Sudden death questions

[PatricksMom]

Monday morning, we lost Leo. He woke up, staggered across the room, fell down, and then we lost him a few minutes later. The only leading symptoms were about two minutes of coughing for the previous two nights. Our vet thinks it was almost certainly a cardiac event.

I'm not sure what I'm asking--does this seem plausible? Suggestions for coping? I've lost dogs under very difficult circumstances before, but I've always been able to make the decision to euthanize, even if I had to make it quickly. I feel like he didn't really get a proper goodbye, because we were caught up trying to call an evet, although we were both there at the end. It didn't help that I spent dinner Monday and the day today with a job candidate who was trying to bond over our being dog people.

Henry got a full check-up with bloodwork right after it happened, to be on the safe side, and he's getting a chest xray at his dental on Tuesday. He's being a good boy, he doesn't usually get in bed with me, hasn't in years, but he let DH put him up last night since Leo always fell asleep with me.

[cleptogrey]

So sorry on your sudden loss. As with people and massive cardiac events it happens. You didn't miss anything,  don't feel guilty.

[ramonaghan]

I'm so very sorry. I know cats with congestive heart failure can die suddenly like this, usually as a result of a blood clot. I would guess the same is true of dogs. Coughing and lethargy are symptoms of CHF, but sometimes there are none at all. If I recall correctly, Lexie's mom lost Lexie the same way a few months ago, though her vet suspected a stroke.

You did everything you could for your boy in the little time you had to react, but I understand how you're feeling. I hope you find peace and can remember the good times in the coming days. 

Rest well, Leo. 

Edited January 29, 2020 by ramonaghan

[palmettobug]

I lost my beautiful Johnny very suddenly in June, he was coming up on 8. He had some hind end weakness, some episodes of hard breathing after roaching, had seen the vet only a couple of weeks prior--best guess is cardiac or a splenic tumor. The ladies who run the kennel he and Gino were staying at described almost the same thing, just dropped and there was nothing they could do (they are all trained vet techs and loved him very much). It's still so hard, I second guess myself every day and miss him so much.

[greysmom]

I'm so sorry.  It's never easy to lose a beloved companion, especially so suddenly and with no warning, but it does sound like he might have had a stroke or heart attack.  It's not UNcommon to hear about, though it's on the less frequent side.  We've lost a couple to similar incidents.

Coughing and lethargy are two symptoms that you want to watch for in heart issues, and particularly now that grain free foods have been linked to DCM.  Often those symptoms are dismissed or misdiagnosed until it's too late, even by very experienced vets, so there's nothing you could have done or saw or treated beforehand.  It's just a tragic end to a beautiful life.

Please let your memories of your boy lead you towards healing and moving forward, as it feels appropriate for you and your family.

[macoduck]

I will add Leo's name to the list of Bridge Angels here on GT. He will be in good company. 

[FiveRoooooers]

I am so sorry 

[dmswartzfager]

The first greyhound I lost was a similar situation. He had been coughing the night before overnight, so I dropped him off at the vet for chest rads the next day. Rads seemed to be clear. He collapsed when I went to pick him up from the vet. His BP was all over the place and he seemed to be struggling, so we let him go. I strongly suspect he threw a clot in his lungs (pulmonary thromboembolism) knowing what I do now (meaning after years of greyhound experience and vet tech experience).

I have since lost two more greyhounds to blood clots, more than I've lost to osteo. Greyhounds are prone to strokes/thromboemboli so it's important to keep an eye on their blood pressure and protein in the urine since one of the first proteins lost in the urine is antithrombin III, a protein that prevents clots from forming where they shouldn't.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[BatterseaBrindl]

I am so sorry.

We lost a 7 year old Dobie very suddenly like that.  Just dropped with no warning.

[PatricksMom]

Thank you all, and I'm sorry for everyone else who's lost a dog this way. His checkup was scheduled for next week, but I'm trying to tell myself I doubt that getting it done earlier would have helped, he'd last been seen only a few months ago.

Thank you for adding his name to the bridge kids list, I'll post something about him there when I'm ready.

[LBass]

I'm so very sorry for your loss.   That is was such a sudden and shocking situation makes it harder. 

[Charlies_Dad]

We lost Jack the same way. It was likely a cardiac related event, possibly an embolism. We were aware that his heart was enlarged and our vet who took care of our Charlie told us in no uncertain terms his time was short before this. I still remember the day he told us, on a Saturday night after calling his cell (yes, Charlie brought us that close) on a picnic table outside his office. He was trying to break it easy to us that there was not a lot more we could do and just to give him the best life possible. We ended up losing him about two months later spending the summer at our beach house and he was happy minutes before he left and then he passed in my arms. I will never forget watching him and  wanting him to come back. 
 

I am sorry you lost Leo. It is very hard no matter how we lose our pups.

[PatricksMom]

Thank you all for caring, I've pulled together something in the remembrance forum.

[EllenEveBaz]

I'm so sorry.  Give Henry an extra hug from us.  

Quote

Greyhounds are prone to strokes/thromboemboli so it's important to keep an eye on their blood pressure and protein in the urine since one of the first proteins lost in the urine is antithrombin III, a protein that prevents clots from forming where they shouldn't.

Thanks for this info.