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oldshep52
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15-07-2009, 05:17 PM
I am afraid I can only offer you my very best wishes and hope that all will be well!
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Gnasher
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15-07-2009, 05:18 PM
Hope this helps:

Technically a stroke will not occur in the dog due to a complex system of filtration at the base of the brain which will filter out any blood clots that originate in the heart. We do see however something we call acute vestibular disturbances which can look similar and have similar effects in dogs as a mild stroke would in people. These are classified in many ways but the majority are called idiopathic (no cause on pathology).

A vestibular disturbance can be central in the brain or peripheral in the middle or inner ear. The main symptoms of a vestibular attack will be nystagmus (flickering of the eyes), unco-ordination, weakness on one side, head tilt to the opposite side and in the first stages you often see vomiting, circling, paddling, rolling over and often loss of bowel and urinary continence.

The cause of peripheral vestibular disease is usually an ear infection or trauma to the ear. This can include using ear cleaners etc. in the ear when the ear drum is not intact. Cancer of the middle ear can also cause this but very rarely. Treatment is either treating the infection or removing the source of inflammation be it stopping the drops or removing a grass seed etc.

Central vestibular disease is more common and is more likely to mimic a stroke. Central disease can be caused by a brain tumour, infection in the brain (not common), trauma, haemorrhage, systemic disease with kidney/liver failure, diabetes and anoxia (lack of oxygen) to the brain. This latest one is probably the most common and can be related to heart, breathing and circulatory problems. The lack of oxygen leads to swelling locally which can lead to permanent damage occurring. Vivitonin which I have discussed previously works by increasing the oxygen availability in the brain without increasing the overall amount of blood going through the brain by allowing the blood to penetrate deeper. Oxygen is the most potent anti-inflammatory that is know to reduce swelling on the brain hence the reason this drug is used. Other treatments involve trying to stabilise the nerve tissue and reduce inflammation. Steroids where used in high doses in the past to achieve this effect.

Vestibular disease is always sudden on onset. If symptoms come on slowly over time then I would also suspect a brain tumour to be the cause and dogs that have one episode are high risk for repeat episodes so should have preventative measures taken to reduce the risk.
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rosegallagher
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21-07-2009, 09:25 PM
This all sounds so familiar what we went through with dear old icey our border collie she was 14 years when she suffered a possible stroke but the above post sounds more like what she went through but had a severe heart murmer too. she had to be pts this was a few months ago now, think folks on here will remember that post.
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GSD-Sue
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22-07-2009, 10:05 AM
Lots of valuable information on here. Many thanks for it. My old lad had one of these miini strokes when he was 12. He recovered well on vivitonin & went on to die at 14. At this point he had another attack & by this point his CDRM was so severe that it completely incapacitated him & we had to say goodbye.
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Gnasher
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23-07-2009, 09:40 AM
The newly-qualified lady vet who diagnosed dear old Bertie with "The Collie Wobbles" as I have nicknamed Peripheral Vestibular Disease (he was a collie) told me that it was one of the most common misdiagnoses in dogs by vets, where dogs were being diagnosed as having had a stroke when dogs cannot have strokes in the true sense of the word, and then having being misdiagnosed, go on to be mis-medicated and frequently die prematurely because of this misdiagnosis. I cannot remember what the treatment was for Bertie, whether it was this Viviton mentioned above. He did live on for another two or so years, but the PVD did short his lifespan considerably, sadly.
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Mum To Many
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23-07-2009, 10:56 AM
Originally Posted by Homelovingirl31 View Post
Hi all,
I found this website through Google as I was looking for info on dogs having strokes. My 13 and half year old Border Collie appeared to have had a stroke 2 weeks ago, or at least that's what the vet thought. He has been on steroids ever since and appears to have made a good recovery, although he is drinking loads of water and left us a huge pile on the hall carpet recently!!
I was keen to hear other stories from fellow dog-lovers.
Hope your dog makes a good recovery.My Mums guide dog had a stroke when she was about 12 but recovered and lived for another 18 months.Its interesting though if a vet says dogs can't have strokes,people can have 2 types of strokes, either CVA's which are usually serious or TIA's which are less serious also known as mini strokes, although they often have a series of these.If dogs don't really have either type of stroke and are therefore not given the correct medication it is a concern.I think I'd like to make more enquiries about this.
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GSD-Sue
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23-07-2009, 11:06 AM
My vet said, when I said he'd had a sort of stroke though I know its not the same as a human one, we call them strokes in the same way as doctors often use the word for two different conditions in humans.
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Gnasher
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23-07-2009, 12:10 PM
Apparently dogs, the lucky things, have some sort of filtration system in the neck to filter out blood clots before they reach the brain ... hence why Bertie's vet said that dogs do not have strokes.
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Katie23
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23-07-2009, 12:19 PM
i had a 9 year old BC who had a stroke... she recovered quite well until she then damaged a ligament which meant she was pts...

they can recover well but sam wasnt one of the lucky ones

hope your dog recovers soon -
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