My dog suffered a stroke - please help

[dbraggs]

Hello,
My dog (Ray) fell from the bed yesterday at about 5:00am and has not regained proper balance since. We took him to a new vet, since his regular vet was not available. This doctor told us that Ray has suffered a stroke and has only fallen down from the bed due to the stroke. This has come as a total shock to us because Ray is a very active and healthy dog and only 6 years old. The doctor did not do any tests before diagnosing him. I cannot find much information online about the possible causes of a stroke in dogs and what can be done to cure it. I need your help and advice please! My husband and I are devastated. The doctor really did not give us too much information and it will be another couple of days before Ray's doctor is back. Have any of you ever been through this? Please help. Ray seems to walk normally but only tilts his head to the left. He has not eaten much since the fall. I just assumed that he's suffered a concussion.

 

[sanford7]

I dont have any information... But I wanted to add my get well wishes to Ray and offer prayers for him and your family..

 

[dharmadoodle]

Poor Ray. It does seem odd that your vet did no tests or give you anymore information on what to do next. Surely if this was a stroke then futher action would be required!

I would not be very happy with that.

I wouldn't wait any longer for a second opinion, I would find somewhere else today if it were me. I'd be so worried about the tilting head & off balance.

Is there anywhere else you could call up to speak to another vet?

 

[Tiggershark]

When Legacee got sick, the vet thought it could either be a stroke or vestibular disease. They leaned more towards the vestibular disease which will cause them to be off balance and have a head tilt. I believe the vestibular disease is something to do with the inner ear. I can't remember real well. Legacee's head pulled to one side and she couldn't stand at all. She acted like the room was spinning around her. Did the vet mention this as a possibility?

I send well wishes to Ray.

 

[morrissey11]

I'm sorry to hear about Ray.
We were told Morrissey had a stroke when he was 10 1/2, I was walking with him at the park and suddenly his head started tilting to one side, in the car he fell down. We weren't given any medication for him, the vet said there was no treatment for a stroke.(?) Morrissey would bump into things then all of a sudden he was okay again, for a while.
I was like a mad woman looking over the internet for answers, apparantely a stroke is quite rare in dogs, so we went for a second opinion, that vet said, no, he didn't have a stroke, it was neurological damage, but by then our baby was having difficulty walking.
I'm hoping your regular vet has some more info for you when he gets back and it's something that can be treated. I have also heard about that inner ear problem which can cause them to tilt their heads to one side. Actually, thinking about it, I don't think I'd wait for your vet, I'd take Ray somewhere else now to get a second opinion, it could put your mind at rest.
Please keep us posted, big kisses to Ray, hope he's 100 percent again very soon. Morrissey's mommy.

Morrissey, our angel.
02/15/1995 - 04/06/2006.
loved forever x

 

[rosebje]

I don't think I would accept that diagnosis either, without any tests or anything. You said that he was walking fine, but that his head is tilted to one side. I'm wondering if he didn't pull a muscle, or sprain or kink something perhaps? I would want to check those possibilities out first before accepting a stroke as the cause.

 

[catcrazy56]

I thought Harley had a stroke today but when we took him to the vets she told us that dogs don't actually have a stroke its neurological problems unfortunately for us its Harleys Heart.

I had a gs years ago that suffered a stroke apparently he lived for years after but had a limp in his back legs

 

[RoxiesEcho]

Our German Shepherd had a stroke last summer. To help her with her unbalanceness as well as the head tilt, our vet suggested we give her dramamine or any other OTC seasickness medication. Are Ray's eyes moving back and forth all the time (or were they?) Our vet said this is comparable to a human being seasick. Dramamine really did help Roxie out with her balance. But she never was able to hold her head quite staight again. We decided it gave her character!

 

[dfmartin]

please get a second opinion quick, if ray had a stroke, the next step, is protection or prevention from another one.for example in humans that may mean blood thinners are prescribed. besides titling his head, does ray show any other weaknesses in his body? dragging a foot? i'm not a vet by any means but i had a major stroke one year ago at christmas in my sleep, and i still can't use my left side. but i am out of a wheelchair and up on a cane. my neurolgist put me on blood thinners to help protect from another stroke, but unfortunately ther is no " cure" for stroke . just re-habilitation. the stroke did not affect my appetite but i had to be taught how to swallow again, my prayers go with you and ray. darla

 

[dharmadoodle]

Any updates on the situation yet? Please let us know.