Cairn Terriers affected with PSS should be registered in the GDC Registry. Mode of inheritance has not been established. Seizures can be the result of the disease Epilepsy, or can be a sign of many different problems. Epilepsy can usually be controlled by medication. Specific diagnosis of the cause of seizure symptoms is critical to successful treatment.
Seizures can start early in life or be sudden onset in adult dogs of varying age.
There are a myriad of reasons for a dog to suffer seizures. Seizure episodes that occur over an extended period of time are likely to be genetic in origin. This is a bleeding disease characterized by excessive bleeding time due to delayed clotting. There is a rather low occurrence of this disorder in Cairns. There is a blood test available, which identifies carriers, affected and clear animals, though the test is sensitive to a number of criteria and hormone levels that affect scores.