Do dogs have mini strokes?

What are the signs of a dog having a stroke?

Common signs that your dog might be having a stroke include:

  • Loss of balance.
  • Head tilt.
  • Pacing, circling, or turning the wrong way when called.
  • Abnormal eye movements or facial expressions.
  • Impaired vision.
  • Loss of control over bladder and bowels.
  • Vomiting.
  • Collapse, loss of consciousness.

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What happens when a dog has a mini stroke?

One of the most common symptoms is sudden loss of balance. Your dog may be unable to stand, lean to the side, or seek out a wall or person to lean on. As the stroke affects your dog’s brain, it interferes with the ability to stay upright. Take a loss of balance very seriously and contact a veterinarian immediately.

What do you do when a dog has a stroke?

There is no specific treatment to repair damage to your pet’s brain following a stroke. However, your vet will try and identify a possible cause to prevent further strokes. Some pets make a full recovery from their stroke, others may suffer permanent damage. Physiotherapy can be helpful in their rehabilitation.

Can a dog recover from a stroke?

Although there is no specific treatment for strokes in dogs and cats, most pets tend to recover within a few weeks. However, recovery may not be possible if the stroke has affected a vital part of the brain.

Are dog strokes the same as strokes in humans?

The chance of your dog suffering a stroke, in the same way a human would, is fairly low. Ischaemic dog strokes, a sudden lack of blood supply to the brain, and haemorrhagic dog strokes, bleeding within the brain, are rare in dogs and usually less serious than in humans. What’s not so rare are stroke-like symptoms such as a head tilt or poor balance. These are often caused by a condition called idiopathic vestibular disease (IVD) which affects the mechanisms in the inner ear. The word idiopathic simply means arising from an unknown cause.

Last Updated
2021-09-11 01:53:02