DOGS can have a stroke too! and Dogs can have HBOT

DOGS can have a stroke too!

and Dogs can have HBOT

Now that sophisticated diagnostic tests are routinely used at veterinary clinics, it’s increasingly clear that dogs can suffer from many of the same health problems as their owners.

These problems include stroke, which until recently was thought to be rare in dogs. In both humans and dogs, there are two types of stroke:

• Ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blocked artery prevents blood from reaching the brain.
• Hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when blood vessels in the brain start to leak and blood pools around and in the brain.

Both types of stroke are medical emergencies and warrant an immediate call to your veterinarian. Although dog strokes can cause permanent disability or death, the good news is that they are usually not as serious as human strokes. With the right care and treatment, the odds are good that your dog will make a full recovery within a few weeks.

Causes of Dog Stroke

The main causes of ischemic strokes in dogs include:

• Kidney, liver, heart or Cushing's disease.
• Diabetes.
• Parasites.
• Tumors.
• Obesity.
• Dislodged spinal cartilage.
• High blood pressure.
• Over or under active of thyroid glands.

The main causes of hemorrhagic strokes in dogs include:

• Diseases that lead to high blood pressure such as Cushing’s disease, and kidney, heart, and blood clothing diseases.
• Head trauma.
• Brain tumor.
• Accidental consumption of rat poison.
• Inflammation of the arteries (vasculitis).
• Lung worm (angiostrongylosis).
• Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia.
• Abnormal blood vessel development in the brain.

Regardless of age, sex, or breed, any dog can suffer a stroke. But some reports suggest that stroke may be more likely to affect either very young dogs or very old dogs, and that greater precautions should be taken to avoid exposing such dogs to extreme temperatures.

Other reports suggest that stroke is more common in breeds with extremely thick coats, and in breeds with flat faces such as pugs and bulldogs which have unusually narrow airways for their size..

More than half of the time, a definite cause of dog stroke is never identified. These are known as idiopathic strokes. Regardless of the cause, it’s essential that you take your dog to a veterinarian or emergency clinic as soon as you notice any of the signs or symptoms of a stroke.

Symptoms of Dog Stroke

The signs of dog stroke are usually very different than the signs of human stroke. Only rarely do dogs show signs of human stroke such as a drooping face or total paralysis on one side of the body.

The most common signs of dog stroke include:

• Head tilt.
• Loss of balance, moving in circles and falling over.
• Eating out of one side of food bowl.
• Turning the wrong way when called.
• Confusion.
• Depression.
• Loss of sight or blindness.
• Lethargy.
• Abrupt or drastic change in behavior.
• Loss of bowel or bladder control.
• Seizure.

Initially, such symptoms may not be particularly noticeable, especially if your dog is already likely to do such things as turn the wrong way when called or eat out of only one side of the bowl. But as the condition worsens, the symptoms will become more severe.

Diagnosis of Dog Stroke

A veterinarian may be able to identify a dog stroke from a physical examination. Because the clinical signs of dog stroke are similar to those of other diseases, however, tests may be necessary to make a positive diagnosis.

Such tests may include blood and urine tests as well as advanced imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). Standard X-rays are not useful in the diagnosis of stroke.

Because the dog must be absolutely still during an MRI or CT scan, he or she must first be anesthetized. While the dog is unconscious, your veterinarian also may take a sample of spinal fluid (spinal fluid) to check for other conditions such as inflammation or infection that could be causing stroke-like symptoms.

Treatment of Dog Stroke

Once a dog stroke has occurred, there is no way to reverse or repair the brain damage. With proper care, however, dogs almost always survive a stroke and usually recover their motor functions and movement control within several weeks after even a severe stroke.

Sometimes, however, a stroke leads to permanent behavioral changes.

After your dog suffers a stroke, you may need to encourage him or her to eat, drink, and take regular bathroom breaks outside. Initially, all exercise – especially strenuous exercise –should be avoided.

After your dog has fully recovered from a stroke, the best way to prevent another stroke is to ensure that he or she has a healthy diet, and gets plenty of attention and exercise. It’s important to be vigilant for any signs of a new stroke.

It’s also important for your veterinarian to address the underlying cause or causes of the stroke. For example, a low-phosphorus diet may help control chronic kidney failure. A high-protein, high-fiber, and low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may help control diabetes.

Dogs with diabetes also may require regular insulin treatments.

Your veterinarian will be able to prescribe the optimal regimen to keep your dog healthy and happy after a stroke. Don’t forget to schedule an annual checkup, which is important for all dogs.