Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 9/14/2008

Question
Hi i am very sorry for taking up your time but its really bothering me that i dont know why my dog just past away three days ago and i don't know why... on Friday she was laying on the couch and she stretched and started whimpering and shaking we just thought she popped a hip or something and the next few days she moped around till Sunday and Saturday night she was shaking... on Saturday morning i found her laying on the floor not moving with her tounge stuck to the roof of her mouth and spit coming out her mouth and she was shivering so i covered her up with a blanket and 20min later she was dead"

Answer
Jessie -

I am sorry for the loss of your pet.  Unfortunately, I cannot explain why your dog passed away so suddenly without the benefit of a post mortem exam.  

I can give you advice if this happens again with other pets. In the future, if your pet shows signs of sickness, do not wait to see if it will get better on its own.  Often, pet owners will put off taking their pet to the doctor for various reasons - most times the pet only gets worse.  A visit to the vet can often prevent a disastrous event - if the animal is in kidney failure or has liver disease, treatment can usually make it better.

There is not guarantee that a visit to the veterinarian would have saved your pets' life, but it may have given you peace of mind and made her more comfortable in the end.


Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM