Sudden very strange behaviour of my dog. Advice please

Thanks for your responses, Vero & Billy - but my point is that the video does not record any stroke-related symptom. Even so-called ‘mini-strokes’ (TIAs) cause physical damage - if only to the blood vessel suppy to the brain, and the cells that they supply - and total recovery within 24 hours simply does not happen.
I am more concerned that David and his dog are now facing a lifetime of medication (and the attached costs) which are not required, from the evidence.

My old girl’s TIAs had no discernable effects, even just afterwards - it’s only her biggest stroke that left her lopsided for about a fortnight.

But I’m not a vet (and I hadn’t realised that you are :slightly_smiling_face:) obviously what applies in one case may not for another.

Cost are irrelevant to me personally, because he isn’t legally my dog. He belongs to the Dobermann rescue organisation, PAD, and is in ‘panier retraite’ with me which means he is here for life. My costs are simply to feed him, the association has an account with the vet, I never even see any bills.

But let’s say for a moment that he has been mis-diagnosed, is the daily dose of Candilat going to do him any harm?

I will though be talking to Maryvonne, the Presidente, in the next day or so (she is always out of touch weekends promoting and raising funds) and she may decide after seeing the video that a 2nd opinion at another practice is worthwhile. Jules will be 9 on the 1st of October so may have another 4 or 5 years of life left in him, especially as, this incident aside, he has lots of life left in him now.

But you are right @vero , strokes do take many forms, 2 dogs, totally different from each other, and this one, and the 3 that my wife has had.

Blimey. 43 replies! More gripping than a detective story. Phew! Alls well that ends well. I can relax!

Not quite, he started doing it again this morning and I am worried that it is a 2nd stroke. The vet, who hadn’t seen the video, immediately diagnosed stroke from my description and prescribed 3 candilats a day with his dinner for 10 days then 2 a day for life.

The presidente of the association agreed with her after seeing the video and, perhaps, showing it to her vet, or at least describing the symptoms.

I have kept strictly to those instructions so am at the moment trying to contact the vet to ask if I should bring him in or merely up the dose to 3 again. Very worrying.

Oh David, so sorry. These are the toughest of times. Hope that again (if it is another stroke) this can be managed.

@David_Spardo how can I help? If there usanything I can do I will do it. Cannot bear that you and your beautiful dog are going through this again.

Thank you both, but he mysteriously stopped his meanderings after about half an hour and I decided against ringing or texting the vet that dealt with him until tomorrow morning. She may well simply put his meds back up to 3 a day from 2 and leave him on it a bit longer than last time. Or perhaps make an appointment to see him. But she didn’t examen him the first time, only made her diagnosis from my description so now that he has recovered yet again there is not much more for her to go on.

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That is really good. If we can help st ant stage please ask. Great news though!

I hope he’ll be OK, for what it’s worth my lovely lab/pointer Nanna had a couple of strokes and was fine for a few more years though increasingly doddery as well any big dog might be at 17 and a half.

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Seventeen and a half is a well good age for any dog. Bless and bet it was a good life with you

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@blade46 That is very kind but there is little that can be done except take the vet’s advice. :smiley:

@vero Yes, not all strokes are the same, in either animals or humans. My Breton, Match, had one and was prescribed medicine which set him straight again but had a horrendous side effect. The epilepsy which we knew about and which was extremely mild ( small attacks of paralysis about 18 months apart and ‘cured’ by cuddles each time in 15 minutes) suddenly turned into repeated and violent fits. We stopped the stroke meds immediately, the attacks ceased and he recovered from the stroke all by himself, dying some years later suddenly of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 13.

Talking of age, I forgot, today is Jules’ apparent birthday. 9 years old now. :joy:

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I am so sorry for you @David_Spardo and for Jules. An MRI can show where there have been strokes, so your vet may offer. Does require sedation for an animal though, so you may prefer not. I wish you both Bon Courage.