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Puppy died suddenly.

Species: Dog
Breed: large mixed breed
Age: 3-6 months
Dakota was playful, looked energetic and happy thursday morning. by dinner time the same day he looked weak and tired. he would not eat and seemed to be very uninterested in any petting or playing. he never seemed to be disoriented, just tired. he just layed around in the shade. i noticed thick saliva hanging from his mouth but i never saw him throw up or have diarrhea and we were all trying to pay attention to him, i feel sure we would have noticed. no coughing. the only thing i noticed was bleeding around the teeth at the gums. he had all the shots we were to give him except rabies. i woke up saturday morning and he was dead. there's nothing i can do for him but we do have other pets and i'm scared for them. do you have any idea as to what may have happened? i want to do whatever possible to protect our other pets. please give me any advice on this problem that you think could be the cause of Dakotas life and the preservation of our other pets future. thank you!


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear that Dakota died so suddenly like this.

Questions like this are always really hard to answer because anything I say is purely speculation.

It is interesting that you noticed bleeding in his mouth. Is there any chance he could have gotten into rat or mouse poison? Many of these poisons cause an animal to bleed. He may have bled internally. If there is no rat or mouse poison around another possibility is if he had eaten a rat or mouse that had previously ingested poison.

If possible, it would be a good idea to have a vet do a post mortem exam on his body to see if they can determine if there was bleeding or if there was something else going on.

This doesn't sound like a virus...most would cause more symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea or respiratory signs.

I wish I could give you more answers. It doesn't sound like something contagious. However, I would do a good search around for rat or mouse poisons.

So sorry for your loss.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.