Narcolepsy in seven dogs.

Narcolepsy in 7 dogs was tentatively diagnosed on the onset of cataplexy, before or during young adulthood. Confirmatory polygraphic sleep recordings were done in 3 of the dogs. In 2 dogs, treatment with neostigmine did not cause the signs to disappear, thus ruling out myasthenia gravis; trials with imipramine reduced catapletic attacks. Data from case histories, polygraphic recordings, drug trials, and clinical tests were used to compare and contrast the disease in man and in the dog.