Wednesday Whimsy: Doggie Faints Every Time He Gets Too Emotionally Excited

Wednesday Whimsy: Gösta gets so excited, his little legs simply clock out.

Wednesday Whimsy has found thee sweetest little nervous-system plot twist. Meet Gösta, a 15-week-old English Cocker Spaniel puppy with narcolepsy and cataplexy — meaning moments of excitement can suddenly make his muscles give way, and sometimes send him straight into an involuntary nap.

So no, he is not actually fainting. Cataplexy can cause a sudden loss of muscle tone while the dog is still awake and aware, which is why Gösta can be running, eating, playing or simply getting very happy one second and then gently collapse the next. A few moments later, he is usually back to regular puppy business.

Gösta’s family says the first signs appeared the same day they brought him home at nine weeks old, and he received his diagnosis just three days later. They have been sharing the sleepy little episodes online not simply because they are impossibly cute, but to show what the condition actually looks like — and to reassure viewers that he is still living a very happy, very playful puppy life.

The clips have caught on fast. Gösta can be mid-walk, enjoying a treat or playing with another dog when the excitement becomes too much and down he goes. It looks dramatic if you do not know what you are seeing, but his family has repeatedly stressed that his prognosis is good and that dogs with narcolepsy can have an excellent quality of life.

Basically, Gösta is still doing all the normal puppy nonsense — zoomies, snacks, sticks, playtime — only with the occasional involuntary power-down. Sweet, unfortunate and extremely Wednesday Whimsy.

Gösta the Narcoleptic Cocker Spaniel Puppy Goes Viral

MailOnline’s video shows Gösta’s sudden cataplexy and sleep episodes as his family explains life with the young Cocker Spaniel.

Sources: Gösta’s @thecockerspanielpuppy social account; MailOnline; La Stampa; Berliner Kurier.