Can Dogs Recover From A Stroke?

[t-time]

I'm asking this question out of curiousity as recently my old cat had a stroke.

Her head was tilted and she has a blown pupil. The vet pronounced that she was still extremely healthy for her age (18yrs) and as long as I didn't mind a cat with a tilted head, she was good to go home :D Said she would probably be seeing things upside down out of one eye hence the tilt but that it may improve over time.

The tilt came right after about 5 days and although still old and grey, she managed to catch a mouse yesterday

A good luck story I know but I am interested to know if dogs can recover from a stroke in a similar manner?

[Scarlet]

My male BC had a mild stroke about 4 yrs ago when he was around 6yrs.

It sure slowed him down and he has a permanent tilt to his head. He needs to tilt his head to see straight. If anything the tilt has got more pronounced as time goes on. He tires fairly quickly and when tired cannot walk in a straight line. It's a bit hard to keep his weight down because he can't exercise too much and he gets a bit grumpy. Otherwise he is happy and healthy.

[patch]

Yes t-time. My old GSD (now RIP) had 3 strokes (or vestibular syndrome) and recovered reasonably from each. He did retain the tilted head somewhat but it wasn't a major issue. Unfortunately, he also had a degenerative nerve condition that affected his back legs, so his last year did require management from me - he couldn't use my back stairs in the end as his balance wasn't good enough but he could manage my front stairs which are wider and less steep.

The vet said that the majority of dogs recover quite well.

[t-time]

Thanks for the feedback Scarlet.

Sounds like he has still recovered within boundaries though which is great :D Is the tilt caused by his vision (does he have a blown pupil as well) ??

[patch]

I think from memory that the tilt has something to do with the balance issue which is related to their ears - the stroke affects their inner ear? The vet called it vestibulitis or vestibular syndrome...

[t-time]

Thankyou Patch Were the strokes caused by his degenerative nerve condition or vice versa? (Or was it unrelated?)

I know cats are resilient creatures - they don't have nine lives for nothing :D - but I just wasn't sure how well dogs would cope in a similar scenario.

[t-time]

Sorry patch - you keep posting when I am as well! :D

So the tilt seems to be inner ear ie balance and not the vision?

[patch]

I don't really know the answer to that t-time as both conditions can exist separately? The nerve condition did come from his brain tho so maybe they were related? All I remember is that the first time it happened was in the middle of the night and I have never been so terrified - I thought he was about to drop dead. The vet however wasn't half as concerned. lol I think he lived about another 18 months after that? It was as a result of the increasing degeneration (the vet likened it to alzheimers that started in their back legs and would eventually work it's way up) and the continued strokes that I gave him his wings tho - he was almost 14 mind you - a good innings for a GSD.

[patch]

hehe yeah we're doing matching posts. I'm pretty sure yes that the head tilt related to the ear and not vision. He also had cataracts tho (geez he was a litany of conditions but really he had a good life) so his vision in one eye was crap anyway but I'm sure I remember them talking about the ear causing the tilt. The tilt did improve with time and the subsequent strokes were nowhere near as bad as the first one.

[Poodle wrangler]

It depends on the severity and what part of the brain's affected. Most improve significantly after the initial stroke. You'd have to consider PTS a dog whose temperament became dog +/or people aggressive after a stroke, tho.

A friend-of-friend has a cat who's "paraplegic" after a car accident. Cat is still very happy and otherwise healthy, but drags it's back legs behind it. Gets around very well, actually. Some people don't react well :D .

[NaturallyWild]

Yes, absolutely - dogs, cats, humans.....

As stated it depends on how quickly it happens and the level of damage that has occurred.

I have been doing some work with and old guy in south australia that has his own muscle manipulation technique and has had several strokes (gets around ok (zimmer frame) with full use of his body). Whilst in hospital a doctor taking students around pointed out that this "backyard" therapist would never be able to work again. The old guy treated himself whilst in hospital and the next time the doctor came around with students proclaming the same thing - he promptly grabbed the arm strap above the bed and pulled himself up saying "you mean i won't be able to this". Would have loved to have seen his face.

Natural recovery occurs but takes time. The sooner the nerves and muscle can be stimulated the quicker the bodies response is to recover. There are also suppliments that help with nerve, etc issues. Like with humans, some rehab work can be very beneficial.

As mentioned there is also the risk of the brain going a bit haywire from lack of oxygen in the stroke causing behaviour problems - PTS is sometimes the only option.

[Scarlet]

Thanks for the feedback Scarlet.

Sounds like he has still recovered within boundaries though which is great Is the tilt caused by his vision (does he have a blown pupil as well) ??

No his pupils are fine.

As I mentioned the stroke did change his personality a little. Punter can be a bit grumpy with people and other dogs. I wouldn't trust him around small children.

He lives with my ex now. They live out in the middle of nowhere which suits both of them. He is never grumpy with my ex or myself but will growl at my adult sons if they suprise him or disturb him when he is resting. My sons visit a bit and they take my younger BC as she loves it up there. She has learnt to keep out of Punters way and be submissive to him.

[Kavik]

Belle, who lives with my parents and who turns 17 in June, has had two strokes. She recovered well from both. The first one took about a week, the second one longer. The head tilt went away, I think with her it was a balance issue as she would fall over and run into things, but is fine now. She got slower after each stroke, and not surpringly now spends most of her time sleeping.

She now has cancer but my parents (who are in the USA) say she is doing well as still enjoys her walks.

[stormie]

What you are referring to as a 'stroke' is actually, as said above, vestibular syndrome. Often in older dogs it is known as geriatric vestibular syndrome. Dogs and cats rarely have strokes as humans do.

Basically it is a problem with the vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining balance and coordinating eye movements with the head.

Can result from a problem within the middle ear, or possibly a problem in the brain. Geriatric VS is generally idiopathic, that is, no known cause.

You can usually expect to see improvement occur spontaneously within about two weeks, but often the head tilt remains to some degree.

Unfortunately with Geriatric VS there is no treatment, but nursing care can help.

[t-time]

Thankyou all for sharing your experiences and knowledge - extremely interesting

[stormie]

How strange...not long after me reading this thread again, and I was discussing vestibular syndrome with my vets at work yesterday, and this morning I awoke to see one of my dogs has been struck with it overnight! Has the eye movements, head tilted to the right....

Will keep updated!

[blacklabrador]

What you are referring to as a 'stroke' is actually, as said above, vestibular syndrome. Often in older dogs it is known as geriatric vestibular syndrome. Dogs and cats rarely have strokes as humans do.

Basically it is a problem with the vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining balance and coordinating eye movements with the head.

Can result from a problem within the middle ear, or possibly a problem in the brain. Geriatric VS is generally idiopathic, that is, no known cause.

You can usually expect to see improvement occur spontaneously within about two weeks, but often the head tilt remains to some degree.

Unfortunately with Geriatric VS there is no treatment, but nursing care can help.

I don't think vestibular syndrome would cause a "blown pupil". Changes in the pupil such as that arise from neurological cause and have nothing to do with the ear.

Recovery from stroke depends on many things - one being what type of stroke it is and where it is in the brain. Generally whatever function isn't recovered in the first week or so won't be regained.