Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cerebrovascular disease and stroke in dogs and cats
By Garosi, Laurent S·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice·2010·Davies Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cerebrovascular disease in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
Cerebrovascular disease in pets refers to problems in the brain caused by issues with its blood supply, which can lead to strokes. There are two main types of strokes: ischemic strokes, which happen when a blood vessel in the brain gets blocked, and hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a blood vessel bursts. While strokes were once thought to be rare in dogs and cats, they are now being diagnosed more often thanks to better imaging technology. If a pet is diagnosed with a stroke, it's important for the veterinarian to look for and treat any underlying causes.
Abstract
Cerebrovascular disease is defined as any abnormality of the brain resulting from a pathologic process affecting its blood supply. Stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is the most common clinical manifestation of cerebrovascular disease, and can be broadly divided into ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke results from occlusion of a cerebral blood vessel by a thrombus or embolism, depriving the brain of oxygen and glucose, whereas hemorrhagic stroke results from rupture of a blood vessel wall within the brain parenchyma or subarachnoid space. Previously considered uncommon, CVA is being recognized with greater frequency in veterinary medicine since magnetic resonance imaging has become more readily available. Once the diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke is confirmed, potential underlying causes should be sought after and treated accordingly.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19942057/