Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) are one of the major causes of disability among adult humans. Previously considered uncommon, CVA are increasingly recognized in dogs or cats with the advances of neuroimaging. A “stroke” is a focal neurological deficit of sudden onset, resulting from a cerebrovascular accident.1 The causes of strokes can be divided into two basic groups: obstruction of the blood vessels, leading to infarction [Table 1]; and rupture of blood vessel walls, leading to hemorrhage [Table 2].2 Most types of CVA that are seen in humans have been documented in dogs;3 however, recovery from cerebrovascular disorders in animals is probably more spectacular than in humans, because animals have a less prominent pyramidal system.4
The central nervous system (CNS) requires a continuous supply of glucose and oxygen to sustain its high expenditure of energy. The transportation of these fuel molecules requires sufficient blood flow through a cerebral...