no drooling or other "autonomic" sign, and no recovery phase afterwards ². These dachshunds didn't always fit that picture: drooling and vomiting were common, and 3 of 27 owners took a dog that didn't respond during an episode to have lost consciousness ¹.

Getting it right matters, because epileptic seizures may need lifelong treatment ¹. The study's authors call watching an episode or analyzing a video "of crucial importance" for diagnosis ¹. A recording of brain activity (EEG) can help tell PxD from epilepsy, but it's rarely available in practice, and none of these dogs had one ^1,2.

It can look like one, so don't guess. In 7 of the 62 dachshunds only the back legs were affected, which the authors say can mimic spinal cord disease ¹. In a dachshund, the spinal problem to rule out is disc disease (IVDD). Its signs include an arched back, a head carried low, reluctance to jump or climb, and stumbling or wobbliness, which can lead to paralysis, usually of the back legs ⁴.

The pattern helps: a dog with PxD is normal between episodes, and 61 of the 62 dachshunds had a normal neurological exam ¹. Dachshund Health UK advises seeing a vet within 24 hours for back pain or mild wobbliness, and treating paralysis or fast-worsening wobbliness as an emergency. Until your dog is seen, keep them in a crate or small pen ⁴.

Often, yes: more than half the dachshunds followed up had fewer or milder episodes over time, with or without treatment. Of 49 dogs followed for a median of about 18 months, 26 improved, including 4 whose episodes stopped. Another 19 didn't change, and 4 got worse ¹.

Vets most often tried a gluten-free diet, in 42 of the 62 dogs ¹. A clear link between gluten and PxD has only been shown in Border terriers ². Of 34 dachshunds followed up on the diet, 20 improved, 10 didn't change and 4 got worse. Some dogs had anti-seizure medicines, with mixed results ¹.

The catch: 6 of the 12 untreated dogs improved on their own, so it's hard to know what helped ¹. The Brazilian study found no significant difference between treated and untreated dogs ³. The review notes that unexplained or inherited forms of PxD are often not progressive ².

Owners who answered the questionnaire rated the effect on their dog's quality of life at a median of 3, on a scale from 1 (not at all affected) to 10 (severely affected) ¹.

Keep your dachshund safe, film the episode, time it and call your vet for advice.

• Stay calm and keep your hands away from your dog's mouth. Move them only if they could fall or get hurt ⁵.
• Film the whole episode on your phone, from start to finish ^1,2.
• Time it, and keep a diary: when each episode happened, how long it lasted and what happened just before ⁵.
• Notice whether your dachshund responds to you, for example by looking at you when you say their name. Staying aware points toward PxD ².
• Don't change their food or start any treatment without your vet.

Unless your vet has already diagnosed PxD and told you what to expect, treat a long episode as a possible seizure. PDSA's vets advise calling your vet immediately if a seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, or if there's more than one in a row ⁵.