

“These conditions can include systemic diseases: Cushing’s disease, hyperlipidemia, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism to name a few of the most common,” Galban says. Evelyn Galban, Chief of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, dogs that have strokes will have an underlying or concurrent condition. Todd Bishop, a neurologist with Upstate Veterinary Specialties in Latham, New York. “A stroke can’t be determined 100 percent without imaging,” says Dr. The professionals will need to rule out these issues by performing a series of tests. What can make diagnosis tricky is that symptoms of a stroke can mimic those of other health issues, such as vertigo, kidney failure, an inner ear infection, a brain tumor or a seizure. These symptoms have to persist for more than 24 hours for your pet’s condition to be classified as a stroke, she adds, but you shouldn’t wait that long to visit the vet. Your pup’s “eyes might flicker quickly from side to side, kind of like watching a tennis match,” Osborne explains. These are all things you might see if your dog has suffered from a stroke. What are common symptoms of a stroke in dogs? But a stroke can also occur if a piece of fat, cartilage or bacteria breaks loose in another part of the body and circulates to the dog’s brain, says Osborne. Most frequently, a blood clot is to blame. Carol Osborne, a veterinarian with the Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center and Pet Clinic in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. A stroke is a sudden death of brain cells in a localized area due to a lack of blood flow, says Dr. You’ve heard the word a thousand times but it’s helpful to understand exactly what is happening in your dog’s body when a stroke occurs. Read on for answers to common questions about stroke symptoms, causes and more. Your veterinarian is your best resource for determining whether your dog has had a stroke and can help put you both on the path to recovery. That’s why it’s important for dog owners to know the symptoms of a dog stroke and how to move forward with treatment.Ī sudden loss of balance and a head tilt are just some of the signs, but strokes take scary one step further by mimicking other health issues, such as kidney failure and more. It’s rare when the words “stroke” and “scary” don’t appear in the same sentence.
