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My senior dog can't stand, whines, and has stroke-like symptoms. Help!

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 50 lbs

I have a 15-16 year old dog, she seems to have strokes every once in awhile. Today she seems to not be able to stand on her hind legs, she constantly whines. I need help knowing what I need to do for her.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sarah Derksen, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 25th, 2018

Poor Abby. I definitely sounds like she is struggling. In order to find out what would be causing her signs, she would need to see a veterinary neurologist to perform an MRI of the brain. But I understand she is older and you may be just trying to make her feel more comfortable. If she us having any seizure activity, there is definitely some medications that can help stop those. If she can't stand on her back legs, she may benefit from some steroids and pain meds if after an exam your veterinarian thinks it is an option. If you are wondering if maybe it is "time" for her, you can discuss quality of life with your veterinarian. The important things to think about when considering a pets quality of life include eating, drinking, able to go out to urinate and defecate (rather then just going on themselves), and still enjoying some happiness seeing you when you get home or their favorite toy or treats. If you want to discuss further or any specifics, feel free to open a consultation.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    It's difficult to know what to do for her without having a solid diagnosis. The stroke behavior may indicate a heart problem with Abby. Older dogs can have problems with heart failure, which can cause them to collapse occasionally. The constant whining and inability to stand can be due to neurologic disease and/or arthritis. There are many other possibilities for her to have these problems and the only way to really narrow-down the problem and get her help is to have her evaluated by a veterinarian. They will be able to narrow-down the cause of this with an exam and offer the necessary testing and treatment to help Abby feel better. I hope that helps and Abby gets better soon.

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