Meet the Ipswich pug diagnosed with ‘extremely rare neurological’ disease which makes her spin in circles

A pug diagnosed with an extremely rare neurological disease has to spin around before moving and struggles to walk in a straight line.

Penny, aged seven, was diagnosed with lissencephaly, a brain condition affecting co-ordination and movement, five years ago.

Her owner Clare Yelland, 39, of Ipswich, said Penny must spin in a circle before walking and veers off to one side.

She said despite the disease, the dog is oblivious and lives in her own little bubble.

"Penny can't go straight and before she moves, she’ll spin in a circle,” said Clare.

"Normal dogs bound up to people but she’s really chilled. She spends a lot of time milling around or in her bed.

"She carries on as normal but we do have to scatter her food on the floor as she struggles to get her head into a bowl."

Clare and her husband Leon bought Penny when she was a puppy as a Christmas present for their children Nia, 20, and Stanley, 15.

Penny has always spun in circles, but when she was three years old she had a seizure and was referred to a specialist vet in Newmarket.

They diagnosed lissencephaly following an MRI scan – the second most common canine neurological disorder.

Despite the condition, Penny is not on any medication and lives a normal life.

Clare said: "My friends find her spinning quite funny as it’s so different.

"We've now got another pug called Priscilla who is 15 weeks old and we thought it might give Penny a burst of energy as an older dog.

"Penny spins in a circle away from her and won’t even make eye contact half the time."