What caused my dog's death?

[crunchpop]

Hi.  Our beloved pet died Thurs. and we are inconsolable. Up to about month ago she appeared wonderful. Then we noticed she began eating less and became less social.  She lied down facing a wall or with her back to us. She started circling. These behaviors were intermittent; they'd come and go.  Most days she'd be fine. Last week she laid down and wouldn't/couldn't get up, didn't eat much, was incontinent, and breathed more deeply at times.  She drank water when we held up the bowl to her mouth and quite a bit of it.  Diagnosed with Vestibular and given antibiotics. Got back to her old self then Wed. suddenly presented the same symptoms. I sat with her all night.Thurs morning she was unable to stand when she tried and her breathing was very deep and heavy at times. Somehow I felt the symptoms seemed more dire this time, although they were the same.
I ran upstairs to put in my contacts and when I returned she had defecated. There was some blood and a golfball size red "thing". Her breathing grew heavier and deeper then.  I held her paw and spoke to her gently. I watched my beloved friend's life go out of her eyes.
I need to know if she was in pain; I pray not. And also, did that diagnosis seem right? Could it have been something else?
Thank you again.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

I am so sorry for your loss!

The most common type of Vestibular disease is idiopathic vestibular disease, which means of unknown cause.  However, there are two other uncommon causes which are: 1.   Inner or middle ear infection, and,  
2.  Tumor in the brain, or other brain lesion.

Brain tumors can be primary or secondary.  A primary brain tumor is a brain cancer that begins in the brain and may or may not have metastasis to other parts of the body.  Secondary brain tumor begins somewhere else and metastasizes to the brain.

Your dog may have had one of these types of cancers.  The fact that she had the neurological symptoms of vestibular disease, but also had a mass in her digestive tract and possibly her lungs (heavy breathing) is indicative of metastasis.

So,  I believe that the diagnosis was correct, but there was more going on than just vestibular disease.

Of course, a post-mortem exam would have to have been performed for a definitive diagnosis.

[crunchpop]

I want to thank you for responding to my question; it has helped my family and me gain some closure to a horribly painful event.

Thank you again.

Regards,

Crunchpop