Rattletrap Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Our sweet 4 year, 5 month old greyhound Foxy suffered a stroke on May 21, 2021. After the vet, we went to the internet for information of course, but while what we found was useful for the big picture and long term prognosis, we found little or nothing telling us what might be expected day by day or how long we might be waiting to see any signs of recovery. In fact, what little we did find online gave us time frames that we watched Foxy pass while showing no improvement, causing us much dismay and distress. We saw articles about dogs that showed signs of recovery in as little as 24 hours, and another that said the best chance of recovery is for dogs who are showing signs of improvement within 72 hours. Foxy continued to get worse for the first 72 hours, so these did nothing to ease our minds. She showed no signs of improvement until after 120 hours, into day 6. We were starting to believe there was no hope, as nothing we found online spoke of dogs going so long without showing signs of recovery. Only the early assurances of the neurologist who did her MRI, that the damage was in a less vital area and well located for neural reconnection, gave us hope that Foxy would come through the other side of this with good quality of life. Her age also gave hope for a strong recovery. To help round out information that is available, we provide the following timeline of Foxy's recovery milestones. We weren't writing much down at first. Unless otherwise noted, we were lifting the dog from the floor, putting her up on her legs, carrying her down the stairs. The doc prescribed Trazadone as a sedative as Foxy was extremely agitated at being unable to move normally, and we used it regularly, as we were assured it would not interfere with recovery. Friday May 21 8am - First symptoms of stroke noticed 1130am – First diagnosis with local vet 4pm – Arrival at emergency vet in Pittsburgh (PVSEC) 6pm – MRI, at 7pm – confirmed diagnosis Ischemic Infarction 10pm- Arrived home, Foxy took a few short steps taken to pee -last she walked for days. Sat May 22 Foxy laid on her side all day. Doing regular leg manipulations, stretching, and standing her up on her feet. Took little if any nourishment. Small amounts of water. Sedated. We were battling to stop bleeding on both of her left side legs (the affected side) where she got cut up Friday falling on porch steps. Difficult because Foxy was now taking blood thinner. Sunday May 23 – More of the same Monday May 24– Doing regular leg manipulations, stretching, and standing her up on her feet. Only now started tracking notable activities. When we take her out we have been using a sling and harness to assist standing. 4:30 pm – Pee on pad laying down Tuesday May 25 2am – Pee - pad 1010am– Pee - pad 4pm – Pee - pad 705pm – First decent meal of yogurt + Fresh Pet+ nutrient paste. Propped her up on right elbow to eat Took her outside to stand. Weak and unwilling Wednesday May 26 4am – Restless. Flipped her on her back to cockroach leaning against bed, she slept well for 3 hours. 740am – Took her out and she walked several steps to squat and pee – first walking since Friday night 8 – Fresh Pet + yogurt mix and water on left elbow (propped her up) 830 - Rest but awake 920 – Manipulated legs, flipped 950 – Back to sleep 1120 - Manipulation 1130 – Peed outside. 1135 – Stood several minutes 1140 -On R elbow, drink 1150 – Rest on R elbow 120 – Left side elbow rest 125 – Standing 410 – Long walk outside and pee – was excited to get up. Small drink. 420 - Rest on L elbow 430 - Chicken and water, very excited to eat 545 – Dinner Fresh Pet + yogurt on L elbow 830 – Outside pee, small amount Fresh Pet + yogurt 9 – Bed, panting heavily at 10. Stroked until back to sleep 1145 – Awake again, put in cockroach position and went right to sleep Thursday May 27 330 – Found her turned 90 degrees with head off pet bed – on her own 6am - Up on elbows panting. Out for long walk and pee. Eat, drink Fresh Pet + yogurt +nutrient paste 1010 – Long walk on street, poop (first this week) and pee. More Fresh Pet+yogurt 1200 – Walk and bigger poop 1250 – Up on elbows and side 1pm – Walk and pee Mid afternoon - Walk – first time got up on her own 7pm – Walk unassisted in yard. Got up on her own Friday May 28 – One week since stroke 630 – Out for pee and poop, walked unassisted (without help from sling and/or harness). Tried to walk up steps. 845 – Long walk followed by deep sleep 12 – Walk 2 – Vet follow up. Foxy is exhausted 3 – Sleeps rest of day and into night, assisted by sedation Saturday May 29 – At this point eating, walking, peeing, pooping, getting up and down from floor are on her own, though difficult and awkward. This might have been the day she first trotted at a run for a moment. Still helping up her and down stairs with sling, still cannot get on bed or furniture. Sunday – Barked for the first time since stroke Monday – Had enthusiasm and played with a toy Tuesday - Sat on her haunches to eat a bone Thursday – Got onto couch by herself As activities became more and more normal, stopped recording them. Stopped wearing harness all the time. Foxy remained awkward, running into things on her left side, being confused and turning right instead of left, dragging left paws after a while on her feet, though these things lessened steadily over time. We reduced and stopped the use of the sedative rather quickly as she became more able to do things and therefore less agitated and upset. Today, 7 weeks after the stroke, it would be hard for anyone who didn't know her before to tell that she had a problem. We can see it...she still may drag a left paw when tired. She sometimes turns the left front paw upside down when standing and eating. She is still a bit skittish approaching the steps. She circles an lot more to prep to lay down than she did, she now prefers to lay down against something. She is still awkward and bump prone on the left side, and we're not sure how much she can see on that side. But she's running and playing, eating, cuddling, and perhaps most important, has her old personality back and seems none the worse for wear. Of course, now she's on plavix for the rest of her life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Thank you for such a detailed description of what Foxy went through - I think many will find this timeline helpful in the future. It's good to hear that she is just about back to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytpups Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Wonderful update...thanks for sharing. Quote Jan with precious pups Emmy (Stormin J Flag) and Simon (Nitro Si) and Abbey Field. Missing my angels: Bailey Buffetbobleclair 11/11/98-17/12/09; Ben Task Rapid Wave 5/5/02-2/11/15; Brooke Glo's Destroyer 7/09/06-21/06/16 and Katie Crazykatiebug 12/11/06 -21/08/21. My blog about grief The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not get over the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to. ― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Great info…and I’m glad to see a happy ending! Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 What a journey! And what a happy day May 27 must have been for you. Thanks for this valuable info. I have no dog experience with strokes, but I work with humans who have had one. It is not unusual in a human ischemic stroke (one caused by blood clot in brain, not hemorrhaging) to have symptoms worsen in the days following the clot, even though circulation may have been restored, as parts of the brain swell in reaction to the initial damage. Quote She is still awkward and bump prone on the left side, and we're not sure how much she can see on that side. In humans, this is common when the stroke has been on the right side of the brain. (The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and vice versa.) The eyesight is fine, but the part of the brain that receives information about what is happening on the left side of us is damaged. It is called "left neglect." This sometimes gets better on its own, but often it is a matter of learning to automatically compensate. Here are some therapy activities adapted from humans. You can try sitting on her left side and doing your normal activities, just so she'll have to turn her head to see you or hear you better. Put a treat on the floor just to the left of her. If she does not notice it, put your hand in front of her right side and move your hand to her left so that her head will follow it to the treat. Go on a walk where you make a lot of left turns. Will she walk on leash with you on her left? Things like that. Please keep us posted about how Foxy and you are doing. Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShebasMom Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Your post gave me cause to think about how I lost my first hound at about the same young age in 2009. Her (possible) stroke happened on a Tuesday afternoon and by Friday I let her go. In hindsight perhaps I shlould have given it more time and if I'd seen a post like yours back then, perhaps I might have. The (inexperienced?) emergency vet service didn't give me a diagnosis or prognosis and didn't encourage me to give it more time. I wish I had... I'm so glad things are going so well for you and your hound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattletrap Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 Greyhound Update. It has been just over 9 months since Foxy had her stroke. She has had full recovery and shows no apparent outward signs of that event. Her personality has long returned fully to what it was before. In fact she is probably more affectionate and attached to us now as working her through the stroke caused my wife and I to spend a lot of close and personal time with her. She seems to have full sight and hearing. The only outward sign we notice is a tendency she has to not always put full weight on the front paw on the affected side right away, flipping it upside down if she's only standing for a short time. If standing a while she will eventually shift her weight onto it, and she doesn't avoid walking on it in any way. Perhaps it does and always will feel a little weird to her....? The only other long term repercussion is that she takes half a tablet of Clopidogrel (generic Plavix) each day to reduce the possibility of future clots. The vets were never able to pinpoint any particular reason why this happened, saying that in some lines it might just be a hereditary predisposition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniffy Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 Thank you for sharing Foxy's story and following up. Quote Was a subscriber in the mid 2000s (the aughts!). Reactivated in 2021. What'd I miss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 Wonderful recovery and helpful account. Go Team Foxy! Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) On 2/27/2022 at 1:26 PM, Rattletrap said: Greyhound Update. It has been just over 9 months since Foxy had her stroke. She has had full recovery and shows no apparent outward signs of that event. Her personality has long returned fully to what it was before. In fact she is probably more affectionate and attached to us now as working her through the stroke caused my wife and I to spend a lot of close and personal time with her. She seems to have full sight and hearing. The only outward sign we notice is a tendency she has to not always put full weight on the front paw on the affected side right away, flipping it upside down if she's only standing for a short time. If standing a while she will eventually shift her weight onto it, and she doesn't avoid walking on it in any way. Perhaps it does and always will feel a little weird to her....? The only other long term repercussion is that she takes half a tablet of Clopidogrel (generic Plavix) each day to reduce the possibility of future clots. The vets were never able to pinpoint any particular reason why this happened, saying that in some lines it might just be a hereditary predisposition. Dr Couto always stated that he found low dose aspirin to be more effective regarding ischemic strokes in greyhounds-maybe that’s something to research. Also, one thing you can check is for protein in her urine. Greyhounds with proteinuria may be more susceptible to Ischemic strokes. Edited February 28, 2022 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand_Dune Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Rattletrap, Your post on Foxy has been inspiring... My Private Ryan had a "medium to large" stroke (bleed to the brain in the early hours of Sunday morning)... Started off with him unable to move his front paw on Sunday morning, he was dragging it on occasion and struggled to walk. I'd heard a noise in the early hours and found him at the bottom of a short (3 stairs) set of stairs. It appeared that he had clouted his shin on the stair and as a result was struggling with his paw. On further examination there appeared to be grazes on his knees and perhaps the stumble down the stairs was a bit more serious than first imagined. He wasn't showing any signs of pain and appeared to be 100% himself (bar the 'drop paw'). The local vet took him in and he stayed the night there. On Monday morning the local vet called and referred him to a hospital for an emergency MRI scan which took some time to find a local hospital with the facilites and an MRI slot at short notice. I was somewhat surprised, not least given the cost of an emergency MRI for a bruise to the shin? At this point Private Ryan was still himself other than being somewhat anxious being in unfamiliar surroundings. He kept popping his head up looking at me and whining at me. As he does whenever he wants anything. The vet feared there was nerve damage to the spinal cord and thereafter they carried out the scan on the spine. It showed nothing. I was hoping to take my boy back home the next morning. It was only a bruised shin?????? The following morning, the vet called and said his condition had deteriorated...he was struggling to stand and appeared a bit distant. I confess to being dubious. I assumed he was being idle and aloof to his sanitised surroundings. I went to see him. By the time I had arrived he was unable to stand up, he was carried in a sling to meet me with his legs dragging behind him, absent of mind, glazed over. I carried him outside to the grass and we had a few moments. He didn't know who I was, couldn't stand on his own and showed only a small response to noises such as cars passing etc. It took 2 nurses and the vetinary surgeon to cart him back into the hospital using a sling and harness It was an awful thing to witness. I stood back and cried like never before. The vet feared a stroke or a tuma on the brain and they carried out another emergency MRI brain scan that evening (yesterday) which confirmed a (medium to large) bleed on the brain. I received a call to this effect late last night. The vet said, "...with care and Physiotherapy dogs can make a recovery from such things." Which surprises me given what I witnessed. This morning the vet called; Private Ryan is now a little more aware of his surroundings and able to put a little weight on his left side. They are giving him physio, aqua therapy and round the clock care and they say he may make a full, or near full recovery, or not. TIme will tell. I then found your post telling the tale of your Foxy and in itself it has given me hope for the future. So thank you for sharing your story. It give me hope for the future and has gone a long way in putting myself back in order. Private Ryan is all I have in my life. Here's hoping he recovers well and stays that way. Many thanks -x- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Ryan There have been a few GT hounds that have made full recoveries after stroke Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Adding our best wishes and a for you and Private Ryan Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand_Dune Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 I picked Private Ryan up from the hospital today...(Friday) He's a bit wobbly on his feet, but can walk with the aid of a special harness. But there is brightness in his eyes and he's aware of his surroundings. He can just about to get up on his own, sometimes. The comparison between Wednesday and today (48 hrs) is remarkable! I'm shocked at how much progress he has made. I'd made my peace in saying goodbye to him that same evening it was that bad. I had a session with the physiotherapist at the hospital, been given a long list of physio to do with him at home. The physio was great in terms of showing me what to do and how to do it. I've borrowed a hold em up harness for light exercise and ablutions plus some meds. We have arranged a follow-up with the Vetinary hospital in a couple of weeks when we plan to do follow-ups and ascertain what caused the stroke in the first place. X-Rays, more scans etc. etc. All the original blood work didn't show anything. Happier days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 So glad to hear of Private Ryan’ recovery! It is amazing how quickly and completely they can recover from something like this. You may never know what caused it, and hopefully it will never happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Go Private Ryan! Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniffy Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 Wow, amazing. Please keep posting about him. Quote Was a subscriber in the mid 2000s (the aughts!). Reactivated in 2021. What'd I miss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaria Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 Hi everybody I'm writing di from Italy. My lovely Max (race name Rains Max) suffered a severe stroke last january. He was completely paralized and the MRI showed a big lesion in his cerebellum. He stayed at a vet clinic for three days and they made every test but they couldn't find any cause, so they only gave him an integration of Omega 3 for generic circulation. He bleeds a lot whenever he hurts himself even if they didn't find any coagulation issue. He is 11 and I love him so much. He has now almost fully recovered but I'm terrified this could happen again, maybe when nobody is home. Maybe he Is from a line prone to such problems? Do you have any advice regarding food/care? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand_Dune Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 3/15/2022 at 8:54 PM, Sniffy said: Wow, amazing. Please keep posting about him. Update in Private Ryan: Long Story Short: Ryan had a Stroke/Large Brain Heamorrage/Right forebrain ischemic infarct...comfirmed by MRI. On 3/11/2022 at 2:06 PM, Sand_Dune said: I picked Private Ryan up from the hospital today...(Friday) He's a bit wobbly on his feet, but can walk with the aid of a special harness. But there is brightness in his eyes and he's aware of his surroundings. He can just about to get up on his own, sometimes. The comparison between Wednesday and today (48 hrs) is remarkable! I'm shocked at how much progress he has made. I'd made my peace in saying goodbye to him that same evening it was that bad. I had a session with the physiotherapist at the hospital, been given a long list of physio to do with him at home. The physio was great in terms of showing me what to do and how to do it. I've borrowed a hold em up harness for light exercise and ablutions plus some meds. We have arranged a follow-up with the Vetinary hospital in a couple of weeks when we plan to do follow-ups and ascertain what caused the stroke in the first place. X-Rays, more scans etc. etc. All the original blood work didn't show anything. Happier days The notes I had from the neuro specialist advised: walks only on a lead, no playing, no running, no climbing, no uncontrolled movements for 4 weeks. Ryan came home on the Friday: 1. A couple of days him learning to walk again in my yard using the harness + physio prescribed by vet: (he bumped into things on his left, kept falling over when conducting his ablutions or having a shake and dragged his left paws) 2. Day 3: Progressed to normal lead (with harness to grab him just in case), steadyish on his feet, no falling over, wobbly ablutions. went on a short 100 yard or so walk. 3. Day 4: Decided to go to our local 'wilderness' where he is always off lead. It's soft grass. My thinking is that it's soft grass and better to fall over there than the tarmac of my yard and local walks. 4. Day 5: Ryan taking it all at his own pace; I decided to let him off lead and do his own thing; this being the best physio there can be. He seemed aware of his limitations and let him progress off lead at his pace rather than me dictating it. 5. Day 6 - Day 26: Each and every day 2pm off lead at our local 'wilderness': each and every day there was visible improvement in his mobility and confidence. from balance to walking to trotting to cantering and by day 26 he was enjoying full sprint galloping and finally climbing and descending the stairs to my 1st floor apartment! Private Ryan dictated the pace of his own recovery during this time. I did question myself (given the Neuro surgeons advice aforementioned) using this approach but Ryan was happiest off the lead doing his own thing. He was sensible and that gave me confidence. In hindsight; it was the correct decision. 26 days to a full recovery (28 if you include the 2 days in hospital). I notice a very occasional strange placement of the rear left paw on firm ground that was VERY pronounced in the first 14 days. But other than that I can;t tell he had had a major stroke. He is on zero medication and this was reccomended (bar Paracetamol for a couple of days) I was confused at this at first but went with the advice of the Neurosurgeon. Perhaps blood thinners might be a thing but vetinary opinions do vary. My Neuro specialist advised against. Full spectrum of tests bloods, CT scans heart scans etc. etc. could find no root cause to the stroke. I now have a hound that shows no signs of ever having a major bleed on his brain. He's happy, very active (within the definition of Greyhound of course). He's off lead once a day an odd zoomie some gallops all as per pre stroke. The only odd behaviour he has shown is the want to go to a different mornign walk location that we once went 3 years ago! he demands it from day 5 of his recovery. Really Weird! As for me. Carrying a 34kg hound up and down narrow stairs each day for 3 weeks or so knackered my knees and back for a while! Only just getting over that even now. It's taken a good deal longer than Ryan for me to get over his stroke. I wouldn;t let him go up or down stairs without me by his side and a collar on, just in case. That took 2 or 3 months beofre I am relaxing about that. Worrying another stroke will happen? I'm less concerned about that now. Having nearly lost him once, I'm foccusing on his quality of life rather than the worry of it happening again. If it does, then we know what to do again!!!!! Having said that, that sentiment took time to develop. After a couple of months I am MUCH less worried about a relapse than I was. £10k ish on multiple MRIs, CT scans, Ultra sound, 1 week in hospital... It paid for the knowledge of him having a stroke and that we don;t know why (apparebntly 50% of the time the reasons behind a dog stroke is undetermined despite the testing). In terms of treatment. Of course the Neurosurgeon and the hospital helped. But the treatment was 100% on his own. Here's some more pics of Private Ryan for you... https://imgur.com/pguPquj https://imgur.com/Z8lC9R0 https://imgur.com/fM83BGa https://imgur.com/OoGcaju Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 so happy for a complete recovery for your handsome boy! Confirms what I have heard from others, greyhounds usually make a complete or almost complete recovery from a stroke and often have no idea of the cause. And usually never have another one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniffy Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Wow he looks so happy. Thanks for posting the updates!!!! Quote Was a subscriber in the mid 2000s (the aughts!). Reactivated in 2021. What'd I miss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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