Dog struck down with 'fainting goat syndrome' as vets and owner flummoxed over spaniel who freezes and falls every time he is excited

Anyone who owns a bouncy cocker spaniel knows their propensity to get overexcited. However, one young hound has flummoxed vets with his reaction to a particularly stimulating walk.

Peter the one-year-old spaniel, from Sheffield, has what is thought to be a rare neurological condition, that his owners have called 'fainting goat syndrome' as he faints stiff when he sees a duck or enjoys his walk too much.

Vets have no idea why Peter falls over whenever he gets excited but they assure owners Emma Clayton, 26, and Oliver Broomhead, 30, that the hound is perfectly happy and healthy.

Ms Clayton, a pharmacy assistant, said she "panicked" the first time it happened.

She added: "When he gets excited or scared, sometimes for no reason at all, he just freezes up and topples over.

"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.

"It depends on how overwhelmed he is, I guess - sometimes his body will freeze for almost 30 seconds."

There are a few things that trigger Peter's 'episodes' such as walking over a change of surface, chasing birds, rain, jumping off rocks or from heights, and stairs.

Ms Clayton added: "People's reaction is mixed - some people are horrified, I think they believe he is having a seizure, being in imminent danger but a lot of people just laugh because we do, too.

"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. "

The couple adopted him from a family that couldn't keep him anymore.

She explained: "We were aware that it happened, we adopted him from a family who were perfectly honest with us about his condition.

"But I fell in love with him straight away. "