Peter, a one-year-old cocker spaniel from Sheffield, in the UK, has
earned the nickname “Fainting Pete” due to his bizarre habit of suddenly
stiffening and falling over whenever he gets to excited or nervous.
Peter’s owners, Emma Clayton and Oliver Broomhead, adopted him from a
family who could no longer look take care of him. They were told that
the adorable pooch had been “fainting” ever since he learned how to
walk, and despite seeing several veterinarians about his bizarre
behavior, no one has been able to figure out what’s causing it. The
English couple said that it occurs every time Peter sees ducks, enjoys
his walks a bit too much or gets scared. Sometime he’ll just freeze and
fall over for no apparent reason which lead doctors to believe that he
is suffering from a rare neurological condition, although no one can say
for sure.
“When he gets excited or scared, sometimes for no reason at all, he just freezes up and topples over,” Emma Clayton told Storytrender.
“It depends on how overwhelmed he is, I guess – sometimes his body will
freeze for almost 30 seconds. As far as we know he is not in any pain –
he is conscious when it happens, his eyes are open, he can follow me
with his eyes, he just can’t move his body.”
Peter’s owners said that people’s reactions to his sudden “fainting”
ranges from horrified to amused, but they always assure anyone showing
concern that he is not having a seizure and that he is not in any real
danger. It’s never fun when it happens, but Emma and Oliver have gotten
used to it.
“We are so used to it now, we think it’s slightly comical so when
they see us react they know it’s ok- we do have to explain it quite a
lot but once we do everyone just wants to love him,” Emma said.
The triggers for Peter’s “fainting goat syndrome” are many, from
birds and other dogs, to changes of ground texture, such as from grass
to gravel. Episodes last from a few seconds to a bout a minute and can
occur several time a day.
Peter’s owners have been passed down from specialist to specialist,
because no one has been able to diagnose him. Some have suggested that
the fainting could be caused by cataplexy or narcolepsy, and one vet
thinks it may be linked to episodic muscular hypertonicity. However, he
will need specialized testing in Germany to confirm the cause. His
owners have started a crowdfunding campaign to pay for the medical bills required to properly diagnose him.
In the meantime, you can find Peter on Instagram, where he goes under his nickname, Petrified Pete.
Emma wrote on Instagram that they’ve received negative comments from
people accusing her and Oliver of using Peter’s condition for fame
rather than helping him, but she claims that all the media attention has
been paying off, as several organizations have contacted them about
helping the poor pooch. She adds that all the negative feedback will
have been worth it if it helps diagnose and treat their beloved pet.
