Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with sudden stroke and bleeding in the brain seen on MRI
By Alessandro Bellomo et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2025·Anicura "Veterinary Hospital I Portoni Rossi", Zola Predosa, Italy, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Case Report: Clinical and MRI features of hemorrhagic transformation of an ischemic cerebrovascular accident in a dog
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog suddenly showed signs of neurological issues on her left side, which led to a diagnosis of an ischemic stroke (a type of brain injury due to lack of blood flow). Within 24 hours, her condition worsened significantly, prompting a follow-up MRI that revealed a serious complication called hemorrhagic transformation, where bleeding occurred in the brain area affected by the stroke. This case highlights the importance of monitoring dogs closely after a stroke, as rapid changes can indicate serious complications that may require immediate veterinary attention.
People also search for: dog stroke symptoms · mixed-breed dog neurological issues · hemorrhagic transformation in dogs · dog MRI for stroke · dog brain injury treatment
Abstract
IntroductionHemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a known complication of human ischemic cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), resulting from blood–brain barrier disruption and reperfusion. This report describes the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of a clinically suspected HT after ischemic CVA in a dog.Case presentationAn eight-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog presented with peracute onset of left-sided forebrain clinical signs. A brain MRI, performed within 12 h from the onset of clinical signs, revealed a large area of restricted diffusion, almost undetectable in the other MRI sequences, encompassing the vascular territory of the left middle cerebral artery, suggesting a peracute ischemic CVA. In the subsequent 24 h, the dog showed severe clinical deterioration, suggesting brainstem involvement. A 40-h follow-up MRI revealed an extensive area of signal void on Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging in the same vascular territory, with severe mass effect, indicating HT of the previous ischemic CVA.DiscussionRapid and severe clinical deterioration in a dog previously diagnosed with ischemic CVA should raise suspicion of HT and warrant further MRI evaluation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1589636