Dog had stroke, improved on steroids. Should we still put him down?

Oh no, I'm sorry Tabor had a small stroke after recovery so well from his recent procedures! Steroids are recommended to give to dogs after a stroke to help resolve swelling in the brain, and mannitol may be another drug that would be good for that but it would be up to your vet to determine if it's appropriate to give to Tabor. Dogs can recover from strokes, and it does take time to have the blood flow return to the affected area and the swelling to decrease. Maintaining good nutrition is important, and physical therapy may be helpful for Tabor as well such as massage and passive range of motion of his limbs. I would discuss with your vet if physical therapy would be helpful to help Tabor recovery. I hope this helps and he recovers well!

If you want to get a definitive diagnosis and your vet thinks the MRI would give more information than it would be worth it to have the test done. However, if it is not going to change treatment in any way and your dog seems to be improving on the steroids than you might want to hold off on having the test done. Discuss with your vet as he/she know the complete medical history and should be able to give you the best advise.

Hello. I am sorry that Buddy isn't feeling well and having these issues. It sounds like he has a very loving family. Recovery time from stroke can vary significantly, so if you are seeing improvements then you can keep going. I would recommend having him rechecked by a vet to make sure that his legs not working aren't due to a problem in his spine instead of his brain. Also, if he can't use his legs it is very important to make sure he can urinate and defecate, as sometimes the nerves are affected as well for these functions. In terms of when to euthanize, this is a question of Quality of Life (QOL). If you feel his 'good' days are outweighing his 'bad' days then keep going. If the 'bad' days are more common then the 'good' days then it's time to consider euthanasia. It helps to keep track in a journal so you can see the progress. Also, it is helpful to write a list of all of the things and behaviours that make Buddy, Buddy. Does he love to go for walks, does he love to eat. Is he still doing these things that he loves, or has he stopped. If he isn't doing the things that make him, him, then maybe it's time to euthanize. I would also always recommend as well having a consultation with a neurological specialist, as there may be other medications and options for Buddy. Good luck with him!

Clotting problems are relatively common following splenic surgery, but it is certainly unusual to see a stroke. Her prognosis really depends on her neurologic status now and what her brain looks like on an MRI (assuming the stroke occurred in her brain). You can ask about referral to a neurologist for an MRI. Otherwise only time can tell, and some brain injuries can take several months before improvement is seen.

Your vet is correct that it can take three to four weeks for full recovery, and that there can be some episodes during the recovery. Given that her symptoms are similar but not as severe, I would monitor Honey for now. Should her symptoms become severe or continue through until tomorrow, then I would take her back into the vet for an exam. It's understandable to be worried about her, and keeping an eye on her for now is the best thing to do. Of course, if you are very concerned, there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking her into a vet now to be seen.

Stagnation means it may not be time to decrease the medication yet. I recommend to call your veterinarian before changing the medication. Let her know what is going on and she may ask to examine Balto again. Call the veterinarian today. Some pets do require longer on the medication or even additional treatments. It’s not necessarily a bad sign but it is one to pay attention to. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If this is due to muscle inflammation this may take a month or more of treatment to get better and she may need to stay on a low dose of the steroid life long to prevent this from happening again. Usually they fully recover but can relapse without medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Cynder.