Stroke in Dogs - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Content

• What is a stroke in dogs?
• Stroke symptoms in dogs
• Causes of stroke in dogs
• Diagnosis of stroke in dogs
• Stroke Treatment in Dogs
• Is it possible for a dog to recover from a stroke?

It's important to know that some diseases or conditions that often affect humans can also affect dogs. Most of the time, the owner of a pet ignores that his dog may suffer from certain syndromes or diseases, because he mistakenly thinks that they are unique to other species, and this negligence can result in mismanagement of their eating or physical habits. best friend.

In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll talk about the stroke in dogs, a very popular disease in humans that dog owners often ignore.

What is a stroke in dogs?

Stroke is defined as a interruption of blood flow to a specific area of ​​the brain. Due to compromised brain oxygenation, the organ's cells are affected and, in some cases, may stop functioning. There is two types of stroke that you need to learn to differentiate to better manage the situation:

• Ischemic or embolic stroke: we are in the presence of an ischemic stroke when an artery is obstructed by a clot or embolism, partially or totally limiting blood flow, which results in a decrease in the amount of oxygen reaching the brain.
• hemorrhagic stroke: is produced when a blood vessel ruptures, resulting in cerebral hemorrhage.

Another very similar condition is heart attack in dogs - Symptoms and what to do.

Stroke symptoms in dogs

The presentation of this disease usually causes great concern to the person responsible for the animal, as it presents very characteristic signs and symptoms that appear suddenly. The neurological signs that the dog with stroke may show will be closely related to the area of ​​the brain that is being affected. The signs and symptoms of a dog stroke are as follows:

• Seizures.
• Paralysis.
• Muscle weakness.
• Difficulty maintaining correct posture.
• Ataxia.
• Turns of the head.
• Vestibular syndrome.
• Fever.
• Nystagmus.

A great clue for the tutor is that, in embolic stroke, the signs appear abruptly and quickly reach their maximum expression, unlike hemorrhagic stroke, in which they usually have an onset and a delayed development.

Causes of stroke in dogs

There are many causes that can be responsible for this pathology in dogs and humans. Any condition capable of generating a blood clot large enough to compromise cerebral blood flow can be directly to blame for a stroke. Among the most frequent causes are:

• Neoplasms: neoplasia is defined as an abnormal formation of tissue, which can be malignant or benign. A neoplasm is capable of causing blockages and clots that can travel through the bloodstream and compromise oxygenation in the brain.
• Endocarditis: the involvement of the pericardium, which can turn into a bacterial infection, can be the cause of clots that end up making the cerebral blood supply less efficient, causing a stroke.
• Migration or embolism by parasites: some parasites (such as heartworm or heartworm) are able to migrate through the bloodstream or form an embolism when they clump together, blocking the path of blood to the brain.
• Post-surgical clot formation: In some cases, blood clots may appear after the patient undergoes a surgical procedure.
• von Willebrand disease: is a hematological disorder that delays clotting due to a lack of certain proteins. This condition can favor a hemorrhagic stroke.
• Thrombocytopenia: refers to the drop of platelets in dogs, which can result in hemorrhagic strokes due to impaired clotting. In this case, we can mention a very common disease in dogs called canine ehrlichiosis, which can sometimes cause thrombocytopenia.
• Arterial hypertension: Dogs that tend to have higher-than-normal blood pressure values ​​are candidates for a stroke. Along the same lines, we can also mention chronic kidney disease or arteriosclerosis, as they are diseases associated with arterial hypertension.

If you suspect that your dog is not well, you can consult this other article by PeritoAnimal about symptoms of a sick dog.

Diagnosis of stroke in dogs

Because it is such a serious condition and with so many possible causes, the veterinarian will be practically obliged to perform all or almost all existing complementary exams to collect as much information as possible. First of all, he must diagnose the type of stroke the dog is having, and the first clue to this presumptive diagnosis will be obtained from the anamnesis. The most recommended complementary evaluation for the definitive diagnosis of a stroke is the computed tomography.

When investigating the cause of the stroke, the veterinarian will likely perform a hematology, blood chemistry, and urine test to gather important information (platelet counts may be one of them). A blood culture never hurts, especially if you want to rule out a septic embolism. It is also helpful to measure clotting times and perform endocrinological tests that can guide the veterinarian about the cause of the stroke. It must obligatorily perform hemodynamic exams, such as measuring blood pressure, echocardiogram and electrocardiogram, in addition to performing radiographs and ultrasounds to rule out any neoplasm that could be responsible for the stroke.

Stroke Treatment in Dogs

this disease does not have a specific treatment to be reversed. Most of the time, the therapy performed is supportive, while the diagnosis of the type of process taking place in the patient is made. The supportive therapies in this case are not a protocol and must be adapted to each patient according to the needs that he/she presents.

Prevention is the best way to fight this event. The owner of a pet who has survived a stroke must take the necessary considerations and improve habits from your best friend to reduce the chances of this happening again. Likewise, the owner of a dog that has not suffered from this disease should be informed to give the animal a better quality of life. The right diet, frequent exercise and regular visits to the veterinarian are the basis of these habits that can save your dog's life.

To improve your diet, we recommend betting on a natural food.

Is it possible for a dog to recover from a stroke?

The prognosis is based on the areas of the brain that may have been affected, the type of stroke, and the severity of damage to brain cells. The strokes with best prognosis is ischemic, while hemorrhagic stroke usually has an obscure prognosis.

In some cases, with respect to dogs already recovered, they may have permanent sequelaes or, with luck and early attention, return completely to normal.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Stroke in Dogs - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment, we recommend that you enter our Neurological Disorders section.