In older dogs there is something called “Vestibular Syndrome” that can mimic the signs of a stroke. It happened to one of my elderly basenji’s. He was fine in a day or so (although it can take longer), the important thing is to keep him hydrated, as the vertigo effect can interfere with them being able to drink.
Hope your pup does better.
FYI, my other basenji (almost 17) went blind some time ago. It seemed to adapt pretty well. Of course you have to adapt too.
I grew up with Basenji’s We had one a few years ago. He was a rescue and had been badly abused. He knew just how much he could take and he’d push and push us expecting us to beat him. We never did, although we wanted to choke him when he ate the recliner, stole from our neighbors, laid in wait for the old guy next door to come home from the grocery store and way laid him for his sack of milk and ham. Luckily, we lived in the country with understanding neighbors. We finally got a fence.
His name was Ruger but we called him Devil Dog for obvious reasons. He’d attack and kill rattle snakes until one called his bluff. He was so sick I had to feed him with a bottle. After that, he quit pushing so hard and would at least cooperate. The dog trainer said he was a cat in a dog suit. He was killed when one of our neighbors wolves escaped their enclosure. He got too close too close to them and they pulled him through the field fencing, mauled him. He died a couple of days later.
We had another dog that lived for 19 years. Best dog ever. He was just the opposite of Ruger. He was a border collie/shepard mix and was the lovingest, smartest dog. He lived to be 19.
We now have a little min-pin rescue named Howdy. He’s a keeper, for sure. Little dogs get into little trouble and aren’t tall enough to drink from the toilet.
One of our collies had that a couple of years ago but recovered completely. We lost him and his brother this past year when they were both over 13, which is pretty old for a collie. We have another collie we got from the shelter but this one is a barker. We’re working on him...
Thank you all for your kind words.
My JRT is only 4 1/2 years old. The vet eye specialist said glaucoma is inherited and quite a few terriers of all types have it.
We were considering putting him down anyway if he didn’t adapt to his blindness and so far he is not.
The stroke symptoms seem to have subsided this afternoon, but he stays in his bed sleeping 24 hours a day unless I get him out to potty or eat.
I am having to give him canned food mixed with his dry food to even get him to eat a single bite. He drinks very little water. He is not adjusting (yet) to the new reality.