Strokes In Dogs: Causes and Symptoms to Watch Out For

We all know that people have strokes, and it is a condition that humans need to be educated about especially as they get older. But can dogs have strokes? Yes, they can. Most people are unaware that pets such as dogs can indeed suffer strokes and undergo serious brain damage. It was previously thought that strokes in dogs were uncommon, but MRI scanning information in recent times indicates that it is a lot more common that we used to think.

So Just What Is A Stroke?

A stroke occurs when there is a lack of blood flowing to the brain, causing brain damage. Some causes of this could a blood clot, or hemorrhaging in the brain. In the case of hemorrhaging, bleeding must be stopped ASAP, otherwise the damage could be compounded. When swelling of the brain occurs, the pressure against the skull can cause significant damage to occur.

What Are The Indications and Symptoms of Stroke in a Dog?

Vestibular disease is the most common indication of stroke. The symptoms of this condition include staggering and falling, circling, dizziness, throwing up, the rolling of the eyes back and forth, and an inability to stand up on four legs. The vestibular system consists of the brain stem, cerebellum, inner ear nerves, and position detectors running to the joints and their tendons. Vestibular disease can be caused by a number of things, including parasites, trauma, infection, or inflammation

Your dog could have a stroke very quickly, but if the bleeding takes place slowly then the symptoms may slowly start to show up. Sometimes dogs have minor strokes, and the symptoms may go away after a day or two, or the symptoms may be mild enough that you don’t notice at all. But a more serious stroke can occur.

What Causes Strokes in Dogs to Occur?

A stroke is the direct result of clotting or severe bleeding in the brain, cutting off the regular blood flow to the brain. That clotting/bleeding can be caused by a number of influences such as infection, toxins, high blood pressure, amyloidosis, cardiac disease, Cushing’s disease, hypothyroidism, inflammation, kidney disease, or septicemia.