How to care for my senior dog after a stroke? What to ask vet?

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!

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!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Baby Girl is beautiful, I am sorry she is feeling sick. Dogs can have episodes where they suddenly become very dizzy, (head tilt, circling, 'horizontal nystagmus' which is the eyes flicking back and forth). This can be caused by many different things, including strokes, brain tumors, inner ear infections, etc. There is also a condition called "Idiopathic Geriatric Vestibular Disease" which means "we don't know why but old animals get dizzy". One cause of this condition is a stroke. This condition can resolve on it's own with time, and you usually see a drastic improvement over the first 24-48 hours. In the mean-time, we usually provide a drug called "prochlorperazine" which makes them not as nauseous. You can get this, or a version of this drug, from your vet. There is no treatment aside from making them not feel nauseous from the dizziness. Time is the only healer. If the cause is this vestibular disease, your little girl could get better and have a good life otherwise. This condition can re-occur at any time. If she doesn't get significantly better over the next couple days, then the problem is likely more serious and won't resolve. At that point you have to assess if her quality of life is affected. This will be determined if she has other disease processes going on. You will also need to provide nursing care in the mean-time, making sure she doesn't pee and poop on herself, bringing food and water to her. I hope she feels better soon. Best of luck with Baby Girl.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Trixie it’s hard to be sure what’s going on. It sounds like vestibular disease. This is an inflammation of a nerve that runs near the ear. When this happens the pet has a head tilt, can’t stand or walk well and is dizzy. I would recommend keeping her calm and away from anything dangerous, like stairs, until you can get her to the vet. You don’t need to give her any medications and it’s ok if she doesn’t eat for a couple of days. Keep water close by. Good luck and kisses to Trixie!

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.

I am sorry to hear about your dog! Luckily it sounds like he is ok for the moment. I would continue to monitor him for pain walking or getting up/laying down, or using stairs. Be sure he is able to eat and drink normally and is urinating normally. Look at his eyes and be sure both his pupils are the same size, and that there aren't any strange eye movements (i.e. pupils moving over and over toward the same side). Also check his mouth/teeth to be sure they weren't injured in the fall. If he develops any issues with these areas mentioned, or if he becomes increasingly lethargic or starts vomiting, then a visit to your vet is needed.

Hi. Poor Tia. I am.concerned thag she had a seizure and still has neurolgic signs. I would recommend the ER and a referral to a neurology specialist for an MRI. Unfortunately, since she is older, it is possible there is a primary brain lesion, tumor, and is very unlikely just epilepsy. If a neurologist isnt an option, symptomatic treatment with your regular veterinarian is the only option. If quality of life is poor, definitely speak to your veterinarian about that as well.