It seems our poor old dog has had a stroke *update added*
She has been walking like a drunk, lurching or veering to the left, her hind left leg crosses to the right side when she tries to stand still, but she ends up keeling over. She can't hold urine but gets restless when she has to go, so we carry her outside, and I covered her bed with a big plastic bag and old towels. Tomorrow I'm taking her to get that final injection to send her to the great beyond but I secretly want the veterinarian to say, "No, you don't have to do that yet, she can recuperate from this."
Seven months ago her eyes were moving back and forth fast, like a when a passenger tries to focus on the scenery outside the window of a car or train moving fast. Her head was tilted, and she stumbled when trying to walk. I googled her symptoms and people on pet care sites said not to let the veterinarian tell you it's a stroke, it's called old dog vestibular disease and dogs usually recover but still might have the head-tilt. Prednisone can help, and she took that for a short time.
She recovered well and was just weak in her hind legs and for the past month or two needed a boost from behind going up the 6 back steps from the back yard. But in the past few days she struggles to stand, can only walk a few feet and then leans her left side against something to stay standing, or slumps down. She still likes to eat if I help her.
Has anyone had experience with a dog having had a stroke?
on edit- It's midnight here and I'm going to bed, so if you reply I'll be reading it tomorrow.
Update-
I want to thank each of you who responded to my despondent post.
Our dear dog Sally was euthanized yesterday.
She just had too many bad symptoms happening at once, and at an old age we don't think she could have recovered.
Our kind, older rural veterinarian accompanied his assistant and me, after she had taken me into an exam room to have a little talk, out to the parking lot. Next to his sheep and llama corral under the trees, he sat on the bumper of my station wagon to give Sally the injection, as I said, "good dog, Sally", right into her ear, because she was deaf. He said, "This will be fast", and it was. My husband had dug her grave, and we buried her near our two dogs and two cats from the past thirty years.
RIP, Sally, my wonderful friend, daughter, sister.
Sally, a few years ago
= new reply since forum marked as read
The symptoms you describe are exactly what she went through. She did recover but always leaned a bit to the left, and at first couldn't negotiate doorways very well, but she acclimated to her world being off kilter. She lived for many years after her stroke. Everyone called her Tilt instead of her name afterward... none of us really liked her name very much, and the nickname Tilt was made in a loving way.
I was a kid at the time, so I don't remember if she took any meds at first or anything. But she did get better and pretty quickly though it was both sad and humorous to see her trying to steer herself through doorways and get her head in the food dish or water bowl until she got that figured out. She got quite good at figuring out how to steer more to the right so that after awhile she could even run without crashing into anything. She was actually a lot more endearing after her stroke with that kooky little tilt to the left, and she even became rather more friendly (she was not a very nice kitty before... she more or less just grudging tolerated everyone including the other pets).
Don't despair. It's very scary to see when it first happens... I definitely remember that. We all were so certain that she'd have to be put to sleep when my parents took her to the vet, and we'd never see her again. We were really shocked that they brought her home and that she expected to fully recover other than that wee bit of tilt.
Poor thing. 
Sending love to you.
Vestibular disease, too. She recovered about 80% with antibiotics and steroids. I hope your baby gets better. It's so very hard when they're sick. I'll be thinking of you.
i am so sorry
She may have had more than one?
I am in a similar situation with my 15 year old Hank. He has a heart murmur, fluid in his lungs, weakness in his back end ... but mentally he's still My Boy.
I have made - and cancelled - " that appointment" twice already. I simply can't imagine my life without him.
You & your baby are in my thoughts.
I'm so sorry that Hank crossed over, but he stayed with you as long as he could. to you, and please hug your other dogs.
I wrote about our last dog, Billie-girl, to remember her, and for therapy for me. I'll do the same about Sally, but so far I just think about her and miss her.
So sorry your furry one is not well.
I was so hoping that Sally would pull through or that some kind of medication or something could be done.
What a beautiful girl she was, and I'm sure she brought you so much love and joy from the moment you brought her into your life.
Last edited Thu Jan 15, 2015, 04:38 AM - Edit history (1)
She had all her symptoms all at once though. Gads, I remember those rapid shaking eyeballs from side to side - that was freaky. She went and hid between the wall and the side of the sofa (one of her favorite hiding places for an uninterrupted nap), and I never saw myself how she moved, but what my mom described was just like you said about your dog. I remember that like it was yesterday because that conversation also included the horrible explanation that she might have to be put to sleep when they took her to the vet... I sobbed on my bed before they even put her in the cat carrier until they came home. I was just a kid at the time... junior high, but I don't remember what grade.
We were just shocked that she ended up coming home. She wasn't old then though, so maybe that had something to do with it. Or that she was a cat. Or something. I'm guessing she was probably around maybe eight years old? Could be less than that, but I don't think it was older. I can't remember if she had to take any meds of any kind for the short term. I'm thinking not because I'd likely remember my parents trying to get a pill down her... she would have fought like a dragon! She didn't take anything for the long term or have special food or anything. She just mended in time which was surprisingly short. Maybe she was just lucky that other than that goofy wee head tilt she was fine. It just took her awhile to renegotiate how to move to get through a doorway or get her head in the food or water bowl since she kilted to the left. Some people have strokes they almost fully recover from while other people have stokes that just almost completely debilitate them permanently or kill them. I guess it would be the same for animals.
I think you definitely did the right thing hard as that decision always is. Quality of life is important. If they can't do all the basics (eat, drink ambulate successfully, pee and poo normally, are in pain or suffering in some other way) it's time to make that really horrible judgment call. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me want to cry!
I'll share with you what one of my brother's did with me after I lost my first furbaby... it was the last act of love you could have given. And it really is.
It seems our pups crossed the Bridge within hours of each other. Maybe they met in the waiting line.
:hugs: 
