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We have a 13 year old female Westie who had an apparent stroke Nov. 08, we took her to the vet. immediately. He has lost sight in her left eye and hearing on the left side and also now does not bark. Since Nov. she seems very disoriented; walking in circles (always to the left), having difficulty laying down (one leg kind of drags). She has also lost some control of her bowels so we are watching her and making many trips outside. The vet. put her on 10mg Amitriptyline twice a day but that doesn't seem to help. Would appreciate any suggestions for experiences? Thanks
Last edited by 2goldens; 01-28-2009 at 07:31 AM..
Reason: Moved from About the Forum to Pets/Dogs
It is so very hard to sit and watch our beloved pets decline. I am basically going through the same thing with my 13 yr. old Golden. At some point, one must weigh the quality of life.
Amytriptyline is an anti-depressant drug and I don't think it will provide any benefit in a dog with neurological impairment except to help reduce discomfort caused by the loss of sensation due to the stroke. Its brand name is Elavil and in humans one side effect is to increase the risk of stroke. (I know this because my SIL took it.) It's one of the drugs commonly used off-label to treat separation anxiety.
As far as I know, there is nothing that can be done medically to alleviate the damage caused by a stroke. After a few weeks, if no change in behavior has occurred, the damage is probably irreversible and the deficits will be permanent.
Depending upon what type of stroke your dog experienced, it may be possible to prevent further damage. There are often underlying issues, such as diabetes, that cause strokes.
We recently euthanized our almost-17 year old dog due to severe canine cognitive dysfunction. He would become "lost" in a corner, be unable to find his way into a room, lose bladder and bowel control, etc. It's a hard decision to make and only you will know when it is the right decision and the right time.
I agree, it is very painful to watch a dog decline. The most you can do is make the dog as comfortable as possible and enjoy the time you have. I think as Leorah said, you know when it's time to let go.
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