Looking after a stroke patient

TG1

My old collie has just been diagnosed with a stroke for the second time. The last one was about 4 months ago.

He lives with my retired parents, who are being really great with him, and minding him really well. He is on steroids and antibiotics(just in case) so is receiving treatment and is due back to the vet again tomorrow for more of the same, but what I'm hoping for is a bit of advice on how to make him as comfortable as possible.

He's nibbling tiny bits of soft food, and will drink from the stream at the bottom of the garden when my dad brings him down there, but it's a trek for him at the moment.

He is up and about, if quite wobbly, and wants to be wandering round after my parents as usual, but that's the bit he is struggling with. He doesn't seem to be seeing very well, and is banging into things, and obviously struggles to stay upright. Is it kinder to just leave him in a room on his own and hope he will settle?

They have raised all his bowls so he can reach without bending, which seems to help, but sleeping is an issue as he seems to not want to chance his bed or his matress, so is sleeping on the floor. Between the hard floor, and the slippery surface, he is then seriously struggling to get up from the floor.

Has anyone been through this? Is there anything else we can do to help him? He bounced back really quickly after the first one, so we didn't really have these issues, as once the initial diagnosis happened and he got treated he came on in leaps and bounds, but this time everything is happening much slower.

Are there any signs we should be watching for in terms of long term damage etc? I haven't been able to get home since it happened so haven't spoken to a vet first hand, and am struggling with only having third hand information!!

ShaShaBear

TG1 wrote: »

My old collie has just been diagnosed with a stroke for the second time. The last one was about 4 months ago.

He lives with my retired parents, who are being really great with him, and minding him really well. He is on steroids and antibiotics(just in case) so is receiving treatment and is due back to the vet again tomorrow for more of the same, but what I'm hoping for is a bit of advice on how to make him as comfortable as possible.

He's nibbling tiny bits of soft food, and will drink from the stream at the bottom of the garden when my dad brings him down there, but it's a trek for him at the moment.

He is up and about, if quite wobbly, and wants to be wandering round after my parents as usual, but that's the bit he is struggling with. He doesn't seem to be seeing very well, and is banging into things, and obviously struggles to stay upright. Is it kinder to just leave him in a room on his own and hope he will settle?

They have raised all his bowls so he can reach without bending, which seems to help, but sleeping is an issue as he seems to not want to chance his bed or his matress, so is sleeping on the floor. Between the hard floor, and the slippery surface, he is then seriously struggling to get up from the floor.

Has anyone been through this? Is there anything else we can do to help him? He bounced back really quickly after the first one, so we didn't really have these issues, as once the initial diagnosis happened and he got treated he came on in leaps and bounds, but this time everything is happening much slower.

Are there any signs we should be watching for in terms of long term damage etc? I haven't been able to get home since it happened so haven't spoken to a vet first hand, and am struggling with only having third hand information!!

Tbh OP, it might be time to have "The Talk" with your family. From personal experience, dogs who have suffered strokes only continue to deteriorate and the poor thing is probably very distressed and upset if he can't see or walk properly. Putting him into an empty room is only likely to confuse him further.

TG1

ShaShaBear wrote: »

Tbh OP, it might be time to have "The Talk" with your family. From personal experience, dogs who have suffered strokes only continue to deteriorate and the poor thing is probably very distressed and upset if he can't see or walk properly. Putting him into an empty room is only likely to confuse him further.

They had him back at the vet this morning so he said to let him wander after them if he wanted, we were just worried he would do more damage, but apparently as long as it's all done slowly he'll be better off being let do what he usually does.

The vet did say he's not in pain and has come round a bit since Wednesday when he had it, so he's inclined to leave him as long as he is improving, he said if he went downhill and stayed downhill that's when we would be looking at that decision but for now he's still happy, still knows his people are there etc.

He was given an appitite stimulant so hopefully he will start to eat a bit more, but he's drinking away and everything that goes in is coming out so everything seems to be working!

It's not something we will leave if he gets overly distressed or is in pain though, don't worry!

He is struggling a bit as the house is all wood floors, but my poor mother went out and got some cheap rugs so there's a couple in each room so he's lying on those and is better able to get up on them, so that's something.

He was much quicker to bounce back from the first one, so I know if there's another one at some point there will come a point where we will be looking at a decision then. Its so tough as they get older!

The poor little man will be 15 in a couple of months, he's been round for half my lifetime, more than half my brothers, but he was running round the beach on Tuesday, it just happens so quickly!

ShaShaBear

TG1 wrote: »

They had him back at the vet this morning so he said to let him wander after them if he wanted, we were just worried he would do more damage, but apparently as long as it's all done slowly he'll be better off being let do what he usually does.

The vet did say he's not in pain and has come round a bit since Wednesday when he had it, so he's inclined to leave him as long as he is improving, he said if he went downhill and stayed downhill that's when we would be looking at that decision but for now he's still happy, still knows his people are there etc.

He was given an appitite stimulant so hopefully he will start to eat a bit more, but he's drinking away and everything that goes in is coming out so everything seems to be working!

It's not something we will leave if he gets overly distressed or is in pain though, don't worry!

He is struggling a bit as the house is all wood floors, but my poor mother went out and got some cheap rugs so there's a couple in each room so he's lying on those and is better able to get up on them, so that's something.

He was much quicker to bounce back from the first one, so I know if there's another one at some point there will come a point where we will be looking at a decision then. Its so tough as they get older!

The poor little man will be 15 in a couple of months, he's been round for half my lifetime, more than half my brothers, but he was running round the beach on Tuesday, it just happens so quickly!

I definitely feel you. Our collie boy was 11 when we had to let him go. He was a present for my 17th birthday and was my life! One day he was his usual self, chasing balls for hours, giving out stink to the neighbours through the window, assaulting the post as it came through the letterbox. Next day he wouldn't eat, by the end of the week he was on death's door and we had to have him put to sleep due to lymphoma.

My partner's family dog recovered quickly from his first stroke. Second one had him in the same condition your boy currently is. Third one killed him outright If you're confident in the vet's opinion, that's fine, but from seeing them suffer a stroke, it doesn't look like a pleasant existence

TG1

Ah yeh, once they hit a certain age I think you just have to take everything as a bonus, but it's so hard to get the head round. We left our poor cat too late and the decision was taken out of our hands and I'm very very conscious not to ever let that happen again. I'm heading down tonight anyway, so I'll see him myself and see how he is so I'll have a better idea then.

My dad says he's great today, was out in the garden with him and all, so hopefully he's happy enough. The vets have been great, they were very to the point with a neighbour about their dog when her time came, and they know him as he's a typical overactive collie so has been in for a few courses of carprofen injections due to arthritis, so I'd be quite confident that they would have an idea of when it will be necessary, But I'll know better when I see him anyway. I think I'm just freaking out because I can't see him myself!

aonb

Really feel for you TG1. And your parents. Very sad, but you and your family seem to be very conscious of whats best for your dog.
Its really horrible when your elderly dog starts to go downhill
If his quality of life is such that you dont feel you need to consider having him put to sleep, this could change in a day, and should be your only consideration. If his quality of life starts to decline, your parents will have to be ready to do this pretty quickly. Its best to have this discussion up front, so that everyone is aware that it might be on the horizon - it makes it a little tiny bit easier to take him to the vet (or have your vets come out to your parents house) to have it done.
Your poor mum buying rugs for him - lucky dog

TG1

Thanks guys, it's reassuring to know that I'm not being a terrible person wondering is it time, but I went to his vet appointment and she reassured me that he is very definitely on the up from where he started on wednesday. He gave a big wag of his tail when he saw me last night, then ate a bowl of chicken and rice I gave him, and is happy to just potter around and snooze a lot, so I'm happy that he's not struggling too much.

We had the conversation when we came back about there coming a point when we would have to step in if he were struggling, and we all Weighed in and we are all on the same page, ie. If it comes to it do it asap and don't worry about any of us wanting to see him etc. We would all rather he was let go soon enough.

But for the moment, he's enjoying being let eat cookies and chicken and bread and all the things he usually doesn't get and is dozing out the garden in the sun at the moment. He has a course of steroids, blood thinners and stuff to settle his stomach, and he's well enough that the vet gave them to us in tablet form - he had been getting them every day by injection - so we will see how he goes on those.

He even dropped his squeaky bone at my feet this morning, although I think that might have been more because he just associates me with it rather than him actually wanting to play, as getting out of the car after the vet was a struggle, never mind chasing a bone round the garden!!

aonb

ah thats good news
give you all a reprieve and time to spoil him with love and treats, and cookies and all the junk he wants to eat.
They often rally especially after new meds. I hope he has a nice second chance and continues to potter and eat and be thoroughly spoiled.
My elderly guy rallied several times, we got a year more than we expected with him. He was so spoiled at the end it was hilarious

TG1

aonb wrote: »

ah thats good news
give you all a reprieve and time to spoil him with love and treats, and cookies and all the junk he wants to eat.
They often rally especially after new meds. I hope he has a nice second chance and continues to potter and eat and be thoroughly spoiled.
My elderly guy rallied several times, we got a year more than we expected with him. He was so spoiled at the end it was hilarious

I just got told poor old Bob got all the meat off a wild venison cutlet for dinner tonight, spoiled is not the word! I'm starting to think he is putting the whole thing on just to see what he can get out of it!
Ah, it's just great to hear he's interested in food again really...