Be alert for any changes in behavior
A cardiovascular accident (CVA, or “stroke”) is caused either by an obstruction of the blood flow in a blood vessel in the brain (a “blood clot” in the brain) or by a blood vessel rupturing and bleeding out into the surrounding brain tissue (a “bleed” in the brain). Either type can cause mild to severe damage or death; luckily, strokes are not as common in pets as they are in humans. They ARE a life-threatening emergency, so if your pet does display any of the symptoms below, do not delay – get your pet to the veterinarian immediately.
The signs of a stroke depend on what area of the brain has been damaged, and may range from facial weakness (difficulty or refusal to eat, drooling, lip or other facial droop, including ear droop in rabbits), weakness of the extremities on one or both sides of the body (difficulty/inability to walk, loss of balance, flaccid (limp) extremities) or even complete paralysis of one or both sides. Sudden death can also occur; the incidence of strokes increases with age (for people and animals both).
It is very difficult to diagnose a CVA in a pet without sophisticated equipment. In humans, a diagnosis is usually made with CT (“cat”) scan or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). In animals a diagnosis of stroke is usually arrived at after ruling out other causes of disease, although in some areas veterinary CT and MRI diagnostics are available.
There is no specific treatment for a CVA. Supportive care includes the administration of fluids, assisting your pet with feedings and pain medications if necessary. Anti-coagulants (“blood thinners”) can be used at the advice of your veterinarian if the stroke was due to a blood clot. If your pet has become incontinent, it may need to have its bladder expressed several times a day (easily done; see my article on Lucky) or require diapers or special bedding to wick moisture away and keep your pet clean and dry.
It can take weeks to months for the nerve tissue to heal and there may be residual effects; these may be minimal. If your pet remains in good spirits and has a good quality of life, don’t give up or lose hope; give him supportive care and be patient. The neurological deficits that remain after a stroke can resolve over weeks and months; you may be seeing small increments of ongoing improvement for many, many months after the stroke. You may also be surprised at how well pets can adapt and accept changes in their physical status. If you are committed to caring for your pet, you can help him with any difficulties he may have with eating, drinking or moving. Discuss your pet’s prognosis with your veterinarian and decide what the best course of action should be.
Caring for the partially paralyzed rabbit
Like the two healthy bunnies in the photo? Tom and Cloud are bonded littermates and are available for adoption locally. Born at the Humane Society of Greater Dayton in April of 2009, you can see a picture of them as tiny babies, along with their mom.
Subscribe!
To receive email notifications when my new articles post to the Dayton Small Pets Examiner page, please use the "Subscribe to Email" link below, or follow me on Twitter to receive notification of all of my articles. Please feel free to email me at bunnybinks@gmail.com with questions, comments or suggestions.
Comments