My dog has had a stroke - anyone got any positive experiences to share?

[UntamedWisteria]

Our much-loved dog has had a mild stroke.

She is just 15 so we know she hasn't got a great deal of time left, but she was regularly enjoying long walks of 1 -2 hours off lead in the countryside.

She is now very wobbly on her feet and uncoordinated, but the Vet has said she will improve. Vet has prescribed tablets she will have to take the rest of her life.

We are hoping to have several more months with her at reduced mobility but still a good quality of life - but I wondered if others have experience of strokes in their dogs who can give me a sense of what to expect?

Thank you.

A friend of ours adopted an older dog who has had a stroke and his hind legs weren't working properly. He still had a lovely retirement with my friend who doted on him and seemed happy. A year or so later he had another stroke though unfortunately and that was the end.

When I was a teen the family dog had a stroke. She recovered well enough to potter around the house and go on short walks - though long walks had always been a bit below her dignity anyway.

She had always hated hated hated being picked up. After her stroke, she realised being picked up and carried was much easier than attempting the stairs, so she'd yap at the top or bottom of the stairs until one of her servants obeyed Likewise, once she'd had enough of walking, she'd sit down and nothing would move her, so she'd be carried. She was always opinionated and stubborn, so that was to be expected really!

She carried on like that for a year or two until she had a second, worse stroke and had to be put down, but until then she had a perfectly adequate quality of life.

Our beloved hound had a stroke this time last year. He was very wobbly for about three days after he started taking the medication, and was back to his old gorgeous self from there. Sadly he had a massive stroke just after Christmas, which he could not recover from.

I'd say pay close attention to your vet's advice, and cross your fingers. I'm glad we got prompt vet attention when he became slightly wobbly the first time. It meant a fortune at the emergency vet, but I'm sure made a difference to his initial recovery.

My sister’s hound had a stroke. She was very wobbly at the start but she recovered well and was thoroughly spoiled for the next two years of her life. The vet was marvellous.

Obviously right at the start it was very distressing for her and us but with meds and care, it wasn’t like that for long.

She became unwell a couple of years later (unrelated) and it was decided it was her time. She was an older girl.

Those two extra years or so were a precious gift.

Wishing you and your girl much love and happiness going forward

🐾 🐾

My dog had another four or five years after her stroke. We regularly worried that 'another winter will finish her off!', but she wasn't actually put to sleep until her bestie ran out of time as we didn't want her to have to grieve.

Dogs don't generally have strokes like people do. But vestibular syndrome is common in older dogs - is it this?

vetspecialists.co.uk/fact-sheets-post/vestibular-syndrome-in-dogs-and-cats-fact-sheet/

My Labrador, now fifteen and a half, had a stroke(vestibular syndrome) when he was thirteen. He got over that completely within a week or so, having been prescribed Vivitonin for three weeks. He had another six months later and we restarted Vivitonin, but at the full dose (1.5 tablets twice a day for his weight) it had side effects. He now has half a tablet in the evening only but he also has a gingko biloba supplement morning and evening. It's two years since he had any sort of episode - dogs recover much more quickly than humans do and don't seem to suffer long-term consequences.

Thank you all for your kind responses, which are very reassuring.

Vet has put her on Vivitonin.

And we had a lovely gentle evening walk in the Spring sunshine when she seemed to forget she was ill - it is only around the house that she is wobbly.

We are feeling much more positive about the outlook now. Thank you.