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How did my dog die
So I was at work and my brother brought our dog to his job as usual. He was 4 years old and has been doing this routine for 4 years.
He took the dog to work and has a pen area for him in the rear of his store. Its fenced in no cameras(unfortunately).
Its a very shaded area very cool with plenty of water for him to drink and of course his usual toy with him.
He refilled the water twice throughout the day just to make sure the dog was ok. The dog was drinking water in a normal manner and it wasn't particularly too hot that day, roughly 85-90. The area he stays in is very cool and he has been doing so the past 3-4 years. There was a 3 hour block where he didn't see the dog, and I know much can happen within 3 hours but, for the past 4 years the dog has been completely healthy and just 1 week prior to his death on July 16,2013 he had visited the vet for a checkup. The doctor said his weight was good, teeth clean and healthy, xrays were normal, and the dog was in good spirits as normal. The day of his death he was in good spirits as well with no signs of illness.
He was found dead with his feces protruding from his rear, tongue slightly out. His water dish was knocked over possibly from him falling. Unknown at this point. Just wondering what the top 3-5 possibilities could be. Thanks for your time.
His name was Puccino, like Cappucino. A 4 yr old Belgian malinois shepherd. Rest in peace buddy, we love and miss you.
He took the dog to work and has a pen area for him in the rear of his store. Its fenced in no cameras(unfortunately).
Its a very shaded area very cool with plenty of water for him to drink and of course his usual toy with him.
He refilled the water twice throughout the day just to make sure the dog was ok. The dog was drinking water in a normal manner and it wasn't particularly too hot that day, roughly 85-90. The area he stays in is very cool and he has been doing so the past 3-4 years. There was a 3 hour block where he didn't see the dog, and I know much can happen within 3 hours but, for the past 4 years the dog has been completely healthy and just 1 week prior to his death on July 16,2013 he had visited the vet for a checkup. The doctor said his weight was good, teeth clean and healthy, xrays were normal, and the dog was in good spirits as normal. The day of his death he was in good spirits as well with no signs of illness.
He was found dead with his feces protruding from his rear, tongue slightly out. His water dish was knocked over possibly from him falling. Unknown at this point. Just wondering what the top 3-5 possibilities could be. Thanks for your time.
His name was Puccino, like Cappucino. A 4 yr old Belgian malinois shepherd. Rest in peace buddy, we love and miss you.
It was margot49 who originally brought up the possibility of poison and it was I who mentioned that I had some friends whose dog barked constantly and was evidently poisoned.
If by "how long would the poison remain in his system," you mean how long would it have taken for poison to kill him, there are poisons that can kill within the three-hour window during which he was unobserved. If you mean how long would the poison have been detectable on a necropsy, I think that, as fast as he died, some residue could probably have been found in his stomach contents. The poison would most likely have been concealed within a treat, such as a ball of meat. If, in fact, he was poisoned, he probably did not live long enough for his stomach to empty out.
If by "how long would the poison remain in his system," you mean how long would it have taken for poison to kill him, there are poisons that can kill within the three-hour window during which he was unobserved. If you mean how long would the poison have been detectable on a necropsy, I think that, as fast as he died, some residue could probably have been found in his stomach contents. The poison would most likely have been concealed within a treat, such as a ball of meat. If, in fact, he was poisoned, he probably did not live long enough for his stomach to empty out.
Thank you for your feedback everyone and your heart felt words however new information handmade itself available and as I am answering this from my phone I cannot see who wrote the story about poisoning him ur to his loud barking but that was the case a couple of months ago where my bother and our neighbor had words in regards and we are looking into it. But realistically speaking how long would the poison remain in his system?
The tongue hanging out of the mouth and the feces that were released from the bowel are just signs of the loss of muscle tone that happens after death. I would not take those things as signs of suffering or as clues as to the cause of death. I think they are probably irrelevant to whatever happened shortly before Puccini's death.
You mention that Puccini had x-rays taken, just one week prior to his death. If there were x-rays done of the chest and abdomen, there might possibly be a clue about hemangioma -- although maybe not, either. I wouldn't take the absence of a tumor on the x-rays as proof that it wasn't a hemangioma. X-rays don't show soft tissue very well, and so if there was a tumor on the back side of the heart or spleen, it might not show up. But possibly there might be something on the x-ray that, in hindsight, is a clue, like a slightly enlarged organ or slightly irregularly shaped organ. It may not have looked like anything significant, at the time. Maybe the x-rays weren't even of the chest or abdomen. I'm thinking maybe they were x-rays of his hips, am I right?
You mention that Puccini had x-rays taken, just one week prior to his death. If there were x-rays done of the chest and abdomen, there might possibly be a clue about hemangioma -- although maybe not, either. I wouldn't take the absence of a tumor on the x-rays as proof that it wasn't a hemangioma. X-rays don't show soft tissue very well, and so if there was a tumor on the back side of the heart or spleen, it might not show up. But possibly there might be something on the x-ray that, in hindsight, is a clue, like a slightly enlarged organ or slightly irregularly shaped organ. It may not have looked like anything significant, at the time. Maybe the x-rays weren't even of the chest or abdomen. I'm thinking maybe they were x-rays of his hips, am I right?
Regarding Margot49's thought about poison, I agree that it's a medical possibility. In practical terms, though, I think that unless you have reason to suspect a specific person of doing it, it's not very likely that that's what happened. I've only had one friend who had a dog poisoned, and in that case, the dog barked a lot, and the dog was routinely left in the back yard all day when the owners were at work. There was a next-door neighbor who had made her hostility known. The owners came home from work one day, and their dog was dead. I can't remember if they had a necropsy done, but the owners were pretty sure that their neighbor poisoned him. Unless Puccini was in that kind of situation, I myself doubt that he was poisoned. Killing a dog is something that few people are capable of, and I think it rarely happens unless either the dog poses a great problem to others or a really crazy/mean person does it. I respect Margot49, and if she has other thoughts about the possibility of poisoning, I'm interested, but that's my personal "take" on it, for what that's worth.
I'm so sorry for your loss. There is a type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma that is relatively common in German Shepherds. It kills suddenly, either after a short illness or sometimes with absolutely no warning at all. A tumor develops on either the heart or the spleen, the tumor gradually gets engorged with blood, and then one day the tumor ruptures, and the dog dies suddenly of internal bleeding. It would have had absolutely nothing to do with the heat, and it sounds like Puccino had excellent care. If this is what happened to him, there would have been nothing you could have done to help him, even if the cancer had been found before he died. It is not treatable. This is what I personally would suspect happened. I have known some people whose dogs died of this. Another medical possibility is that of a congenital heart defect, although I think this is much less likely, especially since he was at rest when it happened, and you don't mention any prior signs of illness. If there is any prior sign of a hemangiosarcoma, it might be the dog acting like he has a sore back or a pulled muscle, but even if that happens, the owner has no reason to suspect that anything serious is going on. So if Puccino had any symptoms like that, it makes it more likely in my mind that he had hemangiosarcoma, but it would have looked to any conscientious owner like minor symptoms. For what it is worth, a death from hemangiosarcoma is peaceful and painless. The dog loses consciousness and just doesn't wake up. It's more peaceful than being put to sleep at the vet's office, in my opinion. Again, I am so sorry. He didn't suffer, but the suffering is bad for you and your brother, because you had no warning. But in my heart, I believe Puccino died peacefully.
How tragic. Agree about a necropsy, if possible. Could be the heat but, if he was outside, I might suspect some type of poison also. Would hate to think someone dud it deliberately.
So sorry
So sorry
If you have the money i would get an autopsy. Soulds like heat stroke or poision...
I am sorry for your loss
I am sorry for your loss
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