Symptoms Of Dog Stroke

Did Your Dog Have A Stroke And Not Tell You? Symptoms of a Dog Stroke

Did your dog just have a stroke? Here are some common symptoms of a dog stroke. If you understand these common symptoms of a dog stroke, you will better protect your dog in the future.

The sad and scary fact when it comes to our beloved dogs is they do not show any kind of warning signs like those found in humans. While dog strokes are rarer unlike humans, understanding some symptoms of a dog stroke may just mean the difference between life and death for your dog.

There are two common types of strokes that a dog may experience at any time. One is called an ischemic stroke. This is when the brain lacks the proper amounts of blood flow through the main artery to the brain.

Another type of stroke a dog may experience is called a hemorrhagic stroke. The dog receives the proper amount of blood flow to the brain through the main artery, but the brain itself begins to bleed and this can cause a hemorrhagic stroke in a dog.

Here are some dog stroke symptoms you should be aware of to see if your dog experienced a stroke or not.
Your dog may have a lack of balance and not be able to stand on all fours. Does he or she walk kind of funny or look like she walks lopsided? If a dog tilts or cocks her head only a certain way every time you call her, this may result in a half the body being paralyzed. These are two symptoms of a dog stroke.

Here are a few more symptoms of a dog stroke: involuntary release of the bowels and bladder. Does your dog all of a sudden start going inside your house and not able to make it outside to go to the bathroom?

Or does your dog eat only out of one side of the food bowl?
And lastly, but definitely not least, does your dog display any kind of behavior that is out of characteristic for him or her? If you can detect some of these dog stroke symptoms, it is best to get a professional opinion by your local veterinarian.

When you arrive at the local vet clinic or animal hospital, the doctor probably will perform a series of tests to help rule out any other possibilities of diseases or illnesses of any kind. The dog will under go a physical examination. This is the only way to help pin point exactly what went wrong with the pooch.

Dogs cannot talk to us and tell us what is wrong, so we must observe from the outside using deductive reasoning and logic (we don’t have to be logical – just the veterinarian at the very least).

The veterinarian may take blood samples or suggest he do a CT or MRI of your animal. While these methods certainly are not cheap, they may give the best answers as to why your dog suffered a stroke.

If the veterinarian does not discover any other kind of health ailment, he may or may not prescribe some kind of medication. This is purely up to the doctor and depends on the health history of your dog. If you understand some of these symptoms of a dog stroke, you will better prepare yourself and your pet if and when an emergency does arise.

 Email This Post