What causes a stroke in dogs?
In dogs, stroke can be caused by:
- a clogged or clogged blood vessel, this is called an ischemic stroke,
- by the rupture of a vessel during a hemorrhagic phenomenon.
Most often, a stroke is secondary to an endocrine metabolic disease, hypertension, a blood clotting disorder, a heart condition, poisoning (by anticoagulant rodenticides, for example), a tumor disease or a neck trauma.
It also happens that stroke is considered idiopathic when the cause is not precisely known. This type of stroke is relatively common in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
What are the signs of a stroke in dogs?
During a stroke, the dog is generally the victim of sudden neurological disorders, often severe. These disorders are generally unilateral (affect only one side of the body) and may consist of muscle weakness, spasms, seizures, gait abnormalities, partial or total loss of consciousness or even partial paralysis.
Often, the dog victim of stroke presents vestibular disorders which can notably associate:
- head tilted to the side,
- loss of balance and dizzy gait,
- nystagmus (rapid, jerky and uncontrollable movements of the animal's eyes),
- gasps,
- Nausea and/or vomiting.
What to do if your pet has a crisis?
The symptoms mentioned above should alert you. If your dog has difficulty walking or has numbness in a limb or face, consult your veterinarian urgently.
It only takes a few minutes of non-oxygenation of the brain for your companion to suffer serious sequelae which will then be irreversible.
Reassure your pet by talking to it and stroking it. Do not look panicked and keep in touch with him until you get to the vet. The latter will examine it to determine the cause as well as the degree of severity of the stroke.He can also give him a treatment to treat the symptoms and possible after-effects.