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Dog Died Suddenly with No Signs of Anything Particularly Wrong to Cause Death.
My family and I just lost our dog out of the blue around 6pm on August 22nd.
He was 8 years of age, approximately 80lbs, and showed no signs of being sick before he passed.
The night before he played like he always had and ate his dog food as usual. On the morning of his passing he was with me in my room most of the morning. He slept most of the time (which was normal for him) and I gave him crust from a sandwich I was eating. Before that my mother had put him outside before she went to work and he came in after a short time and ate some dog food then proceeded to my room. Around 1pm my father put him out and he urinated and came back in. My father saw him the whole time and he didn't do anything but his "business." My mother came home from work around 4pm. She cooked dinner approximately 30 minutes later and our dog was fine walking around the house observing everybody as he had always done. While my parents were eating in the living room around 5pm, my dog laid down on the floor as usual and went to sleep. This was a normal routine for him and nothing was out of the ordinary all day. After dinner around 5:30pm, I asked my mother to help me in my room.
We didn't notice anything wrong with our dog and stepped over him like we normally do when he's sleeping. There were no signs of death at the time.
We were in my room for 5 or 10 minutes. Mom left to go into the kitchen to get some water and noticed our dog was laying oddly with his back legs sprawled out like his front paws which was pretty unusual. My father looked at him and told my mother our dog was dead after noticing feces and vomit on the floor. My mother didn't believe it because our dog was absolutely fine all day and showed no symptoms/signs at any point. She thought my father was joking which was not a normal joke for him to say. He repeated our dog's passing after touching him. Our dog was still warm and felt life-like but he was limp with no breathing. My father believes it was a heart-attack.
The only thing we know was a week or less prior to his passing, our dog was having smelly gas which he's had many times before with no problems. He's had a benign tumor removed from between his toes on a front paw about a year or two years ago. The doctors told us we had nothing to worry about after that and our dog acted completely fine so we don't think that had anything to do with his passing. But the vomit was dark green with a long blade of grass in it but that's all we know.
It was so out of the blue and sudden that it's hit our family really hard because he wasn't just a family pet; he WAS family.
We just would like to know exactly what could of happened. Thank you.
He was 8 years of age, approximately 80lbs, and showed no signs of being sick before he passed.
The night before he played like he always had and ate his dog food as usual. On the morning of his passing he was with me in my room most of the morning. He slept most of the time (which was normal for him) and I gave him crust from a sandwich I was eating. Before that my mother had put him outside before she went to work and he came in after a short time and ate some dog food then proceeded to my room. Around 1pm my father put him out and he urinated and came back in. My father saw him the whole time and he didn't do anything but his "business." My mother came home from work around 4pm. She cooked dinner approximately 30 minutes later and our dog was fine walking around the house observing everybody as he had always done. While my parents were eating in the living room around 5pm, my dog laid down on the floor as usual and went to sleep. This was a normal routine for him and nothing was out of the ordinary all day. After dinner around 5:30pm, I asked my mother to help me in my room.
We didn't notice anything wrong with our dog and stepped over him like we normally do when he's sleeping. There were no signs of death at the time.
We were in my room for 5 or 10 minutes. Mom left to go into the kitchen to get some water and noticed our dog was laying oddly with his back legs sprawled out like his front paws which was pretty unusual. My father looked at him and told my mother our dog was dead after noticing feces and vomit on the floor. My mother didn't believe it because our dog was absolutely fine all day and showed no symptoms/signs at any point. She thought my father was joking which was not a normal joke for him to say. He repeated our dog's passing after touching him. Our dog was still warm and felt life-like but he was limp with no breathing. My father believes it was a heart-attack.
The only thing we know was a week or less prior to his passing, our dog was having smelly gas which he's had many times before with no problems. He's had a benign tumor removed from between his toes on a front paw about a year or two years ago. The doctors told us we had nothing to worry about after that and our dog acted completely fine so we don't think that had anything to do with his passing. But the vomit was dark green with a long blade of grass in it but that's all we know.
It was so out of the blue and sudden that it's hit our family really hard because he wasn't just a family pet; he WAS family.
We just would like to know exactly what could of happened. Thank you.
I am so sorry for your loss. With my dog, we never had him on heartworm medication. He never showed signs that he had heartworms either so we never thought that was the factor in his death. He was always playing and running around with no problems breathing or anything afterwards. If your dog showed signs of having heartworms, then that could possibly be the reasoning. But, either way, you shouldn't blame yourself in any way, shape, or form for your pet's death. It was just her time unfortunately... I pray you find peace in knowing she's in a better place and continue to remember the wonderful times with her and that they help to ease the pain of losing her.
I think your dog would have had more signs if it was heartworm, no? I just lost my dog on Monday - very, very sudden. Was sitting in a school parking lot waiting for my child to come out. I was right next to him. He stumbled then collapsed. I picked him up and he was like dead weight.. He died about a minute or less later. My dog was 13 - he had heart disease and an irregular heartbeat. My vet said 'he threw a blood clot'. It was most likely produced in the heart. Whenever you have an irregular heartbeat you are more susceptible to producing blood clots. Vet told me many pets that die this way have an undiagnosed heart condition. I am broken hearted - He too was just fine the day he died up until that minute- he died in my car before my child even got out of school.
I, like the majority here have lost a loved one & searched the web for answers- finding your post. My baby Red (11 yrs) , wonderful corgi was fun, energetic, loyal and enjoyed eating as a hobby.
He passed last night 11/9/13. My dad said the morning walk was normal as usual, although he noticed My dog was walking slow and seemed dizzy. My dad had to carry him because my dog appeared to have difficulty standing. Around 3p my dad looked at Red and was playing with him, my dog was just lying in his stomach slouching which seemed normal considering he's old already. But he just went back into his house.
His fecal matter was slightly darker than normal so that's probably a sign? Last week, he did move slower and didn't as much eat his food in large amounts like he always did. I should've taken him to the vet immediately but my dog was okay.
I wondered too what caused this but I wouldn't be able to do a necropsy either. It's just painful and expensive and I don't wanna put my dog thru it. He slept in the afternoon yesterday and never woke up. He lied comfortably head on the side and his paws by his face like he always does. After accepting he's passed, my dad carried his body and noticed he might've bit his tongue and it was sorta sticking out. We believe it may have been a heart attack. I just cannot imagine what my dog was going through before that. I miss him so much, all I do is cry when I think that I'll never see and hold him again.
The pain I feel is extreme and like all of you, he was and never was just a pet, rather my family. He was my little brother and baby. I'm 30 and I know it would seem weird having to feel this down but I still cannot get passed this sad feeling.
I know he's in a better place but I wish I could've had more time to give him more than I have ever. I only hope he knew how much I loved him and how much he was loved and appreciated for being the joy in our lives for the past 11 years.
Thinking and remembering the great times makes me smile but the constant aching and crying is constant. Losing a loved one is always so painful. I love you so much Reddie Poo
He passed last night 11/9/13. My dad said the morning walk was normal as usual, although he noticed My dog was walking slow and seemed dizzy. My dad had to carry him because my dog appeared to have difficulty standing. Around 3p my dad looked at Red and was playing with him, my dog was just lying in his stomach slouching which seemed normal considering he's old already. But he just went back into his house.
His fecal matter was slightly darker than normal so that's probably a sign? Last week, he did move slower and didn't as much eat his food in large amounts like he always did. I should've taken him to the vet immediately but my dog was okay.
I wondered too what caused this but I wouldn't be able to do a necropsy either. It's just painful and expensive and I don't wanna put my dog thru it. He slept in the afternoon yesterday and never woke up. He lied comfortably head on the side and his paws by his face like he always does. After accepting he's passed, my dad carried his body and noticed he might've bit his tongue and it was sorta sticking out. We believe it may have been a heart attack. I just cannot imagine what my dog was going through before that. I miss him so much, all I do is cry when I think that I'll never see and hold him again.
The pain I feel is extreme and like all of you, he was and never was just a pet, rather my family. He was my little brother and baby. I'm 30 and I know it would seem weird having to feel this down but I still cannot get passed this sad feeling.
I know he's in a better place but I wish I could've had more time to give him more than I have ever. I only hope he knew how much I loved him and how much he was loved and appreciated for being the joy in our lives for the past 11 years.
Thinking and remembering the great times makes me smile but the constant aching and crying is constant. Losing a loved one is always so painful. I love you so much Reddie Poo
I always understood that small dogs live 15 years or more, so I am surprised you lost you lovely dog at age 11. My condolences.
Our estimated 9 year old Westie has had a bowel change to a very dark color, almost black. I think in his case it is due to a prescription diet the vet put him on as we continue to search for a allergy he seems to have - yeast infection problems. Did your dog have a change in diet before his death? If no, then the change in color may be a warning sign... I'll watch this post to see if anything on that aspect develops.
Our estimated 9 year old Westie has had a bowel change to a very dark color, almost black. I think in his case it is due to a prescription diet the vet put him on as we continue to search for a allergy he seems to have - yeast infection problems. Did your dog have a change in diet before his death? If no, then the change in color may be a warning sign... I'll watch this post to see if anything on that aspect develops.
I'm so sorry for everyone's unexpected furbaby loses. I just lost my Erik the hound dog on October 15th and still am scouring for answers as to how I lost him. I've come up with numerous hypothesis and am so angry at myself that he left so quickly. He had GI problems off-and-on for years. He had been on probiotics, prednisone, I/D low fat dog food. I'm trying not to blame myself but it's hard not to return to the moment I stopped his probiotics after he had been on them for two months. I thought it was a temporary supplement and since he was doing better that it was okay to stop them. 2 weeks later the diaherra returned (he hadn't had diaherra since July). I started up the probiotics again, upped his prednisone, gave him a chicken and rice diet. His stools weren't improving and by day 10 we were at the emergency vet because he was in pain. 2 days after that visit they diagnosed him with pyothorax and kept him at the clinic. The next day he went into cardiac arrest when they returned him to his kennel and they saved him. But, the following day, he went into cardiac arrest again and passed away to cross the Rainbow Bridge.
He was 9.5 and I regret not treating him more carefully. I never realized he was so delicate. I can only believe I should've been more careful with the probiotics.
There are so many other factors, too ... I just feel the blame lays on me that my baby boy is no longer here in the physical world.
They leave so suddenly and can only be left searching for an answer that we did the best we could with what we knew....
He was 9.5 and I regret not treating him more carefully. I never realized he was so delicate. I can only believe I should've been more careful with the probiotics.
There are so many other factors, too ... I just feel the blame lays on me that my baby boy is no longer here in the physical world.
They leave so suddenly and can only be left searching for an answer that we did the best we could with what we knew....
Hi, these posts were awhile ago but like a lot of people here, I found them when I was searching for possible reasons for my dog's passing... My amazing, gorgeous Border Terrier died suddenly yesterday morning. He was only 7 years old and I'm devastated. I know people will think it's silly, but he was like a child to me or a best friend. I've had him since he was a puppy. He should have had at least three more years. I'm completely broken up.
I moved 3 months ago, and he had been in kennels for nearly two months while we waited for a flat. He would have been back with me in just over a month. I had a call yesterday to say that the lady who runs the kennels had gone in to clean him out and he was asleep, and had died in his sleep. The kennels were were very good and I can't imagine they did anything wrong. They were sure that he hadn't had any symptoms of illness, he seemed happy enough, was eating and drinking water, had been walked regularly, was going to the toilet normally, wasn't in any discomfort in any way. He had had all his innoculations. I just can't understand how this could have happened. It's worse that I wasn't with him and I can't know if there was something I could have done to prevent it.
I just can't believe it still. I'm going to miss him so much. It doesn't seem right that he isn't here.
I moved 3 months ago, and he had been in kennels for nearly two months while we waited for a flat. He would have been back with me in just over a month. I had a call yesterday to say that the lady who runs the kennels had gone in to clean him out and he was asleep, and had died in his sleep. The kennels were were very good and I can't imagine they did anything wrong. They were sure that he hadn't had any symptoms of illness, he seemed happy enough, was eating and drinking water, had been walked regularly, was going to the toilet normally, wasn't in any discomfort in any way. He had had all his innoculations. I just can't understand how this could have happened. It's worse that I wasn't with him and I can't know if there was something I could have done to prevent it.
I just can't believe it still. I'm going to miss him so much. It doesn't seem right that he isn't here.
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From your description of what happened, it does sound like it could have been either a cardiac or cerebral event, but the only way to tell for sure what it was would be to have your vet perform a necropsy (autopsy). Many people don't want to put their pet through this, after all it won't bring them back and it does cost money to have done. If you feel it would give you closure, however, contact your vet and arrange to have it done.
Again, my most sincere sympathies to you on your loss.
Ghilly