Dog diagnosed with a stroke

Our question this week was:

I let my dog out early Monday morning. He went to the bathroom and came back in quickly. An hour later he fell on the kitchen floor. His head was cocked and he couldn't walk on his own. I took him to our Vet. who quickly diagnosed a stroke. He has him on steroids and liquids. He walks a little and head is still cocked.

Dan Monteith


Answer


Hi – thanks for your email. Your email indicated that your dog fell over, couldn't walk on his own and had his head cocked.

The most common reasons for this is a disease called vestibular syndrome or a stroke. Strokes are not as common as vestibular syndrome but can occur.

Cerebral or brainstem vascular injury can cause swelling (edema) or the bleeding into the brain that is also called a stroke. Clinical symptoms include abnormal behavior, depression, neurological deficits, head tilt, seizures and coma.