Canine Brain Hemorrhage Symptoms

Brain hemorrhages occur when a blood vessel within the brain leaks blood into the surrounding areas. Canine brain hemorrhages occur as the result of injury, trauma or illness and are serious, life-threatening events. Most canine brain hemorrhages don't occur with any warning -- there are no symptoms to indicate that your dog is about to have a hemorrhage. Once symptoms do occur, it is imperative that your dog see a veterinarian immediately.

  1. Apoplexy

    • Canine brain hemorrhage results in apoplexy, a term defined as incapacitation due to cerebral hemorrhaging. Apoplexy is often the first sign dog owners have that their canine companion is suffering a serious event. Apoplexy occurs almost immediately after the brain hemorrhages. Dogs suddenly drop without any sign of distress. Alternatively, dogs may walk for a short time after the brain hemorrhage occurs but are unsteady on their feet the whole time before dropping. Dogs that do not drop immediately exhibit a change in posture. After dropping, dogs lose consciousness entirely.

    Respiratory and Cardiac Distress

    • Dogs suffering from a brain hemorrhage exhibit deep, labored breathing. Breaths are irregular and don't come at predictable intervals. Some dogs wheeze or strain noisily when breathing after experiencing a brain hemorrhage. When brain hemorrhage occurs, the heart can also suffer. Dogs with brain hemorrhage experience either an increased pulse (tachycardia) or a decreased, slower pulse (bradycardia). The pulse experienced with both tachycardia and bradycardia is weak or hard to detect and irregular.

    Changes in Appearance

    • Facial mucous membranes, such as the gums or nose, become swollen and visibly reddened in dogs experiencing a brain hemorrhage. Prior to apoplexy, dogs sometimes display uneven pupil size due to the brain trauma caused by intracranial pressure. Dogs with a severe brain hemorrhage sometimes bleed from the eyes, nose, ears or mouth. After suffering apoplexy, mucous membranes and skin can take on a blue tint if oxygen intake is inadequate. Some dogs experience a blue or purple discoloration on the mucous membranes or a red or purple discoloration on the body due to ruptured blood cells

    Convulsions and Paralysis

    • Convulsions are a common sight in dogs suffering brain hemorrhage and usually appear relatively soon after the hemorrhage occurs. Convulsions are large and rapid and usually affect the entire body. Shortly after convulsions, partial or complete paralysis appears. Pressure on the brain resulting from the bleeding causes the paralysis. Paralysis can affect both the dog's front and back extremities. Paralysis typically occurs on the side of the body opposite the affected side of the brain. For example, if a dog had a brain hemorrhage affecting the right side of the brain, the left side of the body is affected.

    Blindness and Death

    • Death is a very real possibility for dogs experiencing a brain hemorrhage. Death occurs in as little as minutes or as long as a few days, depending on how quickly the brain is bleeding and how much pressure builds up in the brain. Dogs that don't die from a brain hemorrhage have a chance at a complete recovery with no lasting symptoms, provided the hemorrhage was minor and located in the center of the brain hemisphere. Dogs that recover from a noncentralized or severe hemorrhage often experience blindness and partial or full paralysis.