Teri's Dogs > Stroke - Your Dog's Chances Of Recovering From A Stroke

Stroke - Your Dog's Chances Of Recovering From A Stroke

If your dog has had a stroke and you have sought out the proper medical attention, the good news at this point is knowing that your dog will recover from his stroke much faster than a person would. In fact, all dogs seem to progress to better health after having a stroke than humans who suffer the same experience.

Most dogs who are suffering from vestibular disease and responds to treatment within a few days has an excellent chance of recovering. However, he may be left with a slight physical dysfunction such as a tilted head or dizziness. Some dogs are unfortunately left with seizure episodes for the rest of their lives. And if the animal has cancer which was the cause of the stroke to begin with, his seizures will increase in quantity as time goes on.

Two thirds of all dogs who suffer from strokes (not strokes related to vestibular disease) are found to recover well. Only about one third of these dogs will experience further medical complications in the future. As with all deep rooted diseases, the number one influence on a dog's recovery is the treatment of the underlying cause itself and if left untreated, there is a higher chance of more strokes to come.

Preventing Strokes

Prevention is one of those ideas that most people think of after it's too late. But if you are reading this article and are still lucky enough to have a healthy dog at home who has not suffered from a stroke then it is your duty to do what you can keep them healthy.

This is especially true if your dog has already suffered a stroke in the past. He will need extra preventive measures taken from you so that he does not suffer more stroke-related complications. In addition to regular checkups and specific blood tests which can detect diseases contributing to strokes, your veterinarian can also recommend other products which may be helpful.

Two such prevention items are antioxidants and aspirin. Antioxidants are considered a nutraceutical that can be given to older dogs. And aspirin is good for decreasing clot formation. However, aspirin should never be given to a dog whose previous stroke involved bleeding. Contact your veterinarian for further details and never give your dog anything unless approved by the doctor.