The role of wet-dog shakes (WDS) in the kindling phenomenon was investigated in the rat using amygdala (AM) electrical kindling (E-K group), methionine-enkephalin (ME) chemical kindling (ME-K group) and ME-chemical kindling after the completion of electrical kindling (E-M group). The AM electrical kindling was carried out with 200 microA stimulation. Repeated microinjections of 10 micrograms ME into the AM were given for ME chemical kindling. EEG and behavioral seizures were recorded from the beginning of the electrical stimulation or ME microinjection to 2 min after the end of the after-discharge (AD). The mean number of WDS in ME-K and E-M groups during the chemical kindling, in contrast to that in E-K group, was significantly decreased as the kindling stages progressed. In the ME-K group, WDS completely disappeared when the stage developed into stage 5. In all the three groups, the maximum incidence of WDS in each stage appeared near the termination of AD, which was accordant with the end of the convulsive seizures. These results suggest that WDS may be associated with the kindling stage and the end of the convulsive seizure or the AD. Furthermore, the disappearance of WDS could be a behavioral index of the fully kindled state in some kinds of kindling models.