Transparency about the health of dogs is the foundation for the future of the breed. It is therefore important that everyone, both breeders and dog owners, who has or have had a dog with seizures participates in reporting.
Background
In the spring of 2025, the Hannes Lohi Lab, University of Helsinki, Finland, started a genetic research project focused on paroxysmal dyskinesia in the Swedish Vallhund. The researchers decided to look at the Swedish Vallhund breed as there were clear family ties between affected dogs within breed.
The breed club in the breeds’ homeland of Sweden is conducting a global survey to ascertain the prevalence of paroxysmal dyskinesia in the Swedish Vallhund population.
To participate in the survey we have two separate forms:
Dogs now living and those who died 2020 or later ->>here.
Dogs deceased 2005-2019 ->>here.
Transparency about the health of the dogs is the foundation of the breed’s future. It is therefore important that everyone, both breeders and dog owners, who has or have had a dog with seizures participates in reporting and collecting more blood samples.
Participate in the research
The researchers have found a preliminary, very interesting connection between a brain gene and a specific risk variant of that gene. This gene is also linked to the dogs’ personality and behavior. In order to move forward in the research on paroxysmal dyskinesia in Swedish Vallhunds, the researchers now need more blood samples from Swedish Vallhunds with this type of seizures, their healthy close relatives, and other healthy Swedish Vallhunds.
*See the greeting from Professor Hannes Lohi and instructions on how you can participate in the research project ->>here.
*The research team’s observations after a year of research can be found ->>here.
*The articles about the disease and the research project that were published in the magazine Västgötaspets 2/25 can be found –>>here.
*You can also see the video that shows what seizures can look like in different individuals ->>here.
Questions about the genetic research can be sent to the researchers at the University of Helsinki: tiina.heinonen@helsinki.fi