Do dogs get strokes? | Dr. Justine Lee

Posted by justinelee in Animal Safety, Blog, Pet Health

Do dogs get strokes?

Yes, dogs can get strokes, but thankfully it’s not common. Human strokes are often due to lack of blood flow or acute blood vessel abnormalities. Dogs don’t typically develop these. The two most common reasons for “strokes” in veterinary medicine include a fibrocartilagenous emboli (FCE) or old dog vestibular disease.

Fibrocartilagenous emboli are when microscopic pieces of cartilage and fibrous tissue develop and break off, blocking blood flow to the spinal cord by occluding the spinal cord arteries or veins. Signs of FCE are acute and usually more unilateral (worse on one side than both sides), and are seen more commonly in certain breeds such as Miniature Schnauzers, Shetland sheepdogs, mixed breed dogs, and Labrador retrievers.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for a FCE, and nursing care and supportive care are necessary to help your dog improve, as recovery from paralysis may be gradual and slow. Just like humans with strokes, sometimes dogs can have permanent neurologic deficits.

Old dog vestibular disease is an acute inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which is the nerve that runs through the inner and middle ear and stems from the brain. There may be many causes for this, such as you sticking a Q-tip in your dog’s ear (bad owner!), putting in ear medication, ear infections, trauma, thyroid problems, or just geriatric reasons. This nerve is what helps dogs stay balanced and the same nerve that makes you car or sea sick. It’s the doggy equivalent to your tinnitus.

Signs of old dog vestibular disease include:

• Sudden imbalance
• Falling over to the side
• Not being able to walk
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Rolling or circling to one side
• Abnormal sudden eye movement (called a nystagmus).

In other words, your dog looks drunk. Old dog vestibular disease usually resolves in 2-3 days with marked, sudden improvement – as soon as it came, it’ll go away! Unfortunately, the more serious differential for this acute “stroke” is a brain tumor, so if signs don’t resolve shortly, your dog will need an MRI or CT and a visit with a veterinary neurologist to rule out otherwise. Find a neurologist in your area here. With old dog vestibular disease, your dog can be left with a mild head tilt, making him look eternally curious and perplexed. When in doubt, make an appointment with a neurologist so you can best treat your dog.

Content has been modified from my dog book It’s a Dog’s Life… But It’s Your Carpet. Copyright Justine Lee Veterinary Consulting, LLC 2008.