Question for owners of "older dogs" re stroke symptoms
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Question for owners of "older dogs" re stroke symptoms
Submitted by Anonymous on April 21, 2010 - 12:36amThis is an unusual question to pose but my old bully will be 13yrs if she makes it to March 2 and I've mentioned other times how crippled with arthritis she is now, having to be carried out to potty. I've seen this weakness progress so I don't believe she's had a stroke but there is one thing that I'm mulling over and that is a slight change in head/skull appearance. I've only seen one bulldog who was known (vet confirmed) to have had a stroke and she had "intentions" or a recess of the space above the eyebrows but before the ears. This receeding soft area was a notable change that owner identified but I'm seeing that on Dale and I think it may just be a part of aging/reshaping due to lost of firmness and declining muscle tone. Anyone out there having seen this type of change either as normal aging with their own bulldog or as result of a stroke? BTW, other than the overall weakness affecting ambulatory needs she has full control of her head, eats and processes food normally, can't hold her urine overnight or for more than about 4-5hrs but that's not unusual at her age IMHO...she will "go on command" when I do take her out, tho. She tries...she really tries to please me.
Thanks for sharing.
Norbert
also had what you discribe about the head. It seemed to get smaller as he aged and when looking back at pictures there was a big change over the last year of his life (10 1/2 - 11 1/2). I thought it was mostly because of his greying but since you mention it it was much more then that.
It is rather startling looking at the pictures of him right before I lost him to just 6 months prior.
Bless your girl
Ah...a picture...I'll have to enlist help from Hubby for that.
I'm getting superstitious and not mentioning her birthday too much, hoping she's here to celebrate it.
Thanks.
Ah...Dale is having some heart/circulatory issues
so its apparently the face (head) of aging. Thanks for your reply.
Could well be...tho she isn't on Pred.
With her mama, who also lived to 13, that was a chubbier dog so it didn't seem as noticeable?!
Thanks!
This too is the confirmation I was looking for.
Thanks!
I needed that info confirmed, and you did...lucky YOU to have them so long.
p.s....any chance of
getting a picture of this "special" lady.
Ela1ne,... it sure does sound like.....
the "normal aging process." She sounds like the "perfect" senior and I hope that March 2 we will see a post celebrating her 13th Birthday.
Also, it was so nice to finally give back some advice; since, you are always there to help.
Ralph had that...
The vet said it was due muscle atrophy - a natural part of aging. I've seen it in other breeds, too.
![[linked image]](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s130/rottigirl2/prop.gif)
Bless Dale!
Olivia/Kano/Q-Ball
Re:
One of my 1st Bulldogs got this way, but it was due to a fractured jaw. She lost all muscle tone on her head and she had a 'sunken-in' look to her face, especially on top of her head over where her eyebrows were. After her jaw healed she regained most of the muscle tone she had prior to her injury.
As far as I know she didn't have a stroke at that time, she was about 7 year old. We did lose her to an enlarged heart at 10 1/2 years.
I saw that kind of change in Oscar when...
he was on heavy doses of Pred for lymphoma. The oncologist called it pred head, sounds like what you're describing.
Kathy, Ollie and Chester
Head
I think I've seen it in all my three boys, when they got old(er)...
I've always assumed that it had to do with loss of musclepower, not with a stroke or something like that.
Ineke
Ela1ne, I have had at least 4 live to 14 and around 12 yrs or so
they lose the cushion on the cheeks and around the eyes so it looks like their skull is getting longer and nosier. This is normal if they get to that age as most never make it that far.