Has My Dog Had A Stroke?

[DingoGirl]

Hi all (and Sandy - - looking for your input here!)

I came home last night to find my older girl, Tika (nearly 13) weaving severely, knocking into things, with her back legs hardly holding her up.....lots and lots of falling, legs splayed out and collapsing fully to the ground. She still has her spark, still smiling, and wanted to play and fetch. As I threw her toy, she collapsed every time, and seemed to have trouble finding it (a rather large stuffed toy). Her vision and hearing are impaired also - - if I speak to her from one side of the room, she cocks her head (hasn't done that since puppyhood) and looks around for me. Her back legs are severely wobbly and she is having great difficulty walking.

Could this be a stroke? any ideas? We are going to the vet but not until later today.

Thanks for your help......

[CarlaB]

Sorry, Susan, that sounds bad. I can't answer your question ...

[DingoGirl]

Bumping this up.....

Anyone? I have to go to work....my last day.....and I know she's not in pain, I just hate to leave her, and so will come home early todya......she can still get up to drink water and walk outside....

[2kids4me]

Yes, she needs to see a vet. Stroke is rare in dogs and usually presents as total collapse with one pupil dilated and the other pinpoint.

If you called our clinic and described a dog like that - we would not shecdule an appt - we would ask you to bring the dog in, leave it with us for evaluationa nd treatment. If that is not possib;le, she needs to be in an area with no access to satirs.

There is a condition in older dogs called vestibular disease - where they lose their balance, are nauseous (so they dont eat) .

Look in her mouth - if her gums look pale to you - take her in immediately. If they are pink then that means she has good blood circulation right now.

3 things that the vet will likely look at

1) stroke

2) vestibular disease (an area in/near the inner ear)

3) circulatory problem causing weakness

Sandy

Best of luck, give the ol girl a hug from me - and one for you! {{{{{{{{{{ }}}}}}}}}

[Lisa]

Hugs to you Susie!!!

[2kids4me]

If it is a cerebral accident or vestibular disease - the sooner they can get anti-inflammatories or steroids into her - the better the outcome. the steroids are short term and bring down any swelling.

If I remember - you have a good vet and I am sure if you phoned and explained you have to go to work, you dont want to leave her alone and you are scared about what has happened - they will have you drop her off.

Sandy

[AndreaB]

Hugs Susan.

I don't have any advice but know that I'm thinking of you two.

Keep us posted as to the vet appointment.

[2kids4me]

If it turns out to be vestibular disease - here is a link:

Open Original Shared Link

Use: Canine vestibular disease as your search words. Is is often called old dog vestibular disease but it can happen in younger dogs as well.

TLC and learning how to help them along with time - help the recovery. no magic pill for this problem but it can be managed.

sandy

[DingoGirl]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew our beloved Sandy would come through. And thanks for the hugs and love, gals.

Vestibular syndrome sounds EXACTLY like what she has. We are going to the vet later. Meanwhile, she is resting adn comfortable, and with her dear sister. She can get up to walk and pee......but she looks quite drunk. I have a friend coming to help me lift her into the car.

She is nearly 13, is a lymphoma survivor (yes, chemotherapy, EIGHT years ago - she defied all odds for expected time of survival!) and has been through so much. I won't keep her around at the slightest sign of pain or misery. I could not love a creature more, and no dog has been stronger, nobler, and more dignified in her suffering and strength. She is SO fierce.....and to see her age and become weak in the last year has shocked me.....she was the strongest mountain girl and FIERCE and mighty in her desire to do everything - EVERYTHING - no matter what she endured.

thanks again.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Sorry I can't offer anything helpful, I just wanted to check in on you and the pooch, I mean dingo. Hope she got seen by the vet already and is doing better.

{{{{HUGS}}}}

[elye]

Hi, Susan,

Thinking about you...just lost one of our two standard poodles recently, my beautiful female, Zoe. The pain is still palpible and I feel it piercing my heart as I read your posts. Please keep us posted...

[jerseyangel]

Hugs Suzie I'm keeping good thoughts for her and will keep checking for updates.

Sandy--you're amazing, so generous and knowledgeable!

Emily, sorry to hear of the loss of your Zoe.

[angel-jd1]

Milo (my kitty) says to tell your dingo to get to feeling better!! We are both thinking of you!! Let us know how it goes at the vet!!

-Jessica

[dlp252]

Oh Susie, I hope you're at the vet right now! Sending hugs to both you and our precious dingo! {{{{HUGS}}}}

[2kids4me]

Vestibular disease is not painful and the animals do learn to compensate - looking like a drunk is a very good description of the disease.

I have seen many dogs present with severe ataxia (the drunk walk) and go on to improve and do okay. Its the people watching that have more pain (emotional pain) than the pet does..

Good luck and I dont mind helping if I can ...I know dogs and cats quite well but birds, turtles and fish are outside my area of knoweldge!

Sandy

[nikki-uk]

Oh poor girl!!!

Do keep us updated.......{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}

[DingoGirl]

Hi, Susan,

Thinking about you...just lost one of our two standard poodles recently, my beautiful female, Zoe. The pain is still palpible and I feel it piercing my heart as I read your posts. Please keep us posted...

Oh Emily - - I am so sorry about Zoe. These beautiful animals just break our hearts, don't they? ....how is your other dog doing?

Milo (my kitty) says to tell your dingo to get to feeling better!! We are both thinking of you!! Let us know how it goes at the vet!!

-Jessica

Well hello Milo and Jess. BTW Milo has very long and gorgeous legs, I love that picture.

I am home from work, home for good (today was my last day and I walked out when a member of the family spoke rudely to me - -AGAIN - but THAT is another story!! ).....we will go to the vet in two hours.

Sandy - - definitely it presents as ataxia, and her gums are pink. She looks happy, but very confused and a little scared. she has really begun to slow down in the last year, and sometimes when she lies down, there is a deep groan - THAT breaks my heart, because you can hear the pain. Running is very difficult for her now - - she has arthritic legs and can only manage a brisk walk, mostly, occasionally a brief, awkward gallop for a squirrel sighting in the orchard. She has been losing sight and hearing for a while now, seems much worse with this recent development. oh, she IS eating, BTW, gobbled her food instantly this morning - - I put some of the sauce from my chicken in it.

I just want her to be pain-free and happy.....when she enters her last days, there are goign to be TREATS GALORE (she will even get to lick some ice cream off the spoon) and lots of love and kisses, friends visiting, etc.

The one we REALLY need to worry about is Annie......she is never, ever, alone, and I don't know how she will survive losing her sister.....but she has talked about wanting her own kitty.

I"ll update you all after our appointment.

Thanks again everyone, you are all the best.

[AndreaB]

Still thinking about you. I imagine you are one your way to the vet or there already.

[jerseyangel]

Still thinking about you. I imagine you are one your way to the vet or there already.

Me too! Waiting for a report and hoping all goes well

[elye]

Okay...we wait with bated breath...I've hugged Gus, my big male goofball (st. poodle, not husband) many times in the last few hours, waiting.

[DingoGirl]

Awwwwwwww, Stinker is very touched that you've been concerned for her.

We're back from the vet, and here is the news, although it's not very clear......

Our VERY expensive doctor thinks that she DOES have the vestibular syndrome, it is not a terribly severe case, but significant nonetheless. She did blood work, took urine sample, etc. The blood work is to rule out other things....I"m not sure what - Sandy will know. Tika does have cataracts, but heart and everything else seemed good. She is aging....that much is for sure. So - - the answer was simply to start her on antibiotics - - the vet said many dogs with this condition improve dramatically on that treatment alone. I am to call her if she gets worse.

If she does NOT improve, then we must do steroids etc.

She gave Annie a checkup also, and rabies/distemper/parvo shots. I don't give Tika any vaccines since her chemotherapy eight years ago (also never thought she'd live this long). Gave both dogs de-worming medication.

The cost of the visit?

FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I think that vet is outrageous, but we couldn't get into our other vet today. HARRUMPH!!!!

So, now we just wait and watch......she does seem better than last night. It was rather difficult loading a 70-pound dog into the car, with little use of her back legs!

THANK YOU ALL so much for your concern and support. This place is SO awesome. Esp. Sandy - - pm coming your way.

xoxo

[jerseyangel]

I'm very relieved at the news! Hope the antibiotics do the trick and you won't have to resort to the steroids.

You and the girls get some rest tonight

[CarlaB]

Glad it all turned out okay...except for the bill

[angel-jd1]

The cost of the visit?

FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I think that vet is outrageous, but we couldn't get into our other vet today. HARRUMPH!!!!

So, now we just wait and watch......she does seem better than last night. It was rather difficult loading a 70-pound dog into the car, with little use of her back legs!

THANK YOU ALL so much for your concern and support. This place is SO awesome. Esp. Sandy - - pm coming your way.

xoxo

Milo thinks that Stinker is a VERY pricey dingo! ha However, he also says that I would do the same for him. Cause they are our "babies".

Hope the antibiotics do the trick!! Get some rest and take care of your pooch.

-Jessica

[AndreaB]

UNBELIEVABLE price!!!

I hope Tika does well on the antibiotics and that that will be all she needs.